A LEADING vet has slammed the cruel pet owner who left their sick rabbit to die on the Greenock hillside.

Neil McIntosh, pictured, a partner with Abbey Vets in Greenock, had no option than to put the dying animal to sleep after it was found at The Cut.

The male pet was found behind a bridge on the popular walkway and Mr McIntosh says it would have been kinder if the defenceless animal had been left on a motorway.

Neil said: "He was virtually comatose, very dull and dehydrated.

"There were chopped carrots near it but it was obvious he would never eat again." The expert said the animal had lost more than half his body weight.

He said: "He weighed under a kilo when he should have been two-and-a-half kilos.

"He was clearly unwell for a considerable period and in an advanced state of dehydration and malnutrition.

"It's terrible - there's no excuse.

"He would have felt terrible being preyed upon and being unable to escape from a dog or a big black crow pecking his eyes out.

"He wouldn't have had a chance - it would have been more humane to sit him in the middle of the M8." Neil praised the actions of Greenock good samaritan David Harper, who went to the rabbit's rescue.

The vet said: "It was fortunate that it was someone decent who found the rabbit and brought him in." Mr Harper wrapped the animal up in his t-shirt and cycled straight to the vets after being alerted by a dog walker.

He was so disgusted, he wrote to the Telegraph, hitting out at the person responsible.

Mr Harper said: 'To the person who abandoned their sick pet rabbit and left it to die, just to let you know you have got your wish.

"How did you look your children in the eyes when they came and asked you what had happened to the family pet?

"People like you shouldn't be able to have pets, you obviously can't handle the responsibility.'