National Pride highlight fatal attacks on animals at Loch Fitty

Directors of the community interest group National Pride have asked people to keep dogs on leads around Loch Fitty, following fatal attacks on animals.

In recent times a swan and two baby deer have been killed by dogs running loose on the property.

Technical director Andy Whitlock said: “A male swan was attacked by a dog, which dragged it around by its neck and caused it to die. That was last year, but this year we’ve lost two baby deer. Basically, they were chased by a dog and quite literally had the backside ripped out of them.

“Our maintenance crew has to clean that up, but it’s also distressing for visitors to see. In this situation the owner either doesn’t care or is embarrassed, so they just walk off and mind their own business.”

The land was purchased by the company over three years ago. It hopes to create a facility that enables visitors to enjoy being close to the natural world.

Mr Whitlock continued: “You can walk a dog around the entire site, and on the northern side yeah go ahead and let your dog off the lead, because there’s not that major wildlife concentration.

“It is private land and people just need to appreciate that. We don’t want to be killjoys, but we need people to be responsible.

St Ninians has become home to endangered species such as pine martin (Image: National Pride) “We protect the wildlife simply because that is the whole nature of the project, bringing humans together with nature. If there’s no nature, there’s no project, simple as that.

“We like to see ourselves as custodians of the land, in the sense that we won’t be the owners for all of time. For that reason, we have a great responsibility to maintain the wildlife.

"We’ve got very rare species on site including pine martin, which are practically extinct in England but are making a comeback at St Ninians. European red squirrels, they’re endangered too. Badgers, otters, you name it we’ve pretty much got it."

Plans for the proposed facility include a wellness spa complex, tree houses, lodges and geodesic domes, a technology park, and an entertainment centre.

Chair Irene Bisset said: “When we first bought the site it was in a state, and nobody wanted to walk there because it was unpleasant.

“We spent quite a lot of money tidying it up and maintaining it, and in the time that we’ve had it nature has come back. There’s a lot of wildlife including protected and endangered species, so the last thing we want is dogs untethered on the site just running amok and disturbing other animals.”