A woman is raising money for an exemption certificate after an abandoned XL Bully was found tied to a tree.

The distressed young dog was found by locals in Ascot on January Saturday 27. He is said to have been malnourished and covered in cuts and bruises.

After a foster carer named Justine took him in, she called the police to confirm if he was an XL Bully.

The authorities confirmed that the dog was indeed an XL Bully and reminded her that it is now illegal to rehome this breed.

Justine, who set up a GoFundMe page for the young dog, said that she is raising £3,000 to fund a variety of his needs. The fundraiser has already gathered over £2,000 in just two days.

She said: “I am raising money to have him microchipped, checked over by my vets, neutered, an exemption certificate paid for (laws come in February 1) and also training to work with his dog reactivity.

“Any extra will go towards food (he’s very underweight), any further medication required, and proper fitting muzzles for his face.

“Due to the time constraints on getting an exemption certificate, I am hoping to raise funds swiftly to get things underway.”