Five dead dogs dumped on country lane slope

The animals appear to have been left on this slope at different times, the charity says

Five dead dogs, who were dumped on a country lane in Lancashire near a motorway bridge, "were quite visible from the road", a charity has said.

A white Jack Russell terrier, a black Spaniel and a black and white puppy, were discovered lying in undergrowth not far from a bridge that goes over the M55 at Greenhalgh, Fylde, on 19 February by a member of the public who contacted the RSPCA.

The skeletal remains of two more dogs, whose breeds were not known, were discovered nearby by Animal Rescue Officer, Adam Wormwell.

He said the dogs were lying about three metres down a slope just past some wooden fencing, adding: "It was a distressing sight to come across."

"Five deceased dogs found at the same location over a period of time is obviously a cause for concern and we're keen to find out how and why these animals came to be found like this," Mr Wormwell added.

The charity said it believed a male Jack Russell, called Chase according to his microchip, was dumped at the site on on Bradshaw Lane five to seven days before he was found.

His chip was registered to someone in Darlington but he had been rehomed by them, the RSPCA said.

The black Spaniel and the puppy, which was believed to be another Jack Russell, had both been at the scene longer.

The Spaniel was also microchipped but the details had not been registered.

The charity said none of the dogs had any obvious signs of injury and it was not known at this stage how they died.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the RSPCA.