A SERIOUSLY sick dog had to be put down after being abandoned and left roaming the streets of Braintree.

The German Shepherd type dog was found by a member of the public in Beckers Green Road, Braintree, with a large tumour on the left side of his face, which was dripping with blood.

He was also very thin, and an examination by a vet showed he also had multiple tumours in his chest.

The dog, who was ten-years-old, was so ill the vet made the decision to put him to sleep to prevent further suffering.

He was microchipped and named Chunk, however none of the phone numbers listed on the chip worked, so the charity has been unable to trace his owners.

RSPCA inspector Sian Ridley said: “Chunk was a very poorly dog and it is clear that he was in a lot of pain.

"On top of that, the tumour on his face was dripping blood. He was also very thin. The poor dog was in a bad way.

“He was such a sweet-natured, lovely dog and it was heartbreaking to see him suffering."

Chunk was found roaming in Braintree on Saturday, March 3.

“We’re not sure how long he’d been on the streets for, whether he’d escaped from his home or whether he was callously dumped," Ms Ridley said.

"We are keen to find out how he came to be in the sad situation he was in, and we are urging anyone with information to contact us in complete confidence on 0300 123 8018.”

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care, visit www.rspca.co.uk.