The police are investigating a possible case of animal cruelty after the discovery of a dead dog in Mgarr on the way to Ghajn Tuffieha this morning.

The dog had a long leash and what could have been a U-shaped branding sign.

A police spokesman said it was not clear if the dog had escaped its owner and been hit by a car, or whether it had actually been dragged by a car.

The woman who discovered the dog, at about 8.30 a.m. said there was a trail of blood that was 100m long, indicating that the dog may have been dragged.

She added that the U-shaped branding sign did not appear to be recent.

The leash was tied around the dog's neck with a padlock.