WARNING UPSETTING IMAGE: RSPCA suspect dumped dog had been strangled or suffocated

It is feared the rottweiler found with its head in a plastic bag on Thursday was either suffocated or strangled to death.

The upsetting discovery was made on Orchid Lane in Leigh by a dog walker who alerted volunteer enthusiasts from Leigh Animal Welfare.

Wigan Council came to remove the body and the RSPCA has also spoken to a Leigh resident who raised the alarm.

The area where the creature was spotted has raised particular concern as there were large clumps of abandoned cannabis plants and a large number of objects fly-tipped there.

Rebecca Culverwell from Leigh Animal Welfare said: “It was a very hidden location. The dog was a good 15 metres from the footpath.

“It had a black bin bag over its head and a dog bed wrapped around its body.

“The tongue was blue which suggests suffocation or strangling. Something is definitely amiss here. The dog has been killed.

“It all looked very suspicious. There was loads of soil, what looked like cannabis plants and roots and stuff like a Moses baby basket with the labels still on it.”

Leigh Animal Welfare used the microchip to trace someone who had bought the rottweiler, which was about five years old, but the details had not been kept updated.

Due to the nature of the discovery and the surrounding items dumped volunteers from the organisation have been contacting Greater Manchester Police.