A new state-wide Rural Crime campaign by Crime Stoppers and the NSW Police Force has been launched to address the ongoing issue of crimes affecting regional New South Wales. This is the first time that Crime Stoppers and NSW Police have collaborated on a dedicated campaign to address rural crime.
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Four major crime areas of concern are being targeted - illegal hunting, stock theft, trespassing and firearm theft.
Crime in regional areas is not new, however it continues to be a growing area of concern for the whole of NSW, not just the farming community.
Stock theft, for example, has seen more than 20,000 individual head of stock stolen from NSW farms in 2018, with the loss of sheep and cattle alone costing farmers over $3.2 million.
Police are also advising dog owners of their responsibilities as lambing season starts. Dog owners could face on the spot fines, after a spate of dog attacks on sheep and lambs around the state.
An owner of any dog which rushes at, attacks, bites, harasses or chases any person or animal, can be fined $1320 on the spot, along with other possible fines, and face having their dog seized. Dogs may also be lawfully destroyed in some instances by farmers if they are actively attacking livestock.
Farmers are already going through tough times with the drought, without needing the further impact of stock losses due to these dog attacks. It can be heartbreaking for our farmers to face heavy stock losses, as well as having to euthanise further stock due to severe injury, as a result of dog attacks which can often decimate a significant portion of a flock in one night.
For more information see https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/.../informati.../dog-attack-reporting
