MARONG resident David Ralton awoke to a horrifying sight on Tuesday morning. One of his prized pure-bred Damara ewes was mauled by a dog.
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Allies Road resident Mr Ralton has lived in the area for 10 years and said an incident like this had occurred on a neighbours property before.
"I found the sheep this morning with its throat ripped out," he said.
"It is a pure bred worth two or three hundred dollars.
"It takes years to get a herd of sheep together like this that are pure bred."
Mr Ralton said people did not take enough care when restraining their dogs at night.
"It is difficult to monitor. You hear dogs barking but you don't get out of bed to every dog bark," he said.
"Is it just devastating to come out in the morning and see it.
"People are not being responsible for their dogs - they are unrestrained or the yard is unsecure. People need to be aware of the responsibility of where their dogs are."
Mr Ralton said he would be warning his neighbours of the potential threat.
He said it was also an issue for motorists if there were dogs on the loose.
"It's a bit of an issue being so close to the town centre," he said.
The Bendigo Advertiser knows of two other incidents of a similar nature, one in Mandurang and another in Big Hill.
“An attack on a sheep near Marong was reported to Council officers this morning," a City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson said.
"Council officers are investigating and will be carrying out patrols and contacting residents in the area.
“It is important that owners ensure their dog is securely contained on their property and unable to escape. If an owner is found guilty of a dog attack, they can face a fine of up to $5,900 and a Magistrate may also order that their dog be destroyed.”
Bendigo Advertiser reader Caity Sleeman posted on Facebook of similar experiences.
"I live in this area and I lost two of my pet sheep to dogs," she wrote.
