Dogs off leash killed
A FAMILY is heartbroken and a Far North community has been left scared after two dogs were shot and killed and a third left fighting for life.
Gene Kubala said the two labradors, Pisco and Django, and kelpie Koda ran away from his father David Kubala on Friday at Mirriwinni.
“We’re fifth generation farmers, so we know the community pretty well,” he said.
“Dad went looking for them all day and in the end we had about 14 other community members with us.”
But nobody could have prepared the family for the news that their dogs had been shot.
“A man told Dad that he had shot the dogs and he pointed out where they were,” Mr Kubala said.
“He said that they barked at his chickens, so he shot them. Dad was pretty upset.”
Mr Kubala said the brown labrador Django had two bullets removed from him and was still in a vet clinic.
“It’s 50/50 with him. We don’t know if he’s going to make it,” he said.
“Dad found the other two bodies in the grass. The golden lab was shot in the heart. The kelpie bled out.
“It was pretty distressing stuff.”
He said the community was shocked at the news.
“The whole point of living in a rural community is that everybody looks out for each other,” he said.
“My parents are feeling guilty that they didn’t chain the dogs up, but they did have dog tags with our names and numbers on them. Everybody knew them.
“It just seems like an extreme thing to do.”
Mr Kubala said both of his parents were very upset.
“We’re all in a bit of shock. When us three kids all went off to university, the dogs sort of became like Mum and Dad’s kids,” he said. “They got labradors because they’re gentle and loving dogs. They really see them as family members.
“Should people in the community be chaining their dogs up now?”
He said he hoped other community members were careful with their pets following the incident.
“If you have dogs, or even kids, you don’t want them roaming around into other properties,” he said.
Police have investigated and deemed it not a criminal matter. RSPCA has been contacted by the family.