100th Problem Dog Culled

THE wild dog control program in the Upper Hunter has culled the 100th problem dog in 12 months, giving the $15 million local sheep industry reason to breath a sigh of relief.

Eleven organisations combined their efforts and Luke Booth, invasive species team leader for Hunter Local Land Services said the program has been successful even int he problematic conditions of the drought.

“We’ve worked with nearly 50 producers on trapping programs to help protect 37,800 sheep and 13,900 cattle in the Upper Hunter that were under attack from wild dogs,” said Mr Booth.

“On top of that there have been 14 strategic programs, each up to a month long, targeting known wild dog hot spots often in remote locations across the district,” he said.

“Reaching the milestone of removing 100 problem dogs is a real success story for the region, particularly given the issues facing local farmers with the drought – but we won’t be stopping there,”  Luke Booth said.

Peter Campbell, Hunter Valley Combined Wild Dog Association spokesman agreed the partnership was working well.

“Controlling 100 dogs over the last year is a great result and testament to the level of collaboration between landholders, Local Land Services and the stakeholders,” said Mr Campbell.

“It’s also recognition of the high level of skills of the professional controllers, for them to deliver such a good result,” he said.

“The Association made a conscious effort to employ trappers with a high skill set, and this has paid off with the number of dogs already controlled,” Peter Campbell said.

The program was developed after a successful trial using professional trappers and is now an initial four-year program $1million worth of funding.

It’s just one part of Hunter Local Land Services strategic approach to controlling wild dogs.

Additional ground and aerial baiting programs and two aerial shooting programs have been part of the program, with landholders across the region working collaboratively.

Wild dogs have plagued the Upper Hunter sheep industry but are being brought to heel.