One ewe and four lambs died, while several others were left badly injured in the attack last Wednesday night at Albert Botter’s farm on the Elleker-Grasmere Road.

Mr Botter and his wife Wikik were devastated when they awoke on Thursday morning to find torn, dead sheep, which had seemingly been chased into a water course where they had drowned.

Mr Botter blamed the attack on owners for not securing their dogs at night in a rural area.

“They have got to take responsibility for their animals,” he said.

“There is a lamb there, with no mother, I’ll have to keep that in tonight.

“Maybe one other will die from its injuries.”

Mr Botter said he had never witnessed such devastation in the 25 years he had lived in the area, especially of animals he cared for.

Mr Botter said he had to put down one lamb with a broken leg and would have to keep a close watch on a ewe which had been attacked at the tail.

He said only had a small flock of 12 Dorper sheep on his one hectare hobby farm because they were easy-care and kept the grass down.

“No animal in my place suffers for lack of care or food,” he said.

Mr Botter’s wife awoke to the sound of a dog barking about 3am on Thursday but didn’t think any more of it.

But when Mr Botter awoke and did not hear the normal calling of the lambs he knew something was wrong.

Two sheep were hiding near a car and others were near a water tank.

“What a pitiful sight these are,” he said, pointing to the dead lambs and the ewe he dragged from the water.