A resident has become concerned over the welfare of a dog reportedly being “kept in the back of a lorry.”

The dog has previously been taken away by the police but has been returned to its owner.

The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It is in a van and it is a young Great Dane, it is a big dog.

“I think it is kept in the van for 23 and half hours a day, it is let out for half hour. The dog is contained and the windows are sealed.

“It is totally bizarre that it hasn’t been tackled.”

The concerned member of the public said it has been in the van for approximately two months and the reason it hasn’t been seized is because the owner feeds it once a day.

A police spokesperson said they were called on January 19 2017 to concerns for the welfare of a dog that was reportedly being kept in a lorry in Titmuss Avenue, Thamesmead.

The spokesperson said: “Officers attended and took the dog to be examined by a vet. The dog was then returned to its owner, who was identified via the dog’s chip.

“No criminal offences were identified by police and the RPSCA have been made aware of the situation.”

The RSPCA said they will continue to watch the situation.

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A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “We share people’s concerns for a dog kept in a car in Thamesmead, London and would not recommend these as ideal conditions in which to keep any animal.

“However, while we agree that the situation is not ideal, we have no power to remove a dog.

“The police can only remove the dog once a vet confirms that the animal is suffering or is highly likely to suffer.

“We would like to reassure the public that we will continue to offer advice to the owner and monitor the situation to help ensure this dog’s welfare is not compromised.”