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A woman has been evicted from her home and fined hundreds of pounds after her pet wolf-dog attacked sheep during a walk on the Ashdown Forest.

Aurora Morganite of Old Lodge, Nutley, pleaded guilty to breaking an Ashdown Forest dog control bye-law at Hastings Magistrates' Court.

Forest bosses said both they and the police had issued Morganite with repeated warnings about her pet - a part-wolf part-dog hybrid.

An Ashdown Forest spokesman said: "Ms Morganite was fined £100 with a £30 victim surcharge and made to pay legal costs of £325 for allowing her dog to be out of control in the Three Wards area of Ashdown Forest on May 21.

"Despite repeated warnings about the dog’s behaviour from both Ashdown Forest staff and the police, Ms Morganite allowed her wolf-dog off the lead in the middle of the grazing area, permitting the wolf-dog to be at large with livestock and wild animals.

"The dog was loose for a period of around two hours on the forest.

"In subsequent days, three sheep were found, one of whom had died and two who were severely injured and had to be put down. The most likely explanation for the state the sheep were in is that they were maimed by Ms Morganite’s dog.

"She and her husband and pet dog were evicted from their home as a result of this incident."

Under Ashdown Forest bye-laws “a person shall not cause any dog belonging to him or in his charge to be upon the forest or remain upon the forest unless such dog be and continue to be under proper control and be effectively restrained from causing annoyance to any person and from worrying or disturbing any animal”.

Morganite's prosecution follows a similar conviction relating to an out-of-control husky killing a sheep on the Ashdown Forest in January.

The Ashdown Forest spokesman added: "Dog walkers on Ashdown Forest are reminded that they must ensure their dogs are effectively restrained and kept under control at all times and that they take all reasonable steps to ensure that their dogs do not injure, endanger, intimidate or otherwise cause distress to any persons or animals.

"Ashdown Forest is common land and sheep and cattle roam freely in the grazing area between April and November each year."

Speaking at the time of the attack, farmer George Osborne, of Misbourne Farm, who owned the sheep, said: “People have to keep their dogs under control.

“We will be going out with guns looking for dogs chasing sheep now.

“It’s the owners' fault more than the dog," he said, and added, "being on common lands it’s very difficult to stop."

What is a wolf-dog?

According to UK charity Wolfdog Rescue the animals can make very loyal, beautiful and unique pets for the right family but they do not make good pets for everyone as they are a challenging breed.

Being very intelligent they require mental stimulation as well as physical exercise.

Wolf-dogs are also very communicative and owners should "expect a howl or two" which can be a problem for some neighbours.

They also have a sense of "prey drive" and should never be trusted around livestock such as sheep. Only a few are able to live with cats.