Two calves are dead and two are recovering after a brutal dog attack Monday at a Chilliwack dairy farm.
“I’ve had enough,” Marc Dalton told The Progress from his Greendale dairy farm. “This has got to stop.”
It’s the third time that livestock has been attacked, he said.
The two large dogs were described as “pit bull-cross looking things.”
They gutted one Jersey calf, ripped open another and tore the ear off a third. A fourth managed to escape.
The dogs stopped, turned and looked directly at him as they were attacking the hapless animals in their little hutches.
“When I went out there, they turned on me and weren’t scared of me at all,” said Dalton. “I had a stick and swung it at them, and they just sauntered away.”
He gave chase but the dogs took off, scooting down a nearby driveway.
The farmer said he finally called RCMP and made a report, and Animal Control officials circled the block yesterday in a truck, searching for the animals, to no avail.
They told him they’d had numerous reports recently about dogs on the loose, Dalton said. Neighbours have also reported being chased by big dogs while cycling in the agricultural area. There are many of his neighbours who have kids playing nearby.
“People shouldn’t be allowed to keep aggressive dogs like that. There’s no need for it,” Dalton said. “This should never have happened.”
Police officials told the farmer he could kill any dogs roaming onto his property to attack livestock. Dalton said he knew that, but added it was nice to hear it directly from the police officers in this case.
“People need to be aware that these dogs may be out there. Everyone needs to know so they can be extra careful.”
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
twitter.com/CHWKjourno