An elderly dog found abandoned by cruel owners next to the Jubilee River in the pouring rain has had to be put down.

The drenched 13-year-old black labrador with a greying muzzle was found by a member of the public near the Jubilee River Riverside Centre in Slough Road, just off the A332 roundabout on Friday evening. He was wearing a brown collar with a chain lead attached.

His back legs were paralysed.

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A member of the public called the council’s stray dog collection service and stayed with the dog.

The dog was taken to an out of hours veterinary clinic where a microchip was discovered. But the details of an addresses in the Keel Drive and Hull Close area were out of date.

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Ian Blake, Slough Borough Council's neighbourhood manager of resilience and enforcement, said the vet diagnosed a long term spinal injury.

He said: “The dog was effectively paralysed at the rear. The examining vet determined the dog had not been injured the day he was found in any way and he could not have walked to the location which is some way from the nearest residential housing.

“We are very thankful to the member of the public who found him and stayed with him until we arrived.”

After a full examination the dog was euthanised on welfare grounds because of the severity of the spinal injury.

Cllr Pavitar K. Mann, cabinet member for planning and regulation, said: “Thank you to the member of the public who found this poor animal and decided not to walk by but call us. They gave the dog comfort in what were the final hours of his life after going through the horrible experience of being abandoned.

“It is just so sad the owner could not see fit to take it to a vet themselves and give him a dignified end.”

The council is appealing to anyone who knew the dog or where he lived, or saw anything unusual on Friday near the Riverside centre or on the footpath, to contact Ian Blake on 07917092909 or email ResilienceandEnforcementTeam@slough.gov.uk in confidence.