Three cockerels have been reportedly “dumped” without food or shelter on the Dava Way in Moray.
The birds have been spotted on the 24-mile path that follows the route of the former Highland railway line between Grantown and Forres.
Helen Gill, from Grantown-on-Spey, saw the roosters on Wednesday between the road and the old railway line – which was closed in 1965.
Cockerels are domesticated animals and cannot survive in the wild, which prompted concerns.
Friendly birds were thirsty
Mrs Gill told the Press and Journal: “They came over to the car, and I had some water for them, which they drank, so they must have been thirsty.
“These birds have obviously lived near and been around people.
“Having grown up on a farm, I know cockerels can be quite annoying by crowing in the morning when you least want them to.
“And if you have several in a small area, they can start fighting with one another. But if you have them in a large enough area, and they have their own territory, they are fine.
“And these these three were getting on rather well, because they’re obviously out in the wild, and I would imagine they must be petrified.”
In an appeal on social media, Mrs Gill wrote: “Does anyone know why there are three cockerels at the entrance to the Dava Way?”
Other people quickly replied that they had also spotted the cockerels before.
The Dava Way is a popular spot for walkers.
‘It’s a horrible death sentence’
The 67-year-old added: “And it’s just it’s so very, very, very sad that people are doing that.
“The honorable thing to do if you cannot care for them anymore is to find a new home for them or to have them euthanized properly.
“These animals are just going to die, and it’s a horrible death sentence. It’s either going to be a tick infestation, foxes, or worse still – thirst.
However, when Mrs Gill returned on Thursday, the cockerels had gone. She was unable to go searching but believes they could still be in the area.
SSPCA ‘not aware’ of cockerels
Although some of the comments on social media suggested the dumped cockerels had been reported to the Scottish SPCA, the charity says they are “not aware” of any such report from the area.
They said that they are only able to provide a comment on incidents that were reported to them.
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