Intruders have shot a sheep and left it for dead, before stealing several others in a theft that's left a South West farming family shocked and angry.
Stuart Stevenson said the injured animal was still walking around when it was found by his son on his farm near Bridgetown.
"We went to Perth on the Friday and nobody was home," he said.
"My son came home late that day and spotted the sheep in our house paddock,
"It had obviously been injured pretty badly, so unfortunately for him [my son], he had to put it down.
"We're not really sure how long the poor thing had been suffering."
He said to leave the animal to suffer was shocking.
"It's one thing stealing a sheep, but leaving one to suffer is really irritating and really annoying."
The ABC has seen images of the injured sheep but has decided not to publish them because of the graphic nature of the content.
Legal action needed
WAFarmers president John Hassell said it was awful situation and one he could relate to.
"I can really feel for them," he said.
"We had a sheep many years ago that someone had shot from the road with a high-powered rifle and left it still alive, which we found, we guess a couple of days later.
"The people who do this ought to be given the full force of the law."
Sheep stolen
Mr Stevenson said there was evidence other sheep were stolen.
"I checked the fence line and you can see some drag marks under the fence and evidence that I've lost a couple of sheep," he said.
"There's wool all the way, with the drag marks up to the road verge and there are car tyre marks."
The incident has been reported to police.
Similar reports emerging
Mr Stevenson said after posting on a community social media page, he heard from others who had experienced thefts.
"What I'm concerned about is because of the cost of living and cost of food and everything, this might start to occur more often."
Mr Hassell said it was also an issue outside the area and had been raised at a meeting in Katanning.
"There would have been at least 30 people there," he said.
"Many of them were saying some of the areas where they had remote blocks would lose 10 sheep regularly every year and they were powerless to stop it."
