The dog found abandoned in a flour bag with its head in another bag was microchipped and the police have tracked down the owner who claims it ran away a year ago, Times of Malta has learnt.

The animal, a bitch believed to be over 10 years old, is still at the San Franġisk Animal Welfare Centre recovering from the ordeal it went through.

Animal welfare officers found the dog in a white flour sack with a plastic bag over its head in Ħandaq at about 1.30pm on Saturday.

The sources pointed out that the fact that the dog had a microchip made it easier for the police to find its owner. He told the police the dog had escaped about a year ago but, the sources noted, in such circumstances an owner would be legally obliged to report to the police that his/her animal was missing. No such reports had been filed in this case.

The police were now probing the owner’s claim while trying to establish who was responsible for trying to kill the animal.

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