A Cooch Behar resident has been arrested for poisoning to death seven street dogs on Friday.

Sources said Satyen Barman, a resident of Kaljani village under Pundibari police station of the district, poisoned the dogs as a street dog had recently bitten one of his goats.

“During the preliminary investigation, we came to know that he had mixed poison with food and served it to the dogs. Today morning, some villagers spotted the dead dogs and informed us. The person has been arrested,” said Dyutiman Bhattacharya, the police superintendent of Cooch Behar.

Barman, police sources said, got angry after his goat was bitten by a dog. “He acted out of vengeance,” an officer said.

The police have registered a case against Barman under IPC Sections 428 and 429 (killing, poisoning or maiming animals) and under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

“The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem. We are waiting for the reports,” said a police officer.

Ardhendu Banik, the assistant secretary of HEAL, an organisation that works for the conservation of animals, expressed shock.

“It is a heinous incident. The person should be punished so that such killings can be prevented in future,” said Banik.