The animal, now called Elf, was left at Rushton Dog Rescue in Somerset on Thursday night. The charity said it received a call from a woman saying the dog was not wanted and threatening to leave him outside.

       The rescue centre said in an Instagram post: "Off down to the gate we went in absolute darkness, where we found this skinny, tiny, damp, sacred little boy.

       "Thrown into this rusty old crate, trembling in fear.

       "Obviously we took him in without question.

       "We are here for the unwanted dogs and dogs who need rescue but the way this was done was completely unacceptable."

       Elf, described as "very nervous", is now being cared for by the charity and will eventually be rehomed.

       Singer Shirlie Kemp, who is patron of Rushton Dog Rescue, commented: "Oh my goodness… isn’t he the lucky one now to get away from someone who had no idea how to care for him."

       It comes as the charity is facing an influx of dogs bought during the pandemic puppy boom.

       READ MORE: Sick dog fighting for his life after being dumped by side of road

       It currently has around 68 animals in its care.

       Founder Cindi Mcneil Regan told Express.co.uk: "Rescue centres up and down the UK are absolutely chocka, the amount of unwanted dogs at the moment.

       "It is because of the lockdown.

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       "People keep going to dog breeders and getting dogs that are totally unsuitable.

       "And they've not been socialised through the lockdown and then this is the aftermath of the situation."

       Ms Mcneil Regan fears the influx could get even worse after Christmas when puppies bought as presents are handed in.

       She said: "If you go on places like Gumtree and Preloved you look at the amount of puppies that are being sold.

       "Thousands of pounds and then they're like 'knockdown price for Christmas'.

       "So we're not just going to have the backlash of the lockdown after Christmas, we're going to have the backlash of people that have bought puppies for Christmas as well."

       In March, the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association said a total of 3.2 million households in the UK had acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic.

       To support Rushton Dog Rescue click here.