A woman has been left traumatised after her dog was found 'starved and stabbed to death' at the home of a friend she had asked to look after it.
The body of Elaine Reid's pet Bella was discovered stuffed behind a mattress at a property in Airdrie on April 7 after police were contacted when her former pal cut contact with her.
Elaine, from Coatbridge, had given Bella to the man, who we cannot name for legal reasons, after the Staffordshire Bull Terrier had clashed with her other family dog.
The 32-year-old told the Record she had hoped separating the dogs for a short period would calm them down and had been making weekly payments to her friend for food and veterinary bills.
She said: "Bella wasn't getting along with my other dog, Penny. He was looking after her but then he cut contact with me in March.
"In April he agreed that I could go and get Bella back, but I waited outside his house for over an hour but he didn't show up.
"I knew something was wrong. The police and SSPCA were contacted and officers managed to get inside.
"They found her on the floor and she was hidden between a mattress and a bed.
"The police officer wouldn't let me go inside. Bella hadn't been taken out and there was dog faeces and urine everywhere. The house was stinking.
"They took her body away for a post mortem and they said she had been stabbed to death."
The tearful mum-of-three explained that a photograph of Bella taken days before she died also showed she had been severely malnourished.
Elaine believes the man who had her dog was spending the money she had given him to care for her on himself.
She continued: "I burst into tears when I saw the picture of her. She looked terrible. You could tell she wasn't being fed. She didn't even look like Bella.
"She had been a happy and healthy dog. He had a chance to save her life and to give her back to me when I asked. But I think he wanted me to keep sending him money.
"This shouldn't have happened."
The man who had Bella has since disappeared without a trace and now Elaine fears she and her children will never get justice for the neglect and violence their beloved pet suffered.
She added: "I have three children and they haven't stopped crying. They deserve justice for their pet, and Bella deserves justice too."
Police Scotland and the Scottish SPCA have launched an investigation into the incident.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On the evening of Friday, 7 April, 2023, police received a report of a dead dog found at a property in the Rochsoles Drive area of Airdrie. A warrant was executed and the remains of a dog were removed by the Scottish SPCA.”
Scottish SPCA said they could not comment on the matter as the investigation is ongoing.
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