The discovery of an abandoned dog with a plastic bag covering its head has initiated an animal cruelty investigation in Busan.

On Sunday, a local resident saw a dog tied to a pillar in an alley in Busanjin-gu while walking his dog at about 11 p.m. A red plastic bag was placed over the dog's head and tied into a knot around its neck, according to the Busan Korea Alliance for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on Monday.

According to the Busan KAPCA, the bag appeared to have been tied on purpose. The animal has been taken to a temporary home.

“It’s not sure whether (the bag) was meant to block the dog's sight or (to cause) suffocation, but surely this is an act of flagrant animal cruelty,” said an official from the Busan KAPCA.

“The culprit has yet to be identified, as the place was in a CCTV blind spot, and it's hard to check the footage accordingly," a district official said. “We will request the police to investigate on animal cruelty charges.”