On a quiet stretch of beach in East Yorkshire, U.K., a man spotted something unusual while walking along the shore—two paws poking through the sand.
Shocked, the person reported the discovery to the local Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), who attended the location the following morning and were shocked to unearth the body of a dog, wrapped in black fabric and there in what the charity called “suspicious circumstances.”
The dog was described as a dark gray and wire-haired type. It was microchipped, but the chip held no registered details, leaving investigators with more questions than answers.
There were no obvious signs of injury and it wasn’t possible to determine the sex of the dog because of the level of decay, it also had some missing fur.
Emily Lomas, the RSPCA rescue officer who recovered the body, said the discovery was deeply upsetting for the person who found it while on an evening beach walk.
“We think the dog had been there for at least three days based on its condition,” Lomas said. “It was obviously a very upsetting find for the member of the public and we’d like to thank them for their concern.”
Disposing of deceased animals
Burying pets is only permitted in the U.K. on land owned by the pet owner, not rented or public property. While the animal must have been a typical companion animal, like a dog, cat or rabbit, and not have died from a notifiable disease like rabies.
In The U.S., rules can vary by state, but burial is generally allowed on private property if not prohibited by local ordinance, but must be a reasonable distance from water sources. Similarly, if an animal has died of disease, disposal should be done by licensed professionals.
The mystery surrounding the dog found on the beach continues, and the RSPCA is urging anyone who may have been in the area in the days leading up to 29 July to come forward if they saw anything unusual.
“We’re keen to find out how and why this dog came to be left in circumstances like this,” Lomas said. “It’s quite a remote stretch of beach, but we’d appeal to anyone who was in this area in the days prior to the dog being found and saw anything that might be of help to get in touch.”
Anyone with first-hand information about the incident can contact the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018 quoting reference number 01591144.
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