'Distressing' sight as dog left inside car with barbed wire at Aussie beach

An "awful" sight at a beach in New South Wales has horrified locals this week after a dog was spotted locked inside a car without its owner.

The vehicle — a silver MG — was parked at Caves Beach near Lake Macquarie and was "full of barbed wire," a witness said, prompting a wave of concern for the animal's welfare.

A local man first spotted the car at around 10 am when he noticed the German Shepard "visibly distressed" in the backseat," his friend, a Caves Beach woman, told Yahoo News Australia. He'd left the area to get phone reception and call the police, but when he returned the car was gone.

Photos show the dog sitting in the back seat of the small hatchback car with barbed wire covering the windows from the inside.

"The dog was distressed and that's what drew his attention to the car itself," the woman told Yahoo. "And then he realised it was barbed wire through it. It's bizarre."

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Photos of the car were shared on social media further horrifying locals. It's since garnered hundreds of responses and over one thousand shares.

"That’s the most f***ed up thing I’ve seen," one person said. "This is such strange behaviour and very distressing to see," another said. Others urged the police to locate the owner.

Police and RSPCA notifies as investigation continues

NSW Police confirmed to Yahoo News Australia that officers attended the scene, but said the car had already left. They're now "making arrangements to speak to the registered owner," a police spokesperson said.

RSPCA NSW was also notified of the incident on Thursday. While it's not an offence to lock a dog in the car in NSW if the dog is heat distressed, this is considered an act of cruelty, and inspectors can investigate.

The RSPCA advises witnesses who see an animal locked inside a car to contact local police or RSPCA as soon as possible and request assistance if the owner of the car and dog cannot be located straight away.

"You should note down the car’s make, model, colour, and license plate number or if you have your phone nearby, take a picture of it, " a spokesperson told Yahoo. "If you can, stay with the dog until help arrives and provide updates on the condition of the dog where possible."

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