One dog owner has become the subject of the internet’s ire when an image of their dog inside of a car lined with barbed wire circulated on social media.
The German shepherd was spotted by someone walking by the carpark of Caves Beach’s southern end, who snapped a picture of the “disturbing” scene, and posted it to a local Facebook page for assistance.
“A German Shepherd inside a car full of barbed wire,” they captioned the series of images. “Unfortunately the car left before authorities arrived.”
As their friend informed Yahoo News Australia, the dog had seemed “visibly distressed” and that’s what had drawn the witness over, and that they’d only left the area in order to get reception to call for police aid.
People were quick to speak up, condemning the owner and voicing their concern for the shepherd, with one declaring it to be “the most f***ed up thing I’ve seen”.
“I would have smashed the car after taking the photos,” another said.
“This is such strange behaviour and very distressing to see. To be done in the middle of the day in a public place where people will clearly see,” someone else wrote. “I really hope [the] police can still contact them and have a word.”
“I am completely dumbfounded that someone thought that this was ok. That poor dog – god only knows the environment it is subjected to at ‘home’,” one added.
And, as another put it, “this is so disturbing”.
Some didn’t immediately assume the worst of the owner, however, suggesting that perhaps they were in a challenging living situation and left with few other choices, writing “I wonder if the owner is homeless and living out of their car. The wire could be some type of safety measure. Poor dog, though.”
Those requesting to know more didn’t have to wait long, with updates soon coming in to inform everyone that NSW Police had confirmed officers had attended the scene, but that upon finding the car space empty, they were “making arrangements to speak to the registered owner”.
The owner was eventually located by the police, with a spokesperson sharing that “they have checked the dog and confirmed there were no injuries and that [it] is being well cared for.
“They have also been assured the wire has been permanently removed from the car.”
They could not, however, reveal why the owner had lined the vehicle with the dangerous wire, or why the dog had been left in there. Nor could RSPCA NSW, who noted that the matter was under police investigation.
Images: Facebook
This article first appeared on Over60.