Call to protect farmers and their livestock from wild dogs

THE emotional, economic and environmental impact of wild dogs is in the spotlight as the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) calls for a Government commitment to fund the National Wild Dog action plan and the role of National Wild Dog management coordinator.

The Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Darren Chester, is championing the cause and demands that the NSW Government act.

“The toll on farmers’ mental health from wild dog attacks is enormous and we are simply not doing enough at state or federal government level,” Mr Chester said.

“In terms of mental health and stress, just imagine working all day to care for your stock, going home at night for a quick bite to eat, and then grabbing your rifle to head back out and control wild dogs on your property.

“That is the lived reality for too many farmers.”

Funding for the National Wild Dog Management Coordinator expires at the end of September, with funding for the National Wild Dog Action Plan expiring a month later.

The NFF is calling on the Federal Government to urgently recommit funding to address the issue.

NFF President Hamish McIntyre said wild dogs were a serious threat.

“Wild dogs are especially cruel killers, often leaving livestock to suffer slow, painful deaths from their bites, and farmers already spend millions of dollars and countless hours managing wild dogs,” Mr McIntyre said.

“These wild dogs come from all directions, including national parks and Crown land. It makes them very difficult to track.

“It’s vital that the National Coordinator is reinstated come September. If funding isn’t renewed, we’ll be undoing more than a decade of progress.

“Without this nationally aligned approach, control efforts would become fragmented and less efficient, leading to increased livestock losses, reduced producer confidence, and heightened pressure on rural communities and ecosystems,” Mr McIntyre said.

“Walking away from wild dog management now would put livestock, native wildlife, farm businesses and rural communities at greater risk.”