found tied to a concrete block floating off St. David's.

An emergency meeting was called yesterday by the All Breed Dog Society following the publication of a picture of the putrifying dog in Monday's Royal Gazette .

"It was just horrific,'' said president of the 75-member club, Mrs. Cindy Madeiros. "We want to see if we can assist and to find some way of preventing these acts from taking place.'' Four girls discovered the partially decomposed animal as they were swimming off a neighbour's dock on Friday. They contacted the SPCA but by the time an inspector arrived on Saturday, the owner of the dock had removed the corpse.

Mrs. Madeiros claimed this was not an isolated incident.

"This is not the first act of cruelty to dogs but seeing that has made us determined that something has to be done. I have talked to the other board members and they feel the same way.'' The meeting tonight will focus on educating the public on the responsibilities of dog ownership.

"People just don't realise the responsibility of owning a dog,'' Mrs.

Madeiros said. She also emphasised there were other more humane ways of parting with a pet, through adoption or by having it put down by a veterinarian.

The SPCA yesterday admitted it was impossible to determine whether the dog had been inhumanely destroyed or if it had been inappropriately dumped in the sea.

But SPCA president Mrs. Penny Harvey admitted it looked "very suspicious'' that the dog had been drowned alive.

"The SPCA will be investigating the matter,'' she said. "We are actively pursuing it.'' If a witness comes forward, the SPCA has pledged it will prosecute the person responsible.

A spokesman yesterday urged the public to bring unwanted animals to the shelter where they are accepted free of charge.

"While we encourage owners to bring their unwanted animals to the shelter for adoption, we will if necessary even collect the animal,'' a spokesman said.

"Our priority is the care and protection of animals and we continue to offer whatever services are deemed necessary to insure that our mandate is carried out.'' Green Cross Search and Rescue director Mrs. Elizabeth Morse Brown said she was "very distressed'' by the incident.

"This kind of thing used to happen a lot in the past but today it is very distressing because there is no need for any of that. I am very distressed because I love animals and drowning a little dog like that is like drowning a member of your own family.'' The SPCA reminded anyone wanting to dispose of a dead pet that they should either find a suitable burial ground on private land or contact the Works Ministry which will dispose of the animal free of charge at the Marsh Folly facility.

Under no circumstances should the animal be thrown into the sea.

Anyone who comes across a similar situation should contact the Department of Agriculture & Fisheries at 236-4201 or the SPCA at 236-7333.