Four dogs have been shot dead by a farmer outside Moffat, Dumfriesshire, after the pack of animals were "abandoned" on Sunday morning and attacked and killed sheep.
Police received reports of unaccompanied hounds in the area around the town at around 8.40am on July 9. One sheep died and another was attacked by the roaming group, before four of them were gunned down.
Images shared on social media showed the dogs curled up in the middle of the B719 Greenhillstairs, north of Moffat. Locals and a volunteer from an animal rescue group helped police to corral the remaining canines, which have been passed into the care of an animal shelter.
When police arrived at the scene, six of the dogs were sitting together in the road. The four animals which were killed are understood to have entered a field.
Lee Herron, who runs the Lost Dogs Dumfries and Galloway page on Facebook, told the Record she and members of the local community helped to put the dogs on leads so they could be safely taken away. She added that the farmer's decision to shoot the dogs that savaged livestock "wasn't done lightly".
She said: "What was particularly challenging was the fact we weren't dealing with one dog but quite a lot of them, and they were quite a close pack. It took time, reassurance and trust.
"I would urge people not to be hard on the farmer. They had been trying to secure these dogs, everyone was trying to do the best by them, and what happened wasn't done lightly.
"It was the best outcome in a bad situation and six of the dogs are safe tonight. The local community and the police deserve recognition for how they handled the situation."
She has urged anyone who may have information on the dogs, or even the person responsible for abandoning them, to get in touch with the police.
Lee added: "If someone is in a situation where they cannot look after these dogs, they should have taken them to a local rescue. Now the rescue is starting from scratch and doesn't know anything about how these dogs work.
"It isn't good for the dogs. All they have now is each other."
Cops say enquiries into how the dogs came to be abandoned are ongoing. The animals are being cared for at Glencaple Canine Rescue near Dumfries.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.40am on Sunday, officers were made aware of a sheep being killed and another being attacked in the Moffat area after a number of dogs were found roaming unaccompanied. Four of the dogs were shot and destroyed as a result of this incident.
“Officers attended and safely secured six of the dogs who are being cared for by local kennels. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.”
A separate statement issued by cops on social media added: "The abandoned dogs which were located near to Moffat today are now being cared for at Glencaple Canine Rescue."
Land owners have the right to shoot dogs in certain circumstances, if they are attacking or causing distress to their animals. Owners of out-of-control dogs that worry animals can be fined up to £40,000 or face up to 12 months in prison under legislation introduced in Scotland in 2021.
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