Sawyers Bay residents are being asked to keep their eyes and ears open for roaming dogs after a pet sheep had its ear bitten off in an attack early yesterday.
Cecil, a 1-year-old sheep, was in a paddock next to a Sawyers Bay house when attacked, Cecil's owner Alan Funnell said.
Mr Funnell lived in Dunedin and was about to move to a Sandymount farmlet.
Cecil, who had outgrown the Funnells' backyard, was being looked after by a friend until he could be moved to the new property.
Mr Funnell received a phone call from his friend about 2am yesterday, just after the attack.
"He told me their dog started barking and he heard noises so he went outside and managed to chase the dog away from Cecil, but couldn't tell what type of dog it was," he said.
Mr Funnell reported the incident to police and urged Sawyers Bay residents to be on the lookout for wandering dogs.
"We are coming up to lambing season so it's a dangerous time for dogs to be around."
Cecil was raised around dogs and was not afraid of them.
"He probably thinks he's a dog. I think he likes dogs better than sheep," he said.
The animal was expected to survive the attack, despite losing an ear, and would spend the next few nights in a shed to recover, Mr Funnell said.
