The owner of two mastiffs that were put down because they were deemed dangerous intends to take legal action because the dogs were killed unnecessarily.

Keith Caruana has expressed anger that his two dogs, Achilles and Stone, were forcibly put down last Wednesday and he was not even informed because he was out fishing when they were seized.

"It's as though they killed a part of my family. They never hurt anyone and I was not even given the chance to defend them... I want to know who was responsible for all this and will take legal action to ensure justice is done," Mr Caruana said.

Mr Caruana will, however, first have to determine who took the decision to put the dogs down as both the police and the Animal Welfare Department are denying responsibility.

Police said they intervened last Wednesday morning following several reports by Xemxija residents who felt threatened by the dogs.

"But police gave no order to put down the dogs," a spokesman said, adding that such decisions were usually taken by the Animal Welfare Department.

However, department director Mario Spiteri denied doing any such thing. "We took them to the SPCA where they were put down by a vet after being asked to do so by the police who claimed they were dangerous," he said.

When contacted, several residents confirmed that they were terrified of the ferocious-looking dogs that sometimes made their way out of Mr Caruana's home, and felt safe now they were gone.

Wednesday's incident was sparked when a construction worker alerted police that a large vicious-looking dog was on the loose.

Police went to the scene and called for the assistance of the Animal Welfare Department. The dog turned out to be Achilles - an American mastiff that was just over a year old.

Animal welfare officer Godric Marston said that at the time the dog was not aggressive. However, he added that such dogs usually became dangerous when they saw another animal.

After containing Achilles, officers spotted another mastiff on Mr Caruana's balcony.

Following police authorisation, Mr Marston said animal welfare officers made their way up to the balcony and sedated the dog because it posed a danger and was being kept in squalid conditions.

Mr Caruana insisted that he looked after his dogs, worth thousands of euros, as they were vaccinated, groomed, fed and kept in clean and spacious environments.

Achilles was kept in a garage complete with mattress and fresh water and was tied with a long metal chain that allowed it to move in and out into a yard accessible through the drive, he said.

Mr Caruana believed that someone unchained Achilles since it was impossible for the chain to give way.

He added that since one of his dogs mauled a poodle, about a month ago, he ensured that his dogs did not break loose. Following the attack he had given away the bitch that attacked the poodle. He will be facing court proceedings over that case.

Stone, an 11-year-old mixed breed, lived inside the house with his companion, Bronx, Mr Caruana said.

He denied keeping them on the balcony in the sun - insisting that the balcony door was always kept open and had a shady area.

"I can't understand what gave them the right to trespass onto my balcony and take my dog just because he was barking," he said.