Dozens of bomb sniffing dogs have been killed by an American security company after its contract with an oil firm ended, animal rights activists have claimed.

Eastern Securities of Kuwait has been accused of murdering the dogs because they were no longer needed after its deal with Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) ran out.

At least 24 dogs were slaughtered. Pictures of their dead bodies were posted on Facebook, including an image showing a worker standing on top of one of the canines.

One horrifying picture shows the dead dogs piled up, while another shows two gloating workers standing over one of the animals.

Horrific: Dozens of bomb sniffing dogs have been killed by an American security company after its contract with an oil firm ended, animal rights activists have claimed

Gloating: At least 24 dogs were slaughtered. Pictures of their dead bodies were posted on Facebook, including an image showing a worker standing on top of one of the canines

Animal rights campaigner Esmail Al Misri, who has called for the security firm to be prosecuted, told the Arab Times that 90 more dogs could be killed.

He said workers killed the hounds because they had not been paid for two months after the firm's contract with KNPC ended.

'We know how dogs that are well-fed and well taken care of look. The photos were taken immediately after the incident so we can rule out dehydration as a cause of their sickly state,' Mr Al Misri said, implying they were killed.

An Eastern Securities worker said the company was meant to humanely euthanize the dogs in small groups, but another employee 'jumped the gun' and killed them all in one go.

He confirmed to the Arab Times that workers had not been paid and that the contract with KNPC had ended, but said this was not the reason the bomb sniffing dogs were killed.

He claimed they were killed because they were ill or old, saying some had tumors, cataracts and problems with their hip joints.

One horrifying picture shows the dead dogs piled up, while another shows two gloating workers standing over one of the animals

The security firm employee also claimed a handful of the canines were put down because they were too aggressive.

'These dogs were suffering in the condition they were in. In my opinion, this should have been done a year ago,' the anonymous worker said.

He also claimed the company asked animal welfare groups in Kuwait to adopt the dogs, but they said no.

It is not clear how the dogs were killed.

Daily Mail Online has contacted Eastern Securities of Kuwait for comment.