For about two months, a pack of at least seven dogs has been roaming the farms in the Guasila area. But the number of strays, farmers say, is steadily increasing. Some have already given birth: the puppies are growing rapidly, and with them, fears are growing that the problem will finally get out of control.
Ignazio Etzi's farm has suffered a heavy toll: twenty-four sheep mauled, a sheepdog attacked and injured . A series of seven attacks in just a few weeks has forced the farmer to initiate compensation proceedings. Full support has been provided by the municipality, as has the police, but the emergency continues.
The dogs move in packs, sneaking around fences and attacking mostly at night. "We're exhausted," Etzi says. "My colleague and I work in relays until dawn, one guarding while the other tries to rest for a few hours. But all it takes is a gap in the fence and the flock is decimated. It's not just the loss of animals: it's seeing months of work destroyed in a matter of minutes ." Tensions are high between Serra Pardu and the greenhouses near Ortacesus .
Every attack requires the intervention of veterinarians for investigations and the initiation of compensation proceedings. "It's no longer just an economic problem here," Etzi emphasizes, "it's a safety issue. The dogs are becoming more and more numerous and aggressive . If they attack sheep today, who can guarantee they won't attack someone tomorrow? We work in the fields; we can't wait for something irreparable to happen."
Estimates from animal rights groups indicate that there are over 65,000 stray or wandering dogs in Sardinia (although no official, updated data is published by the Ministry of Health), a significant number compared to other Italian regions. Breeders' associations are calling for increased controls on microchips and abandonment, increased capture and sterilization rates, rapid compensation for damage to livestock, and transparent monitoring of stray dog data.
