Pup abandoned on Masterton roadside

The 8-week-old puppy found in a box along a Masterton road on Sunday. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

An 8-week-old puppy was found shut in a banana box and yelping in distress on the side of a rural road in Masterton on Sunday evening.

The young tan and white female was discovered close to a bridge over a stream on Nursery Rd by a nearby resident.

The finder cared for the puppy overnight and contacted Wellington SPCA who brought the puppy back to their Wellington centre.

Wellington SPCA are appealing for public help to identify the person who dumped her.

Deserting an animal is a serious offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and a conviction could see the person responsible issued with a $50,000 fine and/or 12 months in prison.

Wellington SPCA ask for anyone with information to contact them on 0800 INSPECTOR.

Senior animal welfare inspector Ben Lakomy said the puppy is in good condition.

"Things could have been much worse if the puppy hadn't been found, or had managed to escape from the box.

"If this puppy was not wanted, a call to the local council would have resulted in the puppy being surrendered to them, rather than being deserted in the cold."

Wellington SPCA has been administering the Wairarapa SPCA since January.

In those six months Wellington SPCA has taken in over 130 animals from the Wairarapa area.

Wellington SPCA chief executive and administrator for Wairarapa SPCA Steve Glassey said inspectorate services remain the priority and ongoing funding is needed from the community to ensure they continue.