Not everyone takes pet ownership as seriously as they should, and the animals are the ones who usually suffer the consequences.

The Scottish SPCA was faced with that unfortunate reality on Friday (January 2) when it discovered a dog tied to a railing outside the Ayr railway station.

The 2 to 3-year-old Shar Pei crossbreed was left there, sad and alone, with a suitcase containing his belongings: a toy, a pillow, a food bowl and some food.

“The dog is microchipped and we were able to find out his name is Kai,” said Scottish SPCA Inspector Stewart Taylor. “We contacted the owner registered to the microchip, who stated they had sold Kai on Gumtree in 2013. Unfortunately, they could not tell us the address of the person who bought him.”

Apparently the pooch was left there because his owner didn’t want him anymore.

“This case highlights the potential consequences of selling an animal online as it often leads to the impulse buying of pets that people know very little about,” he added. “Regardless of the fact Kai was left with his belongings, this was still a cruel incident and we are keen to identify the person responsible. If anyone can help we would ask them to get in touch as soon as possible.”

Despite being abandoned, Kai is still a fun-loving pup. The animal charity will look after him until they can find him a permanent, loving home.