Bearded dragon found dumped in communal bin

The bearded dragon was found discarded in a bin at a student accommodation residence in Edinburgh

A bearded dragon was rescued by the Scottish SPCA after being found dumped in a bin.

The six month old reptile was spotted by a shocked staff member at a student accommodation residence in Edinburgh.

A number of international students had recently moved out and it is believed that one of them left the lizard behind.

Despite being abandoned in a communal bin, the bearded dragon is said to be in good condition after being rescued.

The Bearded dragon was found to be unharmed despite its misadventure in the rubbish

Scottish SPCA senior animal rescue officer Sarah Auldsmith said that because the international students have now retuned overseas, the organisation has no way to trace them.

"We appreciate people's circumstances can change but this is not the right way to deal with an animal you can no longer care for," she said.

"Thankfully, the reptile was unharmed and they have now been taken to one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres to receive the care they need."

Bearded dragons are native to Australia but are one of the most popular lizards in captivity in the UK and usually live for 10 or 15 years.

Ms Auldsmith said that due to the condition it was in when it was found last week at the accommodation on Hillside Crescent, it had clearly been cared for before being discarded.

If anyone is concerned about an animal, they can contact the Scottish SPCA on their confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.