An "unthinkably cruel" woman neglected her sick dog before dumping it in a commercial wheelie bin and leaving it to die.

Heather Stott, of Court Street, Dundee, neglected the pointer crossbreed, named Dougal, by leaving him without any care or treatment for emaciation, dehydration and dental disease.

Rather than take him to the vet, the 58-year-old decided to dump the pet in a bin on Dundonald Street just yards from her home in April last year.

When the dog was found wrapped in a black bag by a member of the public it was still alive but badly malnourished and unable to stand.

The Scottish SPCA was called and took Dougal to a vet, who decided the only humane option was to put him down.

The charity have described the crime, for which Stott is now facing a potential 12-month jail term, as "despicable" and "unthinkably cruel".

At Dundee Sheriff Court on Thursday Stott admitted to two charges under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act, namely causing the dog unnecessary suffering by failing to provide him with adequate care and treatment, and abandoning him in an industrial waste bin without access to nutrition and water and with no means of escape.

Sheriff Richard McFarlane deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports.

He said: "The charges make anxious reading, in particular charge two."

Speaking after Dougal was found, Scottish SPCA chief inspector John Carle said an officer had to climb into the metal bin to rescue the animal.

He said: "The dog was found at the bottom of a large metal bin, which our local inspector had to climb into in order to rescue him.

"He was wearing a black nylon collar and had a black bag wrapped around his body from his waist down but we don't know if he was fully inside the bag when he was dumped.

"The dog was estimated to be between ten and 12 years old so we have to consider that he may have been abandoned due to his age, which is unthinkably cruel.

"This poor dog would have been absolutely terrified and was suffering a great deal when he was found."