SSPCA discover ‘distressed dog’ is stuffed toy

ANIMAL welfare officers raced to the scene after reports that a “distressed dog” had been found lying at the side of a road in Glasgow - only to discover it was a stuffed toy, it was revealed today.

The 'distressed dog' turned out to be a stuffed collie. Picture: SSPCA

The Scottish SPCA was contacted last Friday morning by a member of the public, reporting that a black and white collie had been hit by a car on the city’s Hillington Road.

But Kerry Friel, an animal rescue officer, arrived to find a large stuffed toy dog lying at the roadside instead.

Ms Friel said today: “The toy was large and quite lifelike so I can understand why the person thought this was an animal in need of our help. This was the day after Halloween so it’s possible the dog was part of a

costume.”

She continued: “We do occasionally receive call-outs of this nature from people with genuine concerns for animals, only to find a toy or ornament. In September we were contacted to rescue a distressed owl which

actually turned out to be a garden feature.

“I did have a bit of a giggle when I realised the dog wasn’t real as I’m used to dealing with injured animals on a daily basis and it can be very upsetting.”

Ms Friel added: “Although this incident turned out to be a false alarm, we’d always encourage people to call our helpline on 03000 999 999 if they believe n animal is in distress.”