A husky has been shot dead after the dog killed several sheep in a field in the Cotswolds.
Police have released graphic images of the dog in a bid to warn owners to keep their pets on a lead during lambing season, Gloucestershire Live reports.
The distressing images show the dead dog lying next to a blood-stained lamb that it had mauled to death.
Other images showed at least two adult sheep dead, with wool strewn across the field.
It's understood the dog's owner had let the husky off his lead before the attack.
Alongside the graphic photos, Gloucester Constabulary's Rural Crime Team said on Twitter : "Is this upsetting and offensive? Probably, but this is what happened.
"The husky was unfortunately shot whilst on a killing rampage.
"Keep dogs on a lead, it's lambing season!"
Officers confirmed that the incident happened last year, but the pictures were shared again by police to highlight the need for caution.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) has said similar attacks on live stock has cost farmers £1.3 million in 2020 alone, increasing by 10 per cent over the previous year.
Rebecca Davidson, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “With millions more people walking in the countryside as Covid restrictions continue and an increase in dog ownership, we have seen many more horrific attacks resulting in large numbers of sheep being killed and a trail of horrific injuries.
“These attacks cause unbearable suffering to farm animals as well as huge anxiety for farmers and their families as they deal with the aftermath.
“It’s a critical time in the farming calendar and there is widespread concern as we enter the peak lambing season, that there will be a surge in new visitors who are simply unaware of the countryside code or how their dog will behave around farm animals."
