A Perthshire pet detective has slammed sick hoax callers who phoned her pretending missing dogs had been killed and then threatened to stab her.
Katie McCandless-Thomas, who runs Missing Pets, Perth and Kinross Scotland, received calls from a person who told her that a missing dog had been run over and killed.
When the caller was made aware that Katie was not the owner of the missing pet they threatened to stab her.
Katie’s website helps owners trace their missing animals through a large community on social media as well as offering and advice and support.
She said: “I’m lost for words though that someone could be so vile and disgusting.
“Last weekend I had two quite nasty prank calls regarding a missing dog who I think was from the same person.
“The first phone call I knew something wasn’t right and when they clicked I wasn’t the owner I was threatened with getting stabbed.
“The second time someone called saying the dog which we were looking for has been run over when we 100% new that wasn’t true.
“Why someone would want to do this I have no idea but I’m hearing of more owners getting prank calls but I don’t know if they have been to the same extreme as the ones I received.”
Katie, who also runs Dog Friendly Perthshire, said it wasn’t the first time she had received such calls but believed the previous cranks hadn’t been as vicious as the recent incidents.
She said: “I was was just pretty shocked to be honest.
“I’ve received prank calls before but not quite on this level.
“I would still rather I received them though than a family who is going through an upsetting time as it is.”
Katie, who has her own dog Baxter said she would be contacting the police regarding the crank calls.
However the pet owner admitted she was perplexed as the numbers came from different states in America, New York and New Mexico, but the caller sounded English – possibly with a London accent.
She is also wary that the calls may be part of a scam that if the receiver returns the call they are automatically charged “a small fortune”.
