ACT Policing is asking the public for information after multiple sheep were allegedly rounded up and injured at a rural property in Tuggeranong, Canberra. Police said the incident occurred on Wednesday night and that the property owner found the animals in a holding pen on Thursday morning.
In a statement reported by ABC News Australia, police said one sheep died from its injuries and another was euthanised because its injuries were too severe. The statement described the animals as having been deliberately injured, though the allegations have not been tested in court.
Police also allege that the property was ransacked and that the premises were left with a large amount of disruption. They have not identified a suspect in the supplied material.
Investigators are appealing to anyone who saw unusual activity on the evening of September 16 on the eastern side of the Monaro Highway, between the paintball facility and the Johnson Drive roundabout. They are also seeking information from people who saw vehicles travelling to or from Old Tuggeranong Road near the pine forest.
Police are particularly interested in a late-1990s or early-2000s sedan reportedly seen in the area on Wednesday night. They have asked anyone with relevant information to contact Crime Stoppers ACT through its website.
People providing information should quote reference number 8501989 and include their contact details, according to ACT Policing. The investigation follows what police described as an animal-cruelty incident at the property.