Out-of-control dogs killed 13 sheep and lambs
INCIDENT LEFT FARMER WITH £7,000 BILL
A DOG owner who lives near Uttoxeter has been fined after his animals chased and killed 13 sheep and lambs.
Two German shepherds owned by Matthew Galovics, 52, escaped from an enclosure outside his property and got into a farmer’s field.
Now magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre have ordered Galovics, to keep the dogs – Frankie and Caspar – under proper control or face having them put down.
Prosecutor Emma Thompson said the farmer was alerted to the incident – which happened in Rectory Road, Hollington – at 6.45am on April 24.
Ms Thompson said: “He looked out of the window and saw his flock of sheep running towards his house.
“He said that was unusual and he immediately suspected there were dogs in the field.
“He opened the front door and saw a dog running towards Rectory Road. He received a phone call from his mother, stating there was another dog in the field with the sheep.
“He collected his shotgun while he called the police. On driving his Land Rover into the field, he saw several injured lambs and ewes. He saw a dog with the back leg of a lamb in its mouth. That lamb was still alive at the time.
“He chased the dog in the Land Rover and took a shot at it before it escaped through a fence.
“Thirteen sheep died, including lambs. The photographs are quite harrowing. Police said when they arrived the farmer was distraught.”
The court heard Frankie was caught by police, while Caspar found his way home hours later.
When police spoke to Galovics, he said the dogs were friendly pets and had never been aggressive before.
Galovics, of Raddle Bank, Hollington, pleaded guilty to two charges of being the owner of a dog worrying livestock.
James Hulse, mitigating, said: “When he went to bed at 2am, he put the dogs away. Within the compound they were placed in a gated run which was bolted, with two gates at the front and a further gate inside.
“When he got up at 5.30am, he saw all the gates had been opened in the dog run and the main gate. At the time he was selling puppies. He can only assume people came to steal those puppies – which were actually in the house – and opened all the gates allowing the dogs to escape.
“He has now secured padlocks to all the relevant gates. Mr Galovics will say he has now put as many measures in place as he can to ensure the dogs do not escape again. If they do, he knows he is at risk of losing them. He was lucky that the dogs were not shot by the farmer, who would have been within his rights to do that.”
The court heard the farmer who owned the sheep has received an insurance payout of around £7,000 to cover his losses.
Magistrates fined Galovics £160 and imposed a control order for the dogs. He must also pay £169 in court costs and charges.
Staffordshire Police said the financial cost to the farmer was in excess of £7,000, with some of the remaining flock requiring specialist vet treatment for their injuries – including trauma.
Chief Inspector Mark Thorley, of Staffordshire Moorlands Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “It is written into law that any farmer can protect their livestock by shooting dogs who are attacking their animals, but no farmer likes the prospect of doing it.
“There is only one person who can prevent this kind of incident from happening – the dog’s owner. You may have to pay the ultimate price if you cannot control them.
“Livestock can be worth huge sums of money and owners can be liable for damages if their dog attacks them.”