A ‘BARELY alive’ dog was found dumped ‘like rubbish’ on a Barnsley road last month and an RSPCA inspector said it was the thinnest dog he had ever seen.

Lucas, who had lost 98 per cent of its fur when found on Huddersfield Road, is a distressed greyhound-lurcher so weak he was unable to walk.

He was rushed to a vets where surgeons found he had a partially rotted-off broken tailbone and sarcoptic mange, a highly contagious skin infection.

Ben Cottle-Shaw, an inspector at the RSPCA, found the poor dog and said he was the ‘thinnest’ dog he had ever seen.

He said: “I was really shocked when I first saw him.

“He was the thinnest dog that I had ever seen which was still alive and on top of this he had an awful untreated skin condition which meant he was constantly scratching and had left him almost completely bald.

“I could tell by his demeanour and look in his eyes Lucas had given up on life as he was so broken and withdrawn.

“It was heartbreaking to see.

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“I rushed him for veterinary treatment and was worried he might not even make the short journey for emergency treatment.

“But once there he was such a friendly little boy despite being obviously starving and suffering from a horrific case of sarcoptic mange.”

He was found on April 20, and subsequently transferred to RSPCA’s Felledge Centre in County Durham after being treated.

Unfortunately due to his injuries the end of his tail fell off but against all the odds he is recovering well.

Luka Atkinson, the animal centre’s deputy manager, said: “He is such a sweetheart and is already beginning to find some energy to run around the exercise field.

“His fur is beginning to grow back and he is on a special diet to help regain weight slowly.

“The colour of his skin is now paler as his inflammation has settled more.

“There is still quite a way to go and Lucas will not be ready for rehoming for a while.”

The RSPCA is now appealing to residents in a bid to find out who is responsible for neglecting Lucas.

Ben added: “I am sure someone will recognise who owned this poor boy as the state of his neglect makes him very distinctive.

“The fact that he had a bandage on his tail and was wearing a brown leather lead may also provide clues.

“I am very keen to find who left Lucas in such a horrendous state of suffering and then simply dumped him like rubbish close to death.

“I am confident someone will recognise him and urge anyone who can help to get in touch.”