The Ministry of Defence has defended a decision to put down two guard dogs used to protect the Duke of Cambridge, days after he left his military base.
The Sun reported the dogs were put down following Prince William's final shift as a search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley, in Anglesey, last week.
The MoD said it always tried to re-home dogs and the timing was a coincidence.
Belgian Shepherd Brus was at the end of his working life and Blade, a German Shepherd, had "behavioural issues".
The patrol dogs were said to have been part of a unit providing extra security at RAF Valley and were not providing sole protection for the duke.
'Last resort'
The duke started his training at RAF Valley in January 2009 and graduated as a search and rescue pilot in September 2010.
He announced he was to leave the military to focus on royal duties and charity work after carrying out his final operational shift on 10 September this year.
An MoD spokesman said: "It is true two dogs have been put down, a couple of days after. It was entirely coincidental."
He added that Blade, who also "had a record of veterinary issues", could not be reassigned to other duties.
The spokesman said: "The department's policy is to re-home all military working dogs at the end of their service life wherever practicable.
"Regrettably, however, there are occasions when they have to be put down. This action is only ever taken as a last resort.
"Unfortunately in this case the dogs were unsuitable for re-homing or alternative duties and so sadly, for the animal's welfare, they had to be put down."
