A YORKSHIRE terrier was found cowering and shivering down a manhole in Derby city centre.
Animal rescue workers have named the pup Peanut and believe she was thrown down the 10ft deep hole on Addison Road.
She was found on March 12 after passers-by heard her cries.
Peanut was rescued by firefighters and she is now being looked after by the RSPCA on Abbey Street, which is searching for her owners.
RSPCA inspector Christopher Shaw was called to the scene and found Peanut cowering and shivering at the bottom of the hole, surrounded by piles of litter.
He said: "It is amazing that people even heard her.
"The manhole is on the former Rolls-Royce factory site and it is surrounded by high fences and by barbed wire.
"Firefighters were there within minutes and did a fantastic job. When she came out of the hole she was shaking uncontrollably and crying.
"I should imagine she was very scared being down that dark, dingy hole which was full of rubbish.
"We are not sure how long she had been stuck down there as she did smell a little bit."
Peanut does not have a microchip so it is impossible to know her background.
The RSPCA is now trying to find out exactly how the pooch ended up down the hole and whether any act of animal cruelty had taken place.
Malcolm Hall, manager of the centre, said: "It does seem quite likely that she was thrown down the hole.
"We are asking anybody with any information to let us know so that we can inform the police .
"When she came in to us she was in quite a state and was clearly very frightened.
"She had an injury to her back leg but she's ok now and we are now in the process of finding her a new home."
Anybody who would like to adopt Peanut, or who has any information about how she got stuck down the hole, can contact the RSPCA by visiting the Derby branch on Abbey Street, or by calling 01332 344620.
