GENEVA - Swiss police have saved an abandoned poodle that was trapped in a rubbish bag and thrown into a bin to die, daily newspaper Le Matin reported Wednesday.
The dog, first spotted by a bus driver who then alerted police in Belmont near Lausanne, has now been handed over to an animal shelter where it will be put up for adoption.
Police inspector Michel Christin told AFP that the poodle had managed to partially rip the rubbish bag open and had its head sticking out of a hole.
"I've never seen anything like this. He's escaped an awful death because the rubbish dumpster compresses the bags," he said.
The mistreated poodle is thought to be between five and six years old.
Christin said that although the animal was wearing an electronic collar when it was found, the dog has not been found in Swiss records. The investigation has therefore now widened to also include other European countries.
On Thursday, the dog is set for a proper clean-up to be put up for adoption. "We've already received tons of name suggestions for him," Christin said.
The person responsible for abandoning the dog faces a fine of up to 20,000 Swiss francs (16,000 euros) or a prison sentence.
Image: bixentro / via Flickr