Hope for new homes for rescued pack of dogs in Moffat
- Published
The dogs have gone from "strength to strength" since arriving at the centre
The operators of a rescue centre say they are hopeful that the majority of a pack of dogs found "roaming" in southern Scotland can find a home.
The dogs were discovered on a road near Moffat in early July - four others were shot by a farmer after attacking sheep.
The six rescued animals were taken to Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre (DGCRC) near Glencaple.
DGCRC's Emma Scott said they had made good progress after they were found "underweight" and "exhausted".
They are believed to have been abandoned in the area - possibly by illegal breeders - but police inquiries are still continuing.
There have been reported sightings of other dogs nearby, but nothing has been confirmed.
Ms Scott said the animals in their care had made good progress.
The dogs were said to be underweight and exhausted when they were first found
"On arrival the dogs were terrified," she said.
"They clearly hadn't had any positive human contact before and as they are a large breed with an unknown history we were very cautious when handling.
"We gave them a space to relax and a few days on limited handling to allow them a chance to decompress after their ordeal."
She said the first few weeks had just been getting staff members to sit with the the dogs and "spend quiet time" with them.
It is hoped a home can ultimately be found for the abandoned dogs
"As we started slowly building trust with them they began to take food out of our hands and allow us to put a lead on them," she said.
"Five of them now walk really well on a lead with two of them happily allowing us to put harnesses on them.
"One of the males is still a little nervous around us but we feel we are seeing small improvements with him too.
"The two females are by far the most confident and really enjoy human company now."
The rescue centre has taken it slowly to win the confidence of the dogs
The dogs have all been given names with a Moffat connection linked to streets, restaurants and even its most famous confectionery.
"The boys are called Brodie, Glen, Meadow and Rae and the girls are called Charlotte and Toffee," said Ms Scott.
"They look Shepherd-related however we are unsure exactly on the breed."
She said they remained optimistic that the majority of the dogs could find owners.
It is still unclear how the dogs ended up in the area
"We are hopeful that, given more time, they will all be able to be rehomed one day to very experienced households," she said.
"The two girls are almost at this stage, they have come on so far since arriving.
"It has been wonderful to see them go from strength to strength and become more confident every day."
She said the two females had already become "happy, confident dogs who don't seem to have any real issues".
The dogs have been slowly encouraged to walk on a lead
"The boys have taken a little longer with one of them still struggling with human contact," she added.
"We feel they are currently not ready to go up for adoption but hope in the future they will be."
Mystery remains around how the dogs ended up in Moffat and a police investigation is ongoing.
- Published11 July 2023
- Published9 July 2023
