Emmerdale fans have complained over scenes with a grieving Vinny on the ITV soap, which aired on Wednesday evening.
The scenes came after mum Mandy (Lisa Riley) had been left concerned about Vinny ( Bradley Johnson ) following the death of his wife Liv ( Isobel Steele ).
Mandy turned to Paddy ( Dominic Brunt ), not knowing how to get through to her son after Liv died in devastating scenes during the major storm that raged through the village on last week’s 50th anniversary episodes.
Mandy confided in Paddy that she was deeply worried and the vet came up with an idea to help. Later he and Mandy turned up at Vinny’s, bringing Chip, the dog that Vinny and Liv had been hoping to adopt.
Vinny was angry, but Chip stayed with him and in scenes on Wednesday evening he agreed to mum Mandy that he would take the dog for a walk.
However, as the pair strolled through the woods, an emotional Vinny became fed up with Chip and lobbed a ball off into the trees, telling the dog to go after it.
He was soon leaving Chip in the middle of the woods alone, prompting a number of fans to take to Twitter to condemn what they saw as ‘cruelty’ towards animals.
One fan wrote: “If Chip gets run over, I'm writing to Ofcom. Emmerdale writers can kill off characters...but innocent animals - NO! Too much!”
“Vinny is abandoning a dog on Emmerdale Wish I could reach in to the TV and give Vinny a good shake,” a second added.
“I know Vinny is hurting but you cannot leave the dog on it’s own that’s just cruel,” a third wrote as another 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.”
However, in scenes later in Wednesday’s episode, Vinny was seen returning to the village, when he came across Chip wondering with something in her mouth.
Vinny bent down and discovered it was a Polaroid photo of himself and Liv which he had apparently dropped in the woods.
The touching moment reduced Vinny to tears as he crouched next to a waiting Chip, leaving fans at home emotional.
One wrote: “The dog the star of the show tonight. Was worried was gonna be left missing glad found its way back awwww.”
Another added: “Chip the dog is already my favourite character and I will protect him at all costs,” as another chimed: “Obsessed with the acting dog, the soap award is pending.”
