GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING: Body of dog with weight attached pulled out of canal by Chorley woman

Laura Mayron, 25, from Chorley, jumped in the canal near Appley Bridge, Wigan, to get the Pomeranian-cross, who had been wearing a blue harness, to which a 1.25kg exercise weight had been attached, on Tuesday evening.

Laura, who works for animal charity Harvey’s Army, said what happened to the dog was “just awful”.

She said: “I saw the dog and jumped in the canal and swam over and got it out of the water.

“A man had managed to get the harness off, but the dog was very decomposed by the time I got it out of the water.

“It was put in there to die.

“It has really upset me.”

RSPCA inspector Johnny Brooks said the dog was microchipped but the details were not up to date because the dog, named Milo, had recently been rehomed.

Johnny said: “We are very keen to find out who owned Milo after 29 April, so we can find out how he came to be in the canal.

“At the moment we have not been able to establish how he died, but we do believe he was in the canal for up to two weeks.

Anyone with information should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.