Published: Friday, 10th July, 2009 4:40pm

Questions asked after abandoned dog rescued

by Peter Swindon

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Claims that a dog left to die in an abandoned factory could have been found sooner have been flatly denied by Fife Council.

Two-year-old greyhound Bleu was just days from death when rescued from the former Nairn's linoleum works in Kirkcaldy on Sunday

It is believed he was thrown over an 8ft wall into a locked compound where he was trapped for several weeks.

Lochgelly councillor Mark Hood has claimed that a local woman reported the dog's whereabouts to council wardens almost a week before he was rescued.

'A distressed constituent said that they had seen the dog at the site in Kirkcaldy last Tuesday and, concerned for its wellbeing, they had contacted Fife Council"s dog warden service and reported their concerns,' he said.

Bleu, shortly after he was rescued

'They gave the location of the dog and described its appearance. They also explained that they would be happy to provide more information about their concerns and help locate the dog if required.'

The councillor has since written to the Chief Executive of Fife Council, Ronnie Hinds, calling for an investigation.

He added, 'It would appear that the concerns raised by my constituent were not given the attention they deserved and as a result the suffering of this dog has been prolonged unnecessarily.'

The council said dog wardens were aware of the animal's location ten days before the rescue.

David Baker, of Environmental Services, explained, 'Several visits were made by our service and the SSPCA over a 10 day period. This also included leaving food and water at the gate each time whilst trying to catch the dog.'

Scottish SPCA Inspector John Chisholm said, "We attempted to catch the dog with assistance from the local dog warden. While efforts were ongoing, fortunately, a member of the public managed to catch the dog and we are delighted the dog is now safe and being cared for at Langdyke Kennels in Kennoway."

Sylvia Pass, who is caring for Bleu at the rescue centre, said, 'I've got nothing but praise for the dog wardens. It took a long time to find Bleu. He was terrified and didn't want to be caught. It wasn't until he was too weak to move around that he was found.'

The greyhound is expected to make a full recovery but Sylvia admits it's the worst case of starvation she's seen.

"When Bleu was brought here he had a 50/50 chance of survival. He had no muscle, no flesh. It was quite desperate.'

He is now being fed six to eight times a day with a small amount of high-protein and high-fat food soaked in water.

'It'll take a few months for him to recover but he'll probably live a long and active life,' added Sylvia.