A pet dog dumped in a suitcase and gagged with a cloth was rescued by horrified passers by when they saw the case moving.

The black dog – identifeid as 10-year-old Zaira in local media – had been left by its owner in a wheelie case under a lamppost in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Shocking street cam footage shows the owner wheeling the case through the streets and then leaving the dog to die without a backwards glance.

Locals believe the callous owner had left it for the local refuse collection truck to pick up.

Passersby reportedly realised there was something inside the suitcase after they saw it moving on 11th October.

They then rushed to open the bag and found the exhausted animal trying to break out with its last burst of strength.

After reporting the case to the police, they immediately gave the dehydrated and starved dog some food and water.

One of the locals named Geovana Nascimento told local media: “That day, the garbage man took a long time to come by. That’s why it was possible to rescue her.”

Another local Danielle Paiva added: “Zaira was gagged with a handkerchief and wrapped in a cloth full of feces. They left the pet to die.”

Veterinarian Renan Souto Terra who checked Zaira’s condition said: “The blood test has changes, but nothing alarming. We took an x-ray and waited for the report.”

Meanwhile the Civil Police opened an investigation and obtained surveillance videos to identify the former owner.

CCTV footage shared on social media sites showed an unknown man strolling the suitcase down the road before he left and disappeared from the cameras’ sight.

If found guilty, the man faces up to five years in prison.

The investigation continues.