Two puppies have died after being abandoned in a black bin bag in a freezing cold park.
The RSPCA found one of the little dogs clinging to life while the other had already passed away, and has described the abandonment as "absolutely shocking".
Sadly, the second puppy had to be later put to sleep to prevent further suffering.
The appalling discovery was made in Maurice Lea Memorial Park in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, last Wednesday (November 30) at around 4.20pm, reports DerbyshireLive.
The puppies - thought to be fox terriers and just two weeks old - were found by a member of public and taken to a nearby vets.
One of the puppies, which the man had wrapped in a towel, had already been dead for some time while the other one was freezing cold and barely clinging to life.
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RSPCA inspector Pamela Bird, who is investigating the incident, said: “It’s absolutely shocking that someone has abandoned tiny, vulnerable puppies in this way and just walked away.
"I’d appeal to anyone who’s visited Maurice Lea Memorial Park over the last few days and seen suspicious behaviour, or perhaps recognises these puppies or knows a dog who has recently given birth to a litter of similar puppies, to get in touch with us on 0300 123 8018.
“Maybe this was an unplanned litter and the owners panicked when faced with the prospect of feeding and caring for two tiny lives.
"However, it’s cruel and irresponsible to abandon any animal in these circumstances when there is help and support available.
“Sadly, calls to the RSPCA about abandonment and neglect have risen as the cost of living crisis bites, and with more people struggling, we sadly expect to be dealing with more incidents like this over the coming months.
“This is why the RSPCA is providing dedicated cost-of-living support for worried pet owners, with a recently-opened telephone helpline on 0300 123 0650 and an online hub, which has lots of practical tips and advice, including details of pet food bank schemes.”
The incident comes as the RSPCA has revealed a shocking 25 percent rise in the number of pet abandonments dealt with by its frontline officers this year.
The rising cost of living is thought to be a driving factor behind the increase.
