A tethered dog left in an Angus village without adequate shelter, food or water was finally taken into care this week by the SSPCA after repeated calls about the animal’s welfare.
Mr Robb continued, “As you go through the gate the dog is tied to a fivefoot chain.
“As there are a number of trees around two and half feet away the dog could easily catch the chain and hang.
“There are tonnes of rubbish, plastic bags, children’s toys and household waste.
“The dog does have a kennel. It’s got a quilt inside and is spotlessly clean because the animal has never been in there — it’s out of reach of the dog’s chain.
“There is no way an inspector could have checked this properly otherwise they would know the dog couldn’t get into its bed.
“I don’t how the inspector could tell the animal was in good condition — its a longhaired German shepherd and it’s too wild to get close enough to do a proper check.”
After being informed of Mr Robb’s visit, the SSPCA yesterday issued a further statement.
“On our last visit on Tuesday, March 23, we found no food or water available to the dog at that time. For this reason, we removed the dog under section 24 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
“We will provide temporary care for the dog while we await contact from the owner.”
The German shepherd had been left at what is an apparently deserted travellers’ encampment near Kellas.
A concerned villager, who asked not to be named, said that she had first called the SSPCA last Saturday afternoon, to report that the dog had been left at the two deserted caravans.
Unconvinced that SSPCA inspectors had checked the dog’s condition, the villager called the charity again on Sunday.
“Both days someone said they would call me back to let me know what was happening and no one did, ” she said.
The villager described how the animal was clearly a guard dog.
“If you walked anywhere near the woods, the dog would go crazy — if the chain broke it would eat you alive, ” she said.’Good body condition’The Courier contacted the SSPCA on Monday and was told, “We were alerted to a dog tethered to a tree next to a caravan in woodland at Kellas two weeks ago.
“On our visit we found the dog had access to food, water and a dry, waterproof shelter. It was also in good body condition.
“We have revisited the dog on several occasions since because we continue to receive calls from the public who believe the dog has been abandoned.
“However, it is clear that the owner is feeding the dog regularly as it continues to be in good bodily condition.
“It is also being taken off the tether as there are times we have visited when the dog has not been there.”
Following the SSPCA response, Ian Robb, vice-chairman of Help for Abandoned Animals, visited the site on Tuesday.
“In the eight years I’ve worked with animals I’ve not seen a case like this, ” he said.