A dog owner has been ordered to pay a total of more than $4000 in combined fines and compensation after livestock in the Nyngan district were mauled.
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An attack by Kerin James Austin’s two Staffordshire bull terriers resulted in the death of more than 20 sheep.
Austin pleaded guilty in Nyngan Local Court to being the owner of a dog that attacks a person or other animal.
Magistrate Philip Stewart convicted Austin and fined him $750 for the offence, as well as ordering him to pay $3325 to the sheep owner.
The owner of the sheep went to inspect the property on the morning of February 15 and found mauled sheep, according to court documents.
They had sustained bite marks and considerable facial injuries.
Some were dead while others had to be euthanised.
The owner went round the property’s boundary and saw two Staffordshire bull terriers, which then ran.
The sheep owner shot one of the dogs.
One of the dogs was followed to a residence at Nyngan and a later a second dog that had a bullet hole in its leg and blood on its collar also arrived at the residence.
Austin surrendered the dogs to the ranger and admitted ownership.
Both dogs were euthanased.
Austin had pleaded guilty to the charge at an earlier court appearance.