Dog rescued after being thrown into Kenilworth ditch in 'callous' act

Lexi the Shar-Pei was abandoned on Dalehouse Lane

At about 1.45pm on Friday December 28, an unknown driver pulled up on Dalehouse Lane and threw a dog from the vehicle before driving off.

But another motorist saw the incident and was able to rescue the blue female Shar-Pei from the ditch where she had landed.

They could see the dog had a chronic skin condition and due to this had fur loss all over the body so they rushed her to the Coventry branch of RSPCA for treatment. She was also found to be underweight.

Information on her microchip revealed her name to be Lexi and her age as six years old.

The animal welfare charity is now investigating and Inspector Helen Smith is appealing for information about who owned the dog prior to her being dumped.

She said: “It was very lucky another motorist saw what happened as Lexi could have been there for a long time and as she has very little fur and it was freezing she could have easily perished.

“The witness said they were driving round a bend and they could see the car pull up, the brakes lights went on and then the dog flew out of the car - there was certainly some force used to do this - then they cruelly accelerated away leaving her behind.

“It was such a callous act to leave a vulnerable dog in such a lonely location. She was recovered from the undergrowth in a ditch and was obviously dazed and frightened.

“It was also clear she had a severe skin condition so the people who found her kindly took her to the local RSPCA branch.”

Lexi was registered to an address in the Cheylesmore area of Coventry but inquiries found the owner had died about 12-18 months ago. It is understood she was taken on by another family member but the animal welfare charity has been unable to trace that person.

Veterinary staff found Lexi has a chronic skin condition which has lead to her sore, scabby and thickened skin as well as fur loss. She was in such a state they struggled to tell what colour she was.

But Lexi is now responding well to treatment in RSPCA care.

The car involved is described as a black Audi or BMW saloon, or similar.

Anyone with information about who owned Lexi at the time she was abandoned should call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.