Warning: Distressing content.

An elderly woman whose 12 chickens died in a series of brutal dog attacks has been left traumatised and “bereft” by their loss, her daughter says.

The dozen chickens in 80-year-old Margaret Varney’s flock are among the 64 chickens killed in two weeks by suspected roaming dogs.

Tauranga City Council says it has launched an investigation into these attacks, all of which were reported in an area bounded by Kaitemako and Ohauiti Rds in the Welcome Bay/Hairini area.

A heartbroken Margaret, whose Hairini property backs on to rural Transpower-owned land, tells the Bay of Plenty Times that when she went to feed her flock of 12 chickens on July 22, she found three badly mauled bodies with feathers everywhere, and another three chickens missing.

Maragaret says she didn't hear the attacks, despite the chicken coop being about 20m from her home, and her dog had not shown any signs of hearing anything out of the ordinary.

She would usually hear loud clucking if a dog or feral cat visited the property, she says.

A distraught Margaret Varney leaning against her empty chicken coop after dogs killed her 12 chickens. Photo / Sandra Conchie.

Maragaret says the impact of these attacks is hard to put into words.

“My chickens were quite tame and great companions, I feel a bit empty. When I went to feed them, they would always come to meet me and cluster around my feet. They were great layers too. To be murdered in this way is shocking and heartbreaking.

“That’s what this is - the murder of my defenceless poor chickens by killer dogs. I fear that next time it could be a vicious attack on a child.”

Margaret pleads with anyone who knows the dogs responsible for the deaths of her birds or sees roaming dogs in the area, to call the council.

Margaret Varney, 80, with some of her flock of chickens before they were killed by roaming dogs. Photo / Fiona Robinson.

Margaret's daughter Fiona Robinson says the loss of her entire flock has left her mother traumatised and “bereft”.

“It’s just a horrible thing to happen to anyone. Mum wants to replace the chickens at some stage, but I’m worried that if she does the same thing could happen again.”

She says her mother is “quite frail” and fears if the attack dogs return, she might be harmed.

“Mum’s chickens were expert layers and the eggs they all produced were amazing.”

Fiona says she and her mother are zero-waste enthusiasts and always fed the chickens their vegetable scraps.

She says she has reported the attacks to the council and the police but was informed at this stage it's not a police matter.

Similar reports of dog attacks on chickens in the same area have been shared on social media.

A Facebook post from one woman says she lost 19 of her “beautiful heritage chickens” on July 30 after two dogs dug under the coop fencing, and she feared they would return to kill her remaining seven chickens.

Another person says two dogs “wiped out” their 22 chickens.

Tauranga City Council's animal services team leader Brent Lincoln. Photo / Alex Cairns.

The council’s animal services team leader Brent Lincoln says the council is investigating four attacks on chickens in the area, resulting in the deaths of 64 chickens.

Brent says the chicken owners and witnesses to these attacks have been spoken to, and dog traps have been placed at the properties where chickens survived.

He hopes to match DNA swabs from some of the dead chickens to any suspect dogs, however, the dogs in two of the four attacks were not seen.

Brent says council staff visited properties in the lower Kaitemako Rd area during their investigations and picked up several unregistered dogs.

“While we have a couple of leads, at this stage, it is unclear where the attack dogs have come from and whether they are the same dogs in all the attacks.”

He says dog owners have a legal responsibility to ensure their dogs can't roam, and if a dog is caught roaming its owner faces a fine of up to $3000 and their pet impounded at an initial cost of $100 followed by a daily fee of $16.

Brent urges anyone whose pets are attacked by dogs to call the council immediately. Anyone who sees roaming dogs should take a photo or record a video, if safe to do so, and also contact the council straight away.

“To help us with this, if anyone’s pet is deceased, please keep it in a cool area like the garage until we have taken a DNA sample.”

-Bay of Plenty Times.