Dog thrown off bridge: owners found

Anna Porteous with rescued dog Charity after she was thrown off a 15m bridge. Photo/Andrew Warner

The owners of the dog thrown off a bridge into the Wairoa River on Wednesday night have been identified.

SPCA animal welfare inspector Anna Porteous could not confirm whether the owners were responsible or not for throwing the dog, named Charity, off the 15m bridge into the water.

"I can't confirm if the owners were responsible because it's a case that is still to be looked at, but I can't confirm if the dog was stolen either," Ms Porteous said.

Ms Porteous said after making contact with the owners, Charity was signed over to the Tauranga SPCA shelter.

She said Charity was doing well but was still timid, scared and "hiding in her shell".

Charity will now undergo the shelter's standard procedure for dogs before she is up for adoption to a new home.

The shelter procedure will bring the adult bitch up to a healthy weight, issue vet checks and watch her progress with human interaction before she is fit for adoption.

Ms Porteous said Charity will be more suited for a quiet home.

She said the SPCA have received a large amount of phone calls from people who are already keen to take in the timid dog.

"People have been ringing here offering to take her in already but once she's gone through the procedure she'll be ready to go to a new home."

Ms Porteous said Tauranga SPCA is still offering the undisclosed reward for information that will help prosecute the person responsible.