I’m sure the idea in general has been used more than once but basically something triggers all the dogs in a town to begin attacking and killing all the people. The dogs basically go around in a lerge group when they do the attacking. I remember seeing it when I was really young and it seems like maybe it was filmed in the seventies or eighties. I remember it started with a rash of bizarre cattle killings.
Did this include a scene in a library or similar building with a professor or other authority figure explaining that all the dogs were forming packs?
“Hear that? That’s the sound of dogs packing.”
Then some wise ass says “Packing? Where are they going?”
I can’t remember the name of the film though.
I think that is the one.
If I remember correctly, it was called “The Pack”. I read the book in high school (1974-1978) and in the early 80’s it was made into a movie. It took place (the one I’m thinking of) on a New England vacation island- Maine, maybe?
The dogs left behind by their families returning from the island were desperate for food, and took to killing humans to survive. The very end shot of the movie-VERY different from the book- was one of the strays stretching his neck out to lick someone’s hand.
The Pack sounds like it is the one. Figures Joe Don Baker would be an actor in this, making it ripe for an MST3K spoof. Hmmm maybe i’ll read the book.