A litter picker has spoken of their upset after discovering the remains of what appeared to be a small dog at a nature reserve in Calne.
The discovery was made at High Penn Nature Reserve, a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust site, at around 3.30pm on Monday (7 September).
The local resident – who was walking her dog and litter picking – initially believed they had spotted a white or cream bag or wrapper on the track near the first lake.
But when they attempted to pick it up, they discovered it was a woman’s scarf containing the remains of what they believed to be a small white or cream long-haired dog.
Two small soft toys, described as a turtle and a fluffy ball, were also reportedly found within the scarf.
The witness believes the animal may have been buried in a shallow grave before being disturbed by wildlife, although this has not been confirmed.
If the animal was deliberately buried at the nature reserve, it is likely to have been done without the necessary permission unless consent was obtained from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
People do not generally have a right to bury pets on public land or land belonging to somebody else without permission.
Depending on the circumstances, an unauthorised burial could potentially constitute an offence, while environmental rules can also apply to the burial and disposal of animal remains.
There is no suggestion that the circumstances surrounding the animal’s death were suspicious.
The witness removed the loose items from the area but said they were unable to move the animal’s remains.
Posting on social media, they said: “It must have been a beloved pet to have been buried with its toys.”
They added: “I’m sorry for their loss but perhaps not the best place to bury an animal as wildlife will always dig it up especially when so close to surface.”
Other dog walkers using the nature reserve are being made aware of the discovery, particularly as dogs may be attracted to the remains.
