Heartbreak over dog that was left to die in bin

A Dundee councillor has urged anyone who saw a dying dog being dumped in a bin to contact the authorities.

SNP councillor Lynne Short said it was “heartbreaking” that the male pointer cross-breed had been left to die in the bin.

A member of the public found the dog, thought to be between 10 and 12 years old, on Friday after it had seemingly been wrapped in a plastic bag and left in the bin.

The Scottish SPCA was called but when inspectors took the badly dehydrated and malnourished animal – which could not stand on its own – to the vet, it was decided the only humane thing to do was to put the dog down.

Ms Short, who was elected to serve Maryfield last week, said: “It is absolutely heartbreaking.

“We don’t know whether someone just came into the area to dump the dog, but for any form of life that is in distress this is just absolutely unacceptable.”

She added that anyone who saw the animal being dumped in the bin should contact Police Scotland or the SSPCA.

Ms Short said people who do not know what to do with an ageing dog should contact the council for assistance.

“They can phone us and we can point them in the right direction,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish SPCA said they are still seeking information on the person responsible.

Inspector Clare Anderson said: “We have received a number of calls in relation to the dog dumped in the bin after issuing a public appeal for information and we are currently following up lines of inquiry.

“Thousands of people have also taken to our Facebook page to express their disgust at this truly horrifying incident and it is clear this story had shocked animal lovers across Scotland.”

The dog had to be put down.