The page 2 story was about Jack, a border collie belonging to the Miller family of Riverside, shot by a council ranger with another dog when both animals were found in a neighbouring sheep paddock last Wednesday.

Mrs Glare was the owner of the other dog, Alex, a four-year-old blue heeler-collie cross she rescued from an animal refuge in Queensland.

She said Horsham Rural City Council ranger Nick Meagher told her Alex had been caught killing sheep and was subsequently destroyed.

Council planning and promotion services manager Robin Neilson confirmed in Monday's article that neither dog had killed any sheep.

Mrs Glare said she and her husband Peter had accepted their dog being put down for killing sheep but were devastated to learn that was not the case.

"Nick said we would be fined for having a dog at large and could expect a bill for the sheep, too," she said.

"We were shocked because Alex wasn't that sort of a dog and when we read that he didn't kill any sheep we were mortified."

Council's planning and promotion services manager Robin Neilson yesterday denied Mr Meagher told the Glares their dog had killed any sheep.

"Nick knew they didn't kill sheep so he wouldn't have said that. That's saying he told an outright lie and that wouldn't happen," Mr Neilson said.

Mrs Glare also accused Mr Meagher of speaking to her in an abrupt manner when she called him to ask if Alex had been brought to the pound.

"When I asked if he'd found him he said: `Yes, he's dead, he was killing sheep and he's been shot'," she said.

"When I asked him who the other dog belonged to or whose sheep he killed he said: `Can't say, privacy act'."

Mr Neilson said the claims were not in line with Mr Meagher's character.

Mrs Glare said she had been too upset by the incident to collect Alex's body and would appeal against the $175 fine issued to her by council.