With growing pressure from farmers and the Nationals on the government’s reluctance to announce plans for wild dog control in the state, Agriculture Victoria released a survey last week, calling for farmers to report on the impact of predation on livestock production.
The call has coincided with another statement announcing the continuation of the Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty in line with the state budget on May 7.
The wild dog component of the bounty program ceased in north-west Victoria on March 14.
Foxes can still be hunted and trapped in that region, but central and eastern Victorian farmers fear that the ban on wild dogs will be extended statewide.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Emma Kealy said the government had ‘blind-sided’ farmers with the changes in north-western Victoria where she said losses continued to be a major concern.
The Nationals MP said her party had established a parliamentary petition to help secure further funding for wild dog control.
“Wild dog control is a critical issue for livestock producers, yet the silence is deafening around the future of this program,“ Ms Kealy said.
“Protecting livestock from predators is a significant challenge for farmers.
“There is growing anger that Labor consistently prioritises animal extremists over supporting our farmers to grow food and fibre and drive the Victorian economy.”
The government said in a statement that any continuation of the wild dog component of the bounty beyond October will be determined in line with the outcomes of the Victorian Dingo Conservation review being led by DEECA.
State Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull told parliament on May 29 that implementing the policy statewide would be ‘an unmitigated disaster’.
“The only way to control these wild dogs is in the three kilometre interface to private land,” Mr Bull said.
“To try and then control dogs on private land is impossible.”
Ms Kealy told parliament in April of photos she had been sent of mauled livestock.
“I have seen terrible photos of live lambs, their intestines dragging along the ground,” she said.
“It is a horrific death.
“There is no ability for farmers to get an authority to control wildlife. There is no funding for fencing. There is no ability to manage these wild dogs or dingoes on their land.”
The livestock predation survey closes on Tuesday, August 6 and can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LivestockPredationSurvey
Information on the wild dog and fox bounty can be found at: https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/pest-animals
The parliamentary petition on wild dog and fox control funding can be found at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/getinvolved/petitions/victorias-wild-dog-program
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