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North Yorkshire Council has said a letter sent to veterinary practices across the region telling them to stop taking in stray dogs was "sent in error."
A number of practices across the county reportedly received the letter.
However North Yorkshire Council has retracted the instruction and apologised for any “concern” it may have caused.
It said an investigation into why the letter was sent is underway.
In a statement, the council said:
“As the local authority, we have a statutory duty to collect stray dogs and at no stage was there a proposal to stop doing this.
“The letters should not have been drafted or issued and we are investigating this.”
It added:
“We have sent a correction to the practices and can categorically confirm vets can accept stray dogs, or alternatively people can report a stray dog on our website or call us on 0300 131 2 131.
“We sincerely apologise for this mistake and are grateful for your help in sharing this information.”