Animal rights campaigners are searching for the identity of a man who appeared to throw a greyhound into the sea.
Witnesses reported seeing the man pick up the dog and throw it into the freezing water in Hartlepool, County Durham, on 2 November.
The man then dragged the dog back out on a long lead, before throwing it back into the sea again.
Three men with nine greyhounds wearing muzzles were seen on the pier, witnesses said.
“They were being carried out to the end of the structure and unceremoniously flung in from a height of about 4ft and a distance, through the air, of 6ft,” one witness said.
“The waves were quite strong and my first thought was, once they had surfaced, what if they were propelled by the crashing waves into the rusting sides of the pier?
“There was a significant number of dogs in the group and it appeared that they were being taken out one by one.”
The RSPCA has urged anyone with information about the men to come forward.
“We are still making inquiries after we received a concerning report that a group of men with a number of dogs were seen in Hartlepool repeatedly throwing one of the dogs - a greyhound - into the water on Thursday, November 2.
“An inspector launched an investigation and attended the scene, but the group were no longer there.
“Since then we have been contacted by a member of the public who provided photos of what appears to be a man throwing the dog into the water.
“These images are very distressing and we would urge anyone who may have witnessed this, or may have more information which could help an investigation, to contact us on 0300 1234 999.”
