THEY’RE big, they’re powerful and they’re frequently fingered as the culprits whenever unidentified dogs launch attacks on animals.
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But pigdogs pose less of a risk than many poorly trained and restrained household pets, according to a man with 38 years’ experience in the hunting industry.
Inverell-based feral pig-hunter and dog trainer Ned Makim says the assumption that pigdogs are bloodthirsty killers is unwarranted and born out of ignorance.
Mr Makim, who is the Australian Pig Doggers and Hunters Association vice-president, said too often any “big-headed” canine was conveniently slapped with the pigdog label.
The staunch defence comes after police identified three free-roaming “pigdogs” as responsible for mauling a lamb and small terrier in Inverell last Saturday.
Mr Makim said it was worth remembering that pigdogs are “not a breed, but a job description”.
He said working pigdogs were trained to be obedient, livestock-friendly and capable of socialising easily with other dogs, animals and people.
“Any attack by unrestrained dogs is a worrying thing,” he said.
“Wandering dogs are generally a big issue. People have to lock up their dogs.
“These may or may not have been pigdogs. If these were shown to be working pigdogs, then that’s a major concern for us.”
Mr Makim, whose pest-control job includes trapping dogs harassing stock, said people would be surprised at the breeds most commonly responsible.
“The ones that are attacking stock that I have to control are predominantly terrier-types, Labradors and sheepdogs,” he said.
“That’s what I find in the bush, unrestrained and a lot of them, of course, wearing collars.”
Mr Makim said pigdog-hunting was an important weapon in the fight against the destruction feral pigs wreaked on the region’s crops and livestock.
“The reason our association exists is to recognise and promote the best in dog-handling techniques,” he said.
“We would ask anyone who is hunting with working pigdogs to set an example on how dogs can be well-socialised and well-managed.”
Inverell police said the three dogs that carried out last weekend’s attacks had yet to be located.
