Police receive backlash over ‘insensitive’ Facebook post about dog being killed by farmer

Update: North Wales Police’s Rural Crime Team has responded to the criticism of the post.

Officers said: “For those asking.. after the first attack the dog was captured into a livestock trailer but managed to escape.

“Despite a search and public appeal the dog was never found. It sadly returned to brutalise more sheep and there was no other option but legal dispatch or watch sheep die.

“Sadly in certain circumstances there is no other option but for a farmer to take the difficult decision to legally dispatch a dog or have to watch their sheep being torn apart

“No farmer wants to do this, but on occasions they have no choice.”

Original: Police have received a backlash after sharing a Facebook post about a dog being killed by a farmer.

Officers first appealed for the owner of the sheepdog to come forward on Saturday after it was involved in a livestock worrying incident near Gaerwen, Anglesey.

However it returned to the farm yesterday to attack more sheep after no-one turned up to claim the dog

Members of the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team said the farmer had been left with no choice but to “dispatch” the animal.

In a post accompanied by a picture of the dog and a generic image of a farmer loading a shotgun, they described is as “a necessary act”.

But followers of the page have described the post as “insensitive” and “disgusting” and questioned why the dog was released instead of being sent to a rescue centre.

One user said: “This picture is terribly insensitive! Why advertise a shotgun in your post! If the dog was caught why let it go? This has to be a sick joke?!”

Another said: “This is absolutely disgusting. Why wasn’t the dog sent to a rescue? Of course it’s going to return to attack sheep. And to put a photo up of a shotgun cartridge is insensitive and unnecessary.”

Others backed the farmer’s decision, including one person who said: “The right thing to do. Too many dogs are attacking sheep.

“The sad thing is it’s the owners of the dogs that are at fault not the dogs, they just don’t have a clue how to handle or discipline a dog and shouldn’t be allowed to own one.”