Four sheep and a 280-pound goat were killed either by pet or feral dogs within a fenced area of the Maui Coastal Land Trust's Waihee Refuge earlier this week, refuge officials said.

In addition, 26 other sheep were injured in the attack Monday and three of those animals were euthanized because they were badly injured, said Jay Carpio, one of the owners of the herd of sheep.

The discovery of the dead or injured sheep comes after five to seven dead uau kani birds were found at the refuge around two weeks ago, said Scott Fisher, Maui Coastal Land Trust project manager at Waihee Refuge. The two attacks could be related, he said.

The birds, also known as wedge-tailed shearwaters, are found across the central Pacific as well as in Hawaii. But in Hawaii, their populations have been forced to offshore islands. The birds nest in shallow burrows in coastal dunes where they are vulnerable to attacks by dogs, cats, mongooses and rats.

This is the fifth year in a row that the refuge's entire population of uau kani has been killed, and this year, again, it's the work of dogs, Fisher said. Refuge officials found dog saliva on the dead birds and paw prints in the area.

Carpio said the attacks on sheep on Monday are a reminder that people need to control their dogs.

"People in the residential areas have to realize there is a leash law," he said. "They need to contain their pets."

Carpio said he was concerned about nearby residents, pointing out that if the dogs could kill a 280-pound goat, they can easily harm a child.