Dog found in river with mouth bound up with tape

An abandoned dog was found clinging to a riverbank with duct tape strapped around its mouth.

Dog walker Al Winstanley, 51, discovered the young male Yorkshire Terrier Cross while walking his own dogs at 05:30 BST in Coningsby, Lincolnshire.

Hearing a "muffled bark", Mr Winstanley went to discover a "little face among the reeds" on the opposite side of the bank.

After it was checked over by a vet and found to have no microchip, the dog was passed over to an East Lindsey District Council dog warden and has already found a new home.

Mr Winstanley, who runs a dog walking business, said he had walked about 50m up the riverbank when he initially thought the noises were a deer.

He said: "I saw a little face among the reeds in the water. I zoomed my camera phone in and could see a little head and then it became apparent to me it was a dog with duct tape around its mouth."

Mr Winstanley then quickly took his own dogs home and ran back to the riverbank, calling a friend for assistance.

Once he had got down to the water's edge, Mr Winstanley found the dog clutching its front legs onto the riverbank with its back legs in the water.

"I had to get to it. The priority was to get down to it and try to help it. It was very distressed," he said.

The dog was then taken to a local vet, who checked him over and estimated he was about two or three years old.

Mr Winstanley added: "I stroked him and gently managed to get the tape off from around his mouth.

"He was very scared and shaky but had a bit of food and started to perk up.

"It was clear the dog had been thrown in [the river]. I am angry that someone could have done that."

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