A distressed dog has been spotted trapped inside a parked car ‘full of barbed wire’ at a popular Australian beach, outraging animal lovers – but police have bizarrely claimed the claimed pooch is being ‘well-looked after’.
The disturbing sight was photographed in the carpark at the southern end of Caves Beach, 90 minutes drive north of Sydney, by a local on Thursday morning.
A man walking past the silver MG hatchback only stopped to take a look because the dog was so upset that it drew attention to the vehicle.
As he got closer he saw a ‘visibly distressed’ dog, which appeared to be a German shepherd in the back seat, with barbed wire covering all the windows.
‘The windows were fully up and the dog couldn’t get near the windows as they were covered in barbed wire,’ a local woman told Daily Mail Australia.
The disturbing sight of a dog in a car full of barbed wire at Caves Beach, 90 minutes drive north of Sydney, was photographed by a local
Local police were alerted but the car had left the parking area by the time they arrived
The woman, a friend of the man who witnessed the car, said there were no other passengers, nor a driver, inside.
The man went to find phone reception to alert police, and the local woman, but by the time they returned to the carpark the vehicle had gone.
‘My friend was very distressed at what he found and I was disgusted at what he showed me,’ the local woman, who asked not to be named, said.
‘It’s super messed up for this little beachside village.’
Officers from Belmont police station rushed to the carpark but the car had left.
NSW Police police told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday evening the dog’s owner was later spoken to but no arrests were made.
‘When police arrived [at the carpark], the vehicle had left the scene; however, inquiries identified the car owner, and officers from Tuggerah Lakes PD were asked to conduct further inquiries,’ a police statement said.
‘Later that day, police spoke with the owner about the concerns for the dog.
‘Officers have checked the dog and confirmed there were no injuries and that it is being well-cared for.
‘They have also been assured that the wire has been permanently removed from the car.’
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On social media the reaction to the photos was total outrage.
‘That’s the most f***ed up thing I’ve seen,’ said one man in the local Facebook post.
‘What I see is someone desperately trying to control their dog, yet having zero idea how to do so,’ a woman said. ‘This is awful behaviour.’
‘Why the f*** would anyone do this? There is no possible reason. I can’t believe what I’m seeing,’ one person wrote on reddit.
‘Smash the window and get the dog out of there. F*** that person.’
Another reddit user pointed out the implications of barbed wire inside a car are worse than they first appear.
‘If that car is in an accident, whoever is inside is f***ed assuming it has airbags.
Social media users were outraged. ‘Why the f*** would anyone do this? There is no possible reason,’ one wrote
‘I don’t know the legalities around this sort of thing. Is this actually something an owner can choose to do inside their own vehicle? It obviously has major safety implications.
‘Their insurance company would obviously deny any claims.’
Back on Facebook, one woman wondered if the barbed wire was ‘a safety measure’ for a homeless person living out of their car.
‘Poor dog, though,’ she added.
‘[That’s] definitely a possibility but no excuse for cruelty,’ said a woman in response.
An RSPCA spokesman told yahoo situations like this need to be reported so they can be investigated for potential animal cruelty.
You should note down the car’s make, model, colour, and license plate number or if you have your phone nearby, take a picture of it, ‘ a spokesperson told Yahoo.
‘If you can, stay with the dog until help arrives and provide updates on the condition of the dog where possible.’
