The Animal Welfare Department will be taking action against the owner of a bulldog which died after being left bound to a residential door close to the Ħamrun parish church.

The government said in a statement the Animal Welfare Department received a report about the dog and when they arrived on scene, the officers noted it was in such a bad condition it could barely breath. The dog died some minutes later as it was being taken to a vet for treatment.

Action will be taken once an autopsy is concluded.

The government said it will be adopting a zero tolerance policy regarding animal cruelty as it has been doing for the past three years.

Last April, a dog was picked off the streets of Qormi with a chain embedded in its neck, reinforcing animal welfare organisations' demand to change legislation about chained dogs.

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