THERE is still no timeline for the employment of dog trappers in SA, but Member for Stuart Dan van Holst Pellekaan reiterated the Liberal Party's pledge in parliament last week.
At a forum held in Orroroo in early May last year, the Liberals vowed to provide funding to support two wild dog trappers if elected.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan said with the next state budget still be worked out, the funding needed to be in place before any appointments could be made. But, once the funding was in place, he was hopeful the appointments would be made quickly.
“I’m in regular contact with graziers affected by wild dogs and also wild dog trappers who would be ideal candidates to fill these government roles,” he said.
Mr van Holst Pellekaan said the fact a dog was shot at Caltowie only recently highlighted this was a statewide problem.
“An enormous amount of effort is going into (wild dog control) by private landholders,” he said.
Matt Anderson, Cooyerdoo Station, in the southern Gawler Ranges, said wild dogs had been a growing problem in the past few years, but he was particularly concerned that a pure-bred dingo had been shot on a neighbouring property only a few months ago.
“When you talk to people in the area, there’s always someone around here who has seen a dog, it’s quite common now,” he said.
“Having national parks nearby, they tend to become breeding grounds, which doesn’t help the problem.”
