The council is appealing for information after a tiny dog was found severely neglected.

The poor pooch was discovered on First Avenue in Rushenden on the Isle of Sheppey.

Its fur was so matted that council officers could not initially determine its gender, but after a trip to the vets it was determined the dog was a girl, and officers named her Bella.

She was found by Bernadette Brum, who was on her way back to her First Avenue home when she spotted her on the other side of the road.

Mrs Brum said: "I thought it was a stray cat at first, and I saw it had hurt its foot. I couldn't leave it on the street because I thought it might get run over, so I rang the council.

"It's horrible to think a person could do that to such a poor dog, even the pictures don't do justice to how bad it was.

"It's heartbreaking really, I don't know how it lasted as long as it did, it must have been in a lot of pain.

"I'm just glad she's got sorted, but I'm scared that whoever let her get in that state has other animals."

Bella was taken to Borden Lane Vets in Sittingbourne, where staff clipped the matted fur, which was covered in dirt and excrement, and treated her paw, where some of the skin had been rubbed away.

Laura Simpson, practice manager, said: "It really upset a lot of the staff here when she came in, there were quite a few tears because they hadn't seen something quite so horrendous before.

"Underneath the fur she was not in too much of a bad state, so it wasn't as bad as we were expecting thankfully.

"Half of the skin on one of her paws has come away, so we're treating that, and it seems to be healing well.

"We don't think she's going to lose the leg, which was a concern initially.

"One of the nurses, Rebecca Kelly, has been taking her home in the evenings to look after, and the staff all love her."

Swale Borough Council is keen to speak to Bella's former owners, and urges anyone with information to call 01795 417850.