Working sheepdogs stolen from Aberdeenshire property

FOUR working sheepdogs have been stolen from a rural property in Aberdeenshire.

Four working sheepdogs have been stolen.

The theft of the border collies happened some time between 7.30pm on Wednesday and 7am on Thursday in the Cairnie area north of Huntly, police said.

Officers said the dogs, one male and three female, are worth an estimated five-figure sum because of their training and breeding.

The females are aged five, eight and 10, while the male dog is eight.

The thefts are the first of their kind in the north east but come in the wake of a series of thefts in and around Glasgow.

Police Constable Megan McDonald said: “This is a distressing crime for the dogs’ owner. Not only are these dogs working sheepdogs, they are family pets.

“The commercial and financial impact this is having on the owner is huge.

“We appeal to anyone who has any information that can help locate the dogs and reunite them with their owner to contact us.”

The dogs are described as mainly black in colour but one of the females has a distinctive white patch over her face and a white front left leg.

Another female has a white “collar” marking around her neck, while the other has a white chest and white front left leg. The male has tan markings around his face, a white patch on his chest and a white front leg.

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