An animal charity is appealing for information after two designer dogs were found abandoned in Lanarkshire - only weeks after the female had given birth.

The Scottish SPCA are also linking the appearance of the male and female Lhasa Apso dogs earlier this month to the abandonment of a puppy two months before in the same area. The three dogs were found in The Glen area of Viewpark, near Uddingston.

Animal chiefs believe the dogs could have been dumped by their owner just weeks after the female gave birth to a litter and they were sold on.

A member of the public found the dogs on August 6 and handed them into the local police station as strays. They were then transferred to the Lanarkshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Hamilton and later rehomed with another family.

The charity revealed a two-week old Lhasa Apso puppy was found at the same location eight weeks before the adult dogs were abandoned.

The puppy, who was suffering from an eye condition, was named Tulip and hand-reared by the charity before being placed with a family. The charity said it is not uncommon for owners to abandon a pup with a defect if the think it cannot be sold.

Dogs related

Gillian Boyle, deputy assistant manager of the Hamilton centre, said, "It could be purely coincidence that the pup and adult couple were allegedly found in the same location but at different times.

"However, our vet estimates that the mum had puppies approximately two to three months before she was found, which would fit in with Tulip's age therefore it is a possibility that they are related.

"Although cruel, it is not uncommon for a mother dog to be dumped after her puppies have been weaned and sold on. It's also quite common for any puppies with visible defects to be abandoned as they are not worth any money to the breeder.

"We don't know what has happened in this instance, but we are urging anyone who recognises the adult dogs or who has recently purchased a Lhasa Apso puppy from this area to get in touch."

The charity asks that anyone with information should call the Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.