'Inexcusable' drowning of pregnant dog

A pregnant cocker spaniel was drowned by being thrown into a river with a 20lb dumbbell tied to its neck. The RSPCA today vowed to find whoever was responsible and described the cruelty as "inexcusable".

The dog was found in five feet of water in the river Test at Nursling, near Southampton. The weight had been attached to the animal with a harness. RSPCA inspector Alan Barnes said: "We're appalled by this deliberate cruelty and we'd urge anyone with any information to come forward to catch whoever has carried out this despicable act on a defenceless animal.

"This was a totally inhumane way to treat an animal and if we are able to establish who did it we will not hesitate to bring them to court and prosecute them.

"If animals get too much for people there are centres where they can hand them in. There's no excuse for doing something like this.''

If successfully prosecuted the dog's killer could be jailed for six months and fined up to £5,000.

River bailiff Martin Donovan said: "A couple knocked on my door and said a dog had been thrown in the river. They were pretty shaken up. If my kids saw it they'd be devastated. We've got a spaniel."

Mr Donovan said he hopes that CCTV footage from a camera which covers a nearby road may have captured the killer walking the dog down to the river.