A man was heartbroken to discover a dog running down the road with a note attached to its neck, which explained how its owner could no longer care for it.

Lionel Vytialingam from Ipoh, Malaysia, had been at the local grocery store when he heard horns beeping from a nearby road.

As he looked over, Lionel spotted a terrified dog weaving its way in and out of traffic – at which point he jumped in his own car and followed the four-legged damsel in distress to see if he could help.

When he finally got close to the animal, he found a soggy note attached to its neck with a rubber band.

The message explained the dog’s name was Siggy and her owner couldn’t look after her anymore – prompting Lionel, who broke down into tears as he read the note, to take the poor pup home.

Lionel recalled: “I got into my car, followed the little one a bit then stopped by the roadside. Thank goodness she chose to walk towards me, away from the middle of the road.

“She had a soggy note folded up and tied around her neck. I tried not to move at all to maybe gain her trust.

“She stood away for about 10 minutes watching my every pulse it seemed, before she finally approached me from the back, sniffed, then walked round to face me. I asked her if I could look at her note.

“She had formed the most intense, most pleading eye contact with me from under her matted fringe. I unhooked the note, opened it up and read it right there crouched by the roadside.

“There was hope I thought, there’d be some owner’s contact or address, I thought.

“But it was a different sort of note. And I broke down in tears, one hand firmly grasping onto her sticky knots of fur. I experienced all kinds of emotions, but very little foresight.

“Probably wasn’t a good sight for all the passing vehicles. But inside of that moment of mental-blankness, I decided. She was going to get into my car, and off the road.

“Not because I knew what I was doing, or where to go, but because right then I knew I didn’t need to have all the answers before I took a step forward.

“And so, I brought her home. Fed and bathed her, dried her off and put her to bed.

“She’s downstairs now in a cosy bed I made under a couch where she seems most comfortable, and I’m up here in my bed, about to feed her bread, honey and chunks of chewies.”

Unfortunately, a dog that Lionel had previously adopted called Sammo doesn’t get along with Siggy.

However, thankfully he’s already found another solution, as Lionel’s brother plans to keep Siggy once Malaysia’s imposed Movement Control Order due to coronavirus is lifted.

In the meantime, Lionel and Siggy are staying in temporary accommodation to keep the bickering pets away from each other.

Urging anyone considering a pet to make sure they can commit to it for the long haul, Lionel said: “People should not bring home pets unless they’re ready for the commitment that it involves, and if ever they need to part with the pet, abandonment should never be even considered an option.

“An animal is an animal regardless of its make or ‘breed’ and they’re all equally capable of being loved and loving in return.

“Do not get a pet unless you can be sure your commitment-related decisions are not governed by mood swings or other forms of inconsistency.

“If you have committed to your best ability but for some reason, you have reached a point where you can’t anymore (it happens and we can’t predict these circumstances), please do not abandon, leave, disown or free your pets onto the streets.

“Reach out and ask for help, and speak up if you’re desperate, use the internet if you can, call a friend maybe.

“This little girl [Siggy] found me, and thank God for that. I still shudder to think of others out there just like her, purebred or not, with or without a ‘note’.”