A dog pulled from a pond, was found to have neck its neck slashed.
Betty the sausage dog was discovered wrapped in a towel and taped together when a German Shepherd dragged her from the water on Monday July 15.
The dog was able to be identified by Dave Cranham-Young by her collar, according to Stoke on Trent Live.
Betty, aged 18 months, had escaped from a garden in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire two days earlier.
After a search, owner Tracy Smith was given the heartbreaking news that her pup had died in ‘suspicious circumstances’.
It is believed Betty - who had a 10cm cut on her throat - was deliberately killed before being callously taped up and thrown into the pond.
Tracy, 53, has now told how she is struggling to sleep and eat because she is so upset about her loss.
Betty had become a great comfort to her when she lost her dad two years ago and her partner in a road traffic accident 18 years ago.
The mum-of-five said: “I absolutely adored Betty, she used to sleep with me in bed and followed me around the house.
"She was such a lovely dog, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. To think someone may have done something so cruel and horrible is so hard to comprehend.
“I am so grateful to the man that found Betty for what he did as it must have been very distressing.
“I just hope anyone knows who did this to my poor dog will get in touch with the RSPCA.”
RSPCA inspector Leanne Cragg was sent to investigate Betty's death.
Leanne said: “The vet has examined the neck wound and said this was the cause of death. It was a deep 10cm laceration which was a clean and deep wound.
“The fact that someone also wrapped Betty’s body up before dumping her in the pond suggests this was done intentionally which is absolutely horrific and her owner is obviously devastated.
“I am keen to trace anyone who may have seen anything suspicious either near the Whitehall Avenue area where I believe Betty was taken from or around the golf course to get in touch.”
Speaking to StokeonTrentLive Dave revealed the horrific circumstances surrounding the discovery of Betty's body before taking her to Vets4Pets in Goldenhill.
The 45-year-old, from the Staffordshire Moorlands, said: “Kiko had spotted a stick she wanted to play with in the pond, so jumped in.
“She saw a towel floating and sniffed it before very gently bringing it back to me.
“The pond is so far from the road and someone has taken the effort to wrap it up in a towel, tape it up and walk over the golf course to dump it. It would have been quicker to take it to the vets.”
Anyone with information can call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.
