PEOPLE are being urged not to ‘discard animals like rubbish’ after a dog was left tied to a tree.

As reported on Friday, a member of the public found the dogue de bordeaux cross rottweiler called Bruce in a lane near the RSPCA’s Ashley Heath Animal Centre.

It is not known how 16-month-old Bruce came to be tied to the tree, or how long he was there before being discovered.

RSPCA inspector Jo Story said the animal welfare charity had been “struggling” to get in touch with his Bournemouth owner, who was identified thorough Bruce’s microchip.

The RSPCA was called about more than 1,400 abandoned animals in December, with 26 in Dorset alone.

The charity is pleading with pet owners who are struggling to cope with their animals not to abandon them but to seek help instead.

“Every day our inspectors face cases where animals have been left abandoned in fields, dumped in boxes, left for dead at the side of roads and even left outside animal centres. It is just heartbreaking,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.

“These poor animals are often just dumped without a care for their welfare or what might happen to them.

“We will never know why these animals are just discarded like rubbish. It could be for any number of reasons. We would always say to anyone who is struggling to cope with their animal - it is always best to ask for help either from friends and family or by turning to animal rescue organisations.”