Pet lamb mauled by neighbourhood dogs

Two Christchurch brothers are fearful another attack is imminent after their pet lamb was attacked twice by a neighbour’s dogs.

Joel, 31, and Harrison Yates, 22, brought a lamb, whom they named Lamb Lamb, to their Hornby property after it was rejected by its mother in October.

Joel Yates returned home about 1am on November 18 and was horrified when he looked out the window and saw two dogs, a jack russell and a American pit bull terrier, viciously attacking his pet.

The smaller dog was biting into Lamb Lamb’s stomach, while the bigger dog had its mouth clamped about the lamb’s throat.

Joel Yates said he rushed outside and pulled both dogs off Lamb Lamb. He struck the pit bull numerous times before it turned and bit the bottom of his jeans. He escaped without injuries but Lamb Lamb was not so lucky.

Joel Yates said no-one in the flat slept that night as they held pressure on the lamb’s wounds until they could take it to a vet at 7am.

The second attack happened 12 days later at 10.30am. The brothers were away but their flatmate wrested Lamb Lamb from the dogs.

The pit bull was believed to have jumped the 1.8-metre-high corrugated iron fence at the back of the property while the jack russell dug under it.

The brothers often had trouble sleeping at night as they were constantly checking on Lamb Lamb.

Harrison Yates said the lamb was well known in the neighbourhood and a 6-year-old-girl often visited to bottle feed it.

‘‘If [the pit bull] can jump a 1900 millimetre fence it can maul a little girl,’’ he said.

Christchurch City Council head of regulatory compliance Tracey Weston said both dogs had since been classified as dangerous. Their owner would have to make upgrades to their property, including ensuring the dogs were kept ‘‘under lock and key’’.

‘‘The dogs are currently being held in the animal shelter until staff are satisfied that these requirements have been met.’’