The dog was found by schoolchildren near a secondary school in Malheiro on Wednesday this week and taken in by a local animal rescue association.

A graphic photo swiftly found its way on to social media, with accusations of animal cruelty quick to follow.

However, a GNR source told The Portugal News on Friday (16 January) that the dog has not been subjected to cruelty.

“Officers from the GNR’s SEPNA brigade found the dog’s owner and spoke to her, and the animal was also taken to a local municipal vet to be examined.

“It was concluded that the animal suffers from a congenital problem that is quite common among that breed. It became lost after escaping from its backyard when the gate was accidentally left open, and, obviously, as it is unfamiliar with the surroundings and cannot see, it wandered away from home and fell into a ditch. That is when the children found it.”

The source reiterated: “There was no mistreatment by the owner. In fact quite the contrary; some people decide to have dogs with this problem put down. This dog’s owner loves it as if it was any other and takes good care of it.”

The Portugal News has published a generic picture of the breed to not offend sensitive readers.