Dog owners are being urged not to leave their pets tied up outside after a pet accidentally hung itself in London.
RSPCA officials were called to a property in North London on Sunday morning due to concerns for the welfare of a dog.
However when welfare officer Nicola Thomas arrived, she was met by a devastated owner who had found their pet dead in the garden.
Ms Thomas said: When I arrived at the property I spoke to the dogs owner who was extremely upset.
He explained to me that the dog had been tethered in the garden and had jumped over a small, three foot high wall – hanging itself in the process.
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The dog, a mastiff type, had effectively choked itself to death.
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This is an absolutely tragic case and just goes to show how dangerous it can be to tether dogs outside without keeping a close eye on them.
This case extremely sad case is an example of why we urge dog owners not to keep their pets tethered or chained up for substantial periods of time.
In England and Wales, its legal to keep dogs outside and to restrain them with chains or tethers.
However, the RSPCA has serious concerns about keeping dogs in this way.
RSPCA dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: While it isnt illegal to tether your dog in the garden there are lots of welfare concerns and risks associated with doing so.
We strongly believe that dogs should not be tethered or chained outside as restraining a dog in this way can lead to injuries. It also restricts normal behaviour, which can be very damaging to the dogs wellbeing.
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Its so tragic to hear what happened to this poor dog.
But, sadly, this is a very real risk of tethering your dog so we hope that some good can come from this heartbreaking case and that other owners will consider other, safer options for their pets.
The RSPCA is urging dog owners not to leave their pets tethered outside after the tragic death of the chained dog in London.
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The charity – the largest and oldest animal welfare organisation in the country – has issued a warning to people never to tether their dogs and leave them unsupervised.
If youre concerned about the welfare of an animal, please report it to the RSPCA by calling the charitys 24-hour emergency hotline on 0300 1234 999.
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