Owners consider options after dogs shot

Two family pitbulls were shot by an animal control officer on Sunday last week after they allegedly worried stock on a nearby farm.

But owners Adam and Misty Thompson are considering taking action after witnesses on the scene say both dogs were simply disorientated and seeking shelter from the heat.

Soldier and Shiloh went missing around 9pm Saturday night from a Westbrook address in Palmerston North. They were found on Sunday morning in a paddock along Rangitikei Line by resident James Bennett.

"I spent over an hour with these dogs trying to get them...I also door knocked four or five houses," he said. "They showed no aggression whatsoever to me or the cows, I could see the female was stressed and they were just trying to find their way home."

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, then called the PNCC and requested animal control. This was passed onto the MDC who sent an officer from Taihape.

The neighbour says she showed the officer the dogs upon arrival and told him "specifically" they had not touched any stock.

"I wrongly assumed they would catch the dogs and impound them. Was there no records referred to as the owners had left their details?

The dogs have now been cremated but the remains will not be returned to the family.

Ms Thompson said they had filed several lost dog reports with both councils and had been left devastated.

"They are telling us the dogs were shot because they were mauling stock so I asked for the evidence but there was none. We have three witnesses who say they weren't doing anything wrong - they even tried to give them water."

She was only informed of the incident after Mr Bennett made contact via Facebook.

"I had been on the phone just 20 minutes prior to the PNCC and the MDC and filled out yet another lost dog report. Initially they denied shooting them but eventually admitted what had happened."

MDC spokesman Shane Harris said the officer in question was away until Tuesday and was unable to be contacted.

"We are yet to complete our investigation...we are not in a position to comment at this stage."

Mr Harris did say using firearms was a last resort for officers who had authority to shoot dogs who were "worrying" stock.

A meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday with the owners and head of animal control.