A young dog chained to two heavy breeze blocks was thrown alive from a 50ft cliff into the sea where it drowned in the water.

The cruel act is thought to have been carried out at some time in the last two days from a cliff top near Admiralty House Park in Pembroke.

A member of the public spotted the dead dog in the water, still weighted down by the breeze blocks and chain, and alerted the Police on Monday afternoon. It took two men to lift the dog and the chained blocks from the water.

Now an appeal has been launched to find the person who ended the pit bull?s life in such a horrific manner.

Graphic photographs of how the young, male red tan-coloured dog perished were shown to the media as a plea was made to find the culprit responsible for the death of the animal.

Head Animal Warden Geoffrey Benevides said an examination of the dog showed that it was healthy and most likely alive when it was tossed from the cliff.

Police officer Yvonne Ricca asked for the public?s assistance in finding the person responsible for the animal?s death. She said: ?Do you know of a neighbour or someone else who had a dog like this and it has gone missing? Anyone with information should call us, they do not have to leave their name.?

The pit bull had a white chest and is thought to be aged between two and five years old.

United Bermuda Party Shadow Transport Minister Jamahl Simmons said: ?It is a sad and tragic event, especially looking at all the time and effort that the community has made to cleaning up the Admiralty House Park to make it a pleasant and safe area for families.

?I urge the community to assist the Police wherever possible in helping ensure the person responsible is apprehended. Someone who treats an animal like this needs to be behind bars.?

Head Animal Warden Mr. Benevides said it was not a unique case of an animal being deliberately drowned on the Island, but he said it was more common for animals being disposed in this manner to already be dead. He urged anyone who needed help disposing of a dead dog or other issue to call the hotline 239-2327 or the SPCA on 236-7333.