A severely neglected dog has been put to sleep after being found abandoned in “the worst condition” an RSPCA rescue officer has ever seen in Birmingham.

The German Shepherd was unable to stand and screaming in agony when he was discovered on Sunday, with a large testicular tumour and the skin torn from the underlying tissue in his face.

The dog had been left on top of a pink blanket in a bush beside Park Lane, close to Handsworth Cemetery, on the northwestern outskirts of the city, the rescue charity said.

It comes after The Independent reported in January that caseloads at both Dogs Trust and Cats Protection were at record levels, as RSPCA officers dealt with 25 per cent more abandonments year on year.

The German Shepherd, likely abandoned on Sunday morning, “was in an atrocious state when he was found”, said RSPCA rescue officer Cara Gibbon.

“We see animals who suffered horrendous cruelty and neglect every single day but this poor dog was in the worst condition I have ever seen. He was making such pitiful whimpering noises and screaming in pain. He was unable to stand so we know he’d been deliberately abandoned.

“We also know he was dumped around 8am on Sunday morning so we’re really keen to hear from anyone who was in the area who may have seen this happening, or anyone with dash cam footage that could help our investigation.

The German Shepherd is thought to have been abandoned on Sunday morning

The dog was eventually put to sleep after being discovered“He was also unable to close his mouth because of the injury to his jaw which had been left degloved. Sadly because of the severity of the condition he was found, he had to be put to sleep by a vet to end his suffering.

“I was heartbroken to see someone had allowed a dog to suffer in this state and simply dumped him this way when he was most in need of help and care.

“This is the result of prolonged neglect over a long period of time so I’m desperate to find out who was responsible for allowing him to get this way before dumping him without thought or consideration to his welfare.”

Charities and campaigners have been warning of a rise in the number of abandonments and instances in which owners have been forced to hand over their pets, as the cost of living crisis squeezes household incomes.

Last November, campaigner Dominic Dyer urged ministers to set up a “cost of living pet crisis fund”, while the RSPCA and Blue Cross have both set up pet food banks for owners and animals in need, warning that demand for help is at record levels.