A portrait of a mourning mother. Mother dog was found by the roadside with ‘tears in her eyes’ next to a carrier bag containing her dead puppies.

A female spaniel was found on the side of a road mourning her dead puppies in Midville, Lincolnshire.

The mother and her pups were found by Paul Skinner, who was out riding his bike. He was quite a long way from the main road when he found them, he told the Daily Mail.

He described the mother dog as having tears in her eyes as she rested her head on top of a bag.

Skinner told the Lincolnshire Echo: “We spotted on the verge something that looked like a dead bird, but as we passed it moved.

“It was a small spaniel without a collar. We looked around in case anyone was in trouble.

“The dog was on its own, sitting licking the contents of a fish and chips carrier bag. The bag contained four dead pups.

“It was heartbreaking. She had tears in her eyes.”

The spaniel was looked after by the RSCPA and Fen Bank Greyhound Sanctuary.

She had a microchip, allowing her to be returned to the original breeder, who is now looking after her.

It is unclear whether the puppies were dead when they were dumped. Police are now trying to identify the person who dumped the dogs.

PCSO Mick Fern, who is also the kennel manager at Fen Bank Greyhound Sanctuary, told the Lincolnshire Echo: “The vet thinks they were born alive and may have been born that morning, or in the early hours, and they may have been alive when they were left there.

“Sometimes a puppy can give the appearance of being dead, but can be revived if you can warm them up. Their mother was staying with them, come what may. It was a very sad scene.”

Inspector Becky Harper said: ‘It is a terribly upsetting incident.

‘It looks like this little dog has been cruelly dumped along with her newborn pups.

‘We don’t know whether the puppies were stillborn or whether they died because of the cold.

The spaniel who refused to be separated from her puppies was named Carly.

‘We would like to thank the cyclist who found the dog and raised the alarm and to Fen Bank Greyhound Sanctuary who got her to the vets.

‘Fortunately Carly appears to be in good health and she is now being well looked after.

‘We are appealing to anyone who might know more about how Carly came to be abandoned in this way or where she has come from.

‘We want to hear from anyone who recognises Carly or the fish and chip shop bag the puppies were in, it is quite distinctive.

‘All of the information we receive we treat in the strictest of confidence and we would encourage anyone who might know anything to please come forward.’

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.

Sources:  www.cookingpanda.com