Imagine if your small business lost $3300 in one week.
This is a reality many farmers face, and a problem Balaclava resident Rob Gallina is trying to control.
He is an Australian Feral Animal Control and Management Services Pty Ltd feral contractor shooter, and has been for the past 20 years.
“Farmers are struggling on a major scale across Australia due to feral animals,” he said.
“I feel sorry for the animals, they don’t know any better and want to survive, but they’re a problem.”
Feral animals include foxes, rabbits, pigs, deer, wild cats, goats, camels, donkeys and kangaroos.
But the big worry for Mr Gallina is wild dog packs, which cause more than $100 million damage a year to wildlife and livestock in Australia.
“Dingoes are shy and only kill to eat, but dogs kill for fun,” he said.
“There’s no apex predator in Australia, and these dogs are savage.”
While Mr Gallina said there are only two wild dog packs in the Highlands at the moment, the problem is set to become worse.
“I can guarantee in 12 to 18 months, we’ll see more packs getting closer to town, moving in from the arid land out west.
“We have perfect grazing land here, which attracts rabbits, kangaroos and is good for livestock, which draws the wild dogs.”
Wild dog packs are formed by domestic dogs breeding with dingoes, lost dogs turned feral and people intentionally letting their dogs loose.
“People might buy their kid a dog as a present, and when it’s not wanted they think it’s more humane to release them into the wild rather than go to the pound,” Mr Gallina said.
“But in two to three months, they go wild. Then there are lost dogs, pet male dogs who seek out wild female dogs on heat, and people who go dogging for pigs lose their dogs all the time, it’s a really big problem.”
Mr Gallina recently shot two dogs in Sutton Forest which killed and maimed 22 sheep in one week.
“Dogs can kill 10 to 30 sheep a night, and they just pull out the organs, they’re not doing it because they’re hungry,” he said.
“They do a world of damage.”
Mr Gallina said people could help control wild dog populations by desexing their pets, and taking unwanted dogs to shelters or the pound.
Calling in any sightings also helps contract shooters and trappers track packs.
“If you do see a rogue dog, call your Local Land Service, professional shooter or trapper, or rangers, so we can develop patterns,” he said.
“People might see a single dog and think it’s the neighbours, but call it in anyway.”
Find out more about feral animal control at www.afacms.com.au.