The has posted a harrowing picture of a dead dog found with its neck snapped on a road in Shotts .
The animal charity say the male long-haired chihuahua, who was found in the Harthill Road area around 8pm on October 5, has injuries which appear to be deliberate.
The poor pup had suffered a broken neck and its body was found covered in fleas and in a poor condition.
In a post on the SSPCA Facebook, Inspector Dawn Robertson said: “The person who alerted us to the dog found him on a back road. He was still dry and rigor mortis had not yet set in.
“The post-mortem results showed that the cause of death was severe trauma to the neck region which caused the neck to break.
“This suggests this was a deliberate act.
“He was in poor body condition and had fleas. He was not neutered or microchipped.
The graphic image sparked a debate between Facebook users over whether it should have been uploaded online.
While some thought it was too horrific to be shared on social media, others believed it to be vital in tracking down the culprit because it was a 'deliberate attack'.
Fiona Petrie said: "I think the SSPCA are right to post the picture as upsetting as it is. It maximises the chance someone might recognise him and help to identify the owner.
"They need to know what happened, this dog deserves justice. Poor darling."
While Lindsay Young commented: "Hopefully the photo might jog peoples memory and track the owners down which might help find out who did this."
But not everyone agreed. "Alyson Hope wrote: "Do you really need to post the picture. Imagine how the owners feel!!"
And Ashley McDowall said: "Don't think you had to post a picture of it."
The charity's post has racked up nearly 3,000 reactions and has been shared 800 times since being uploaded this afternoon.
Robertson added: “We would like to determine the circumstances surrounding the dog’s death. It is a criminal offence to harm or kill an animal and we are keen to find the person responsible.
“If anyone can help with our enquiry, we would urge them to call our confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
