Dog 'trembling in fear' in rusty crate dumped

A TERRIFIED dog has been dumped at the gates of a rescue centre just weeks before Christmas

The animal, now called Elf, was left at Rushton Dog Rescue in Somerset on Thursday night. The charity said it received a call from a woman saying the dog was not wanted and threatening to leave him outside.

The rescue centre said in an Instagram post: "Off down to the gate we went in absolute darkness, where we found this skinny, tiny, damp, sacred little boy.

"Thrown into this rusty old crate, trembling in fear.

"Obviously we took him in without question.

"We are here for the unwanted dogs and dogs who need rescue but the way this was done was completely unacceptable."

Elf, described as "very nervous", is now being cared for by the charity and will eventually be rehomed.

Singer Shirlie Kemp, who is patron of Rushton Dog Rescue, commented: "Oh my goodness… isn’t he the lucky one now to get away from someone who had no idea how to care for him."