Emmerdale viewers threatened to report the latest episode to Ofcom for a "cruel" animal scene.
The show has catapulted Vinny into an emotional wreck after the fall out from the storm forced him to say goodbye to his partner, Liv. The distressing scenes had viewers "in tears" as everyone involved went above and beyond with the farewell.
Mandy and Paddy tried their best to console Vinny but the trauma has left him a shell of his former self. Last night, viewers watched as they brought in Chip, the dog he and Liv were planning to adopt together, in an attempt to make him feel better.
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Vinny agreed to take the dog for a walk as the pet remained by his side for the majority of the episode but his anger soon got the better of him. He threw a ball into the woods, and Chip ran in after it as an upset Vinny moved on.
Dog lovers were left upset, saying the example set by Vinny's behaviour was a bad one. One fan said: "If Chip gets run over, I'm writing to Ofcom. Emmerdale writers can kill off characters...but innocent animals - NO! Too much!"
Another added: "Vinny is abandoning a dog on Emmerdale Wish I could reach in to the TV and give Vinny a good shake." A third viewer said: "I know Vinny is hurting but you cannot leave the dog on it’s own that’s just cruel.
A final added: "I know he’s grieving but he can’t just leave the poor dog like that…"
Another fan wrote: “I don’t like the way Vinny is treating this lovely dog. I get he’s grieving but I’m an animal lover."
Vinny returned to the village only to find Chip already there, wandering around with the ball he collected. After a change of heart, he bent down to sit with the dog and became overcome with emotion as he broke down.
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