SHATTERED: Lee Hoad lost nine alpacas to dog attacks. He's pictured at the spot he buried their bodies.

SHATTERED: Lee Hoad lost nine alpacas to dog attacks. He's pictured at the spot he buried their bodies. Michael Nolan

IRRESPONSIBLE pet owners are being blamed for a string of dog attacks that killed scores of sheep and alpacas.

The attacks occurred on properties along Old Esk Rd in East Nanango and started late last year.

Bev and Craig Hoddinott lost sheep and chickens.

On each occasion the dogs came right up to the farmhouse.

"A dog got in here and killed some of the chooks, that was during the day,” Mr Hoddinott said.

"There were also a couple of night attacks where they got one sheep each night.”

Before the attacks started the family had a small flock of dorpers.

"We've had them for a long time. I had three really good ewes from one line and they were the three they killed,” Mr Hoddinott said.

"We have never lost animals to dog attacks before. Over the road there is a cattle property and they've had more trouble, but they have 2500 acres and it's a bit hard to control.”

Worryingly, Mr Hoddinott believes the dogs have owners that let them roam at night.

"All of the dogs we have trouble with are not wild, they are all domestic. I've spotted a collar on one and the rest look too well cared for to be wild,” he said.

"It's just people being ignorant, they know that it's in a dog's nature to attack when they go roaming. I love dogs but you have to look after them properly.”

Mr Hoddinott's neighbour, Lee Hoad, lost nine alpacas in two attacks.

The first happened about two weeks ago when he woke to find six of his herd dead.

He moved his remaining animals into his house yard but that didn't save them.

The dogs came right up to his doorstep and killed another three, tearing out their throats and leaving the bodies behind.

"I had the alpacas at the back door with the floodlights on but that didn't stop them,” Mr Hoad said.

Mr Hoad has since moved his remaining alpacas to a friend's property.

"The dogs will keep coming back until they finish off the lot of them,” he said.

"I don't know if we'll ever bring the alpacas back. I couldn't go through having to clean all that up again.

"One of the alpacas was about a month old and one was six months old. The dogs hadn't properly killed them so I had to shoot them.

"There was nothing a vet could have done.”

While the attacks have been reported to South Burnett Regional Council, both men believe there is little the authorities can do.

The council has supplied traps and baits but neither are effective against domesticated dogs.

"Trapping is a bit tricky with domestic dogs because they are not hungry. They don't go for food, they come to play and kill animals,” Mr Hoddinott said.

In the end the pair are not looking for the authorities to solve the problem.

"It's got to be the people that own these dogs. Even if they move out onto these blocks, they still have to look after their dogs,” Mr Hoad said.

"They can't let them off the chain and roam at night.

"I've heard stories about different people from other areas that have lost animals and I'm really not sure what the answer is to it all.”

South Burnett Regional Council was contacted for comment.