Thirty sheep have died after being attacked by dogs in central New South Wales, leaving owners of the stock frustrated that the laws are not sufficient to protect their livestock.

Kerry and Ken Wright own the property just outside Nyngan, where two dogs recently killed and maimed a third of their flock of 100 sheep.

Ms Wright said the attack left the sheep in a shocking state, but she said the situation had the potential to be much worse.

"This could've been a child," she said.

"As it was, Ken has had to deal with sheep that are very badly injured, and he is very distressed.

Twenty-eight ewes and one lamb were killed by the dogs, and ten other sheep were attended to by a local vet.

More sheep died from their injuries in the week after the attack.

Ms Wright said her husband and a neighbour pursued the dogs from the property, with Mr Wright firing at the dogs.

She said he shot one dog in the hind leg, but the animal escaped.

"They both took off into the scrub when he got near them," Ms Wright said.

She said she was frustrated at how police and the local council responded to the reports.

"We logged it with both council and police and the council ranger has been good," she said.

"But the rural crime investigator says they can't do anything; it's a shire matter."

Ms Wright said owners of all dogs in rural areas needed to be more vigilant about where their animals were at all times.

"The dog owners have got to be put on notice and got to be responsible for their dogs," she said.

The Wrights are now left to count the cost of the destruction, with the financial loss expected to run into the thousands.

"Insurance won't cover it all, compensation would be absolutely fantastic," Ms Wright said.

Matter for local government, say police

NSW Police say the matter is one for local government authorities to pursue under Companion Animal legislation.

Acting crime manager for the Darling River Local Area Command, Detective acting inspector Mark Gorton, said police at Nyngan had assisted staff from Bogan Shire to follow up on the Wright's concerns.

"Bogan Shire Council is now undertaking full investigation of the matter," he said.

"The initial report was made to the police and police responded accordingly. Council were advised and undertook an investigation.

"During the initial investigation, police did help the shire investigator in coordinating some statements and working out exactly what had taken place."

General manager of the Bogan Shire, Derek Francis, said landholders who lost livestock to domestic dog predation were understandably shocked and stressed by the event.

He said the Companion Animal act provided local government with an instrument to prosecute the owners of dogs, which were not suitably restrained or contained in their garden.

He also said it was an offence for a dog to attack a human or another animal and dog owners could be fined as much as $880 per penalty.

"These particular dogs have been euthanased, but the grief and the financial loss is still there for the owners of the sheep," Mr Francis said.

"That is something that can be taken up through the court system. The sheep owner has the option of pursuing a civil case against owner of the dogs."

