Police investigating the killing of a dog found bound and muzzled at Sulby Reservoir, believe it may have been brought to the Isle of Man from south west Scotland.

Officers suspect the chocolate brown labrador arrived here on a boat from a port in the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland - possibly Stranraer.

They're now urging anyone who can help identify the owner of the animal - or the vessel - to contact them.

Stuart Peters reports:

(Text of attached audio)
In what was described by police as a barbaric incident, the labrador was found on the banks of Sulby Reservoir in February, muzzled and with its legs bound with duct tape.

It's thought to have drowned after being thrown down a 30 foot embankment.

Police now think the dog was brought here on a boat out of Stranraer, or a nearby port, in the first few days of February.

And they say the occupants would be aware of the circumstances in which the dog was left in the Isle of Man.

Police have not yet revealed the source of the new theory - but it does represent a fresh line of inquiry and suggests they may be moving in on those responsible for a hideous act of cruelty, which shocked Island residents.