Police and animal welfare experts are hunting the person who 'hog-tied' a dog to a post at a Norwich park and left him to die.
A shocked person discovered the stricken brown and white boxer cross tied to a post with cabling around his neck at Sloughbottom Park in Mile Cross.
And an RSPCA inspector said the dog – which had endured a 'horrible ordeal' – could have died without intervention.
Today, we are offering a £500 reward to anyone providing information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the attacker.
The legs of the dog – called Spencer by RSPCA staff – had been tied together, so he could not stand up or move, and his collar was bound up with string and household electrical cable.
Police said Spencer was found near to the skate park, just before 6am on Saturday, August 30.
Officers looked after the dog at the scene and, once helped by a vet, were able to help move him safely to start receiving treatment.
He was found to be relatively healthy and around four years old. However, officers said he was suffering discomfort and pain from being tied up.
The dog was not micro-chipped and did not have any identification tags.
PC Craig Bidwell, from Mile Cross safer neighbourhood team, has appealed for information or witnesses.
He said: 'Attacking a dog in this way is completely unacceptable and I would urge anyone who has information about the incident to contact me. Officers will be working with inspectors from the RSPCA to find the person responsible and take action.'
RSPCA inspector Laura Sayer said: 'Poor Spencer was traumatised from this horrible ordeal but luckily not hurt. He is a lovely dog, and has clearly been well looked after, so it might even be that there is a loving owner out there missing him. We urge anyone with any information to come forward. We are very grateful to this passing member of the public and to the police for rescuing him. There is no way he would have been able to escape the tangle of ropes which held him on his own.'
PC Bidwell can be contacted on 101. Anyone with any information about Spencer should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.
Have you recently reported a case of animal cruelty? Email david.bale2@archant.co.uk
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