Bearded dragon dumped in Edinburgh supermarket toilets

The bearded dragon was found inside a bag in the supermarket's toilets

The owner of a bearded dragon dumped in a white bag in the toilets of an Edinburgh supermarket is being sought by animal welfare officers.

The adult male reptile was found in Morrisons on Pilton Drive in the men's toilets on Sunday.

He is now being cared for at the Scottish SPCA's Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre.

If caught, the owner faces a maximum of six months in prison, a £5,000 fine or both.

Specific needs

Inspector June Chalcroft, of the Scottish SPCA, said: "The bearded dragon was discovered inside a white sack in the mens' toilets at about 17:00.

"The shop would have been fairly busy at this time, so we're hoping members of the public may have noticed someone, probably male, carrying the sack in to the store.

"There's no excuse for throwing an animal away like it's a piece of rubbish, but sadly animals are regularly dumped in all sorts of unusual places including public toilets.

"We see a lot of abandoned and unwanted exotic creatures coming into our care because people underestimate the hard work and knowledge required to look after these types of animals.

"Reptiles and bearded dragons in particular have very specific needs in terms of their environment, nutrition and care."