A LIFELESS dog, barely clinging on to life after being found dumped in the street, has died.

It is the latest in a growing number of dogs being abandoned, often in a terrible condition, every week across Basildon.

It comes as the Echo and Basildon Council launched a joint campaign, Care for your Canine, which aims to get people to look after pets responsibly and think twice before buying a dog.

The dumped animal, thought to be a lhasa apso or shih tzu, was found lying at the side of the road between Southmayne and Pitsea Road by a shocked resident.

The dog was emaciated, had matted hair and was filthy.

Sarah Moran, Basildon Council’s animal control officer who collected the dog, was shocked at the state of it.

She said: “When I picked him up I was shocked at how light he was.

“He was the lightest dog I have ever picked up, around 4kg, and most of that must have been the matted hair.

“He was incredibly skinny and you could feel all of his bones through his fur. He can’t have been out in the cold for very long as he simply wouldn’t have survived.”

The dog, who was nicknamed Bones, failed to respond to veterinary treatment.

Richard Moore, Basildon councillor responsible for animal control, said: “This is another appalling example of animal welfare, which is exactly why we have launched the Care for your Canine campaign.

“Basildon has one of the highest figures for stray dogs and animal welfare issues in the country and we are determined to address this issue.”