Dog wardens in Ballymena have appealed for information after this beautiful young Labrador was seen being cruelly dumped by the roadside.

A woman was spotted by two disbelieving joggers abandoning the bewildered dog from a 4X4 on the Woodside Road in the town before driving off in the direction of Broughshane.

The dog was abandoned near the town’s Michelin plant at midday on Monday, and the quick-thinking joggers held the dog safe until the dog warden arrived and the animal was taken into their care.

He has now been named Woodie after the road he was found on and his healthy condition has left the council kennel staff scratching their heads.

A successful prosecution could see the owner jailed for up to three months for abandonment, under the Animal Welfare Act, 1972.

Gary Gordon, assistant dog warden at Ballymena Borough Council, said the manner of the dog being dumped had horrified witnesses and kennel staff.

He said: “We are fairly disgusted and angry at this latest incident.

“This is a brilliant, beautiful dog, very young, very well-kept and in great condition, and we can’t for the life of us work out the reason why anyone would dump a dog in such a dangerous place, where heavy lorries are passing, when all they had to do was pick up the phone and contact us.

“The woman was spotted by two joggers pulling into a quiet lay-by, and she obviously thought she hadn’t been spotted.

“The joggers have told us they could only look on in total disbelief as they watched the woman get out of the driver’s seat, open the other door, let the poor dog out, then walk back round to her door, climb in and drive off.”

The joggers were not able to note the registration but described it as a blue, “quite new or brand new” 4X4.

“We initially thought it was maybe the case that the credit crunch was biting, but from what we’ve learned, that can’t the case, as the jeep was said to be top-of-the-range,” Mr Gordon added.