Hundreds of bags of dog food have been delivered to an outback town to feed starving animals that were left behind after a violent riot erupted last year and caused many residents to flee the area.

Key points: Starving animals left behind in Ali Curung have begun to pose a threat to residents

Starving animals left behind in Ali Curung have begun to pose a threat to residents Barkly Regional Council has teamed with animal welfare groups to deliver food to 37 strays

Barkly Regional Council has teamed with animal welfare groups to deliver food to 37 strays The council is working with the community to find ways to keep feeding the abandoned dogs

Last November a man was killed during fighting involving up to 100 people armed with knives, pipes, machetes and spears in the town of Ali Curung, almost 400 kilometres north of Alice Springs.

Fearing for their safety, many people have since left the community.

While some are staying with friends and family in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, the majority are believed to be sleeping rough, meaning they could not take their pets with them.

Brooke Rankmore, from the not-for-profit animal management group Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC) said having a lot of starving animals roaming around made those left in town vulnerable to the conditions.

"If you've got a large number of dogs that get hungry they will be looking for any source of food, and cheeky dogs could bite," Dr Rankmore said.

The issue highlighted a common problem that occurred when people leave communities quickly due to unrest or natural disasters, she said, leaving starving animals behind.

The strays left behind in Ali Curung could cause harm to humans, a charity group has said. ( Supplied: Barkly Regional Council )

Dr Rankmore said dogs in Indigenous communities across Australia mostly roamed free.

"They're all owned by people in the community and are loved pets just like we have in town except they don't have the fence structures in place to keep them contained to each property so they do tend to move around freely," she said.

Barkly Regional Council and AMRRIC worked with the Top End Rehoming Group and a pet food provider which donated and shipped hundreds of bags of dry pet food and water to 37 starving dogs in Ali Curung.

The council is working with the local community to decide the best way to keep feeding the abandoned dogs until people return to the community or plans to rehome the animals are complete.