Police probe as pet dog 'decapitated' and dumped in owner's back garden

The female dog was found with its head and front leg missing in the garden in Vernon Road, Bilston, on Tuesday evening, according to owner Jack Taylor.

Officers have said the dog's injuries are not believed to be consistent with a dog or fox attack and the body will be examined by a vet.

Mr Taylor posted on Facebook on Tuesday saying: "My lovely dog Hollie was found dead tonight, head decapitated and also missing a front leg.

"No blood anywhere, she was covered in mud but found on a dry patio area, with no mud anywhere to be found in the garden.

"Best guess is she's been used for dog fighting, taken from the garden then returned.

"Police have been informed, I've taken her to the vets tonight to be cremated, worst thing was being asked by the police to take pictures of her and her injuries so they can pass all information onto the RSPCA.

"No words can describe how I feel right now, some people will say 'it's only a dog', but she was family.

"We had her 13 years, she was soft as a bag full of kittens, all she wanted was to be fussed, loved and fed. You couldn't have asked for a better dog. R.I.P. Hollie."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "We were alerted to an incident in Vernon Road, Wolverhampton at 6.45pm on Tuesday and the discovery of the resident's pet dog dead in the back garden. A joint investigation has been launched alongside the RSPCA.

"Officers visited the address yesterday to speak with the occupants to take statements and carry out enquiries.

"At this stage the injuries are not believed to be consistent with a dog or fox attack; the dog’s body will be examined by vets in a bid to shed light on how the animal died."

An RSPCA spokesman said: "This is incredibly upsetting and our thoughts are with Hollie's family. We've been made aware of this incident and will be looking into it further."