Chinchilla police bombarded with phone calls after photo of skinny dog published to social media

A Chinchilla dog that was the focus of a public outcry on social media has been placed in the care of a Brisbane rescue group. WARNING: DISTRESSING

A CHINCHILLA dog that was the focus of a public outcry on social media overnight Tuesday has been placed in the care of a Gold Coast rescue group.

A rural Queensland Police department was inundated with hundreds of calls from around the country Wednesday after a photo of a dog chained to a house and with its rib cage showing was posted to Facebook by animal rescue group Kitt Kat Care.

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Founder of the 18-month-old rescue group, Mika Dargie, updated the group’s Facebook page late Wednesday - which had gained thousands of comments and shares across the day - to say the dog and others from the property was safe in their care.

“The dogs are safe at the moment,” she said.

“Threats were made against youths in the home and we need to protect children just as much as animals.

The photo of this dog, said to be taken in Chinchilla this week, has caused a stir both in the Western Downs and on social media. Picture: Facebook.

“Will do an update tomorrow with a plan.”

Miss Dargie, 27, said the dog from the photo was at a vet, another was also surrendered to the rescue and two other dogs in good condition were left at the Chinchilla home.

Many people complained to the police, RSPCA and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries about the condition of the dog after seeing the photo.

RSPCA spokeswoman Alex Hyndman Hill said the RSPCA did not have an inspector in the area so it fell under the Department of Agriculture’s jurisdiction.

One of the thousands of comments on Facebook under the photo of the Chinchilla dog. Picture: Facebook

Some of the thousands of comments posted under the photo of the dog on Facebook. Picture: Facebook

“(It’s) not our area unfortunately, but I understand DAFS are investigating,” she said.

Miss Dargie said Kitt Kat care volunteers were escorted onto the property by police.

“I’m very proud a Gold Coast rescue managed to save a dog all the way out in rural Chinchilla,” she said.

“Though we save dogs from Charter Towers all the way down to South Australia and every rural town in-between, they are usually in a pound thus we work with the pounds to get them to us.

“This was a unique situation where we needed a dog needed our help and we succeeded.”

Miss Dargie said she had so far declined any offers of donations for the dog, believed to be named Duke, at least until a veterinary assessment has determined his condition.