A dog has been shot dead and another is being hunted by police after a series of attacks killed 19 sheep and injured others.
Cheshire Police said a dozen animals were killed at some point between Thursday evening and Friday morning on farmland on the outskirts of Congleton.
Others died from their injuries or were killed in a separate attack on Monday.
A farmer killed one of the two dogs with a shotgun, but officers have been using a drone to search for the other one.
“We assess that the actions of the farmer were proportionate, necessary and legal,” Cheshire Police said a statement.
“No farmer wants to have to shoot a dog but sadly they have been left with absolutely no choice on this occasion.”
The force said the owner of the dogs had come forward and would be interviewed under caution later.
Searches for the second dog have so far been unsuccessful since Monday’s attack.
Officers described it as a ginger cross-breed about the size of a Labrador.
They said the dog was not normally aggressive towards humans, but posed a threat to livestock and they urged farmers to remain vigilant.
The force said the shooting was “clearly a sensitive matter” and it asked people to allow officers to conduct their investigation “without undue speculation”.
