A dog was kept locked up in a small cage for two years without exercise by police, it has been reported.

Stella, a pit bull-type dog, was kept in a 1m by 3m cage by Devon and Cornwall Police, the BBC reported.

She was seized after her owner was arrested on an unrelated matter in 2014 and was considered potentially dangerous by police.

A worker at the private kennel used by the force said police instructed staff not to exercise dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

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Laura Khanlarian told the BBC that Stella left her kennel just twice during her stay so her behaviour could be assessed.

“We were always told not to exercise or go into a kennel with any dogs, regardless of character, that had been brought in under the Dangerous Dogs Act,” she said.

“We were under no circumstances allowed to touch any of those dogs at all under any circumstances - which was hard.

“Animal welfare comes before anything, and that was my job. I don’t believe I would be doing it properly if I would sit back and think that’s ok. It wasn’t ok - it’s not ok.”

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The dog’s owner, Antony Hastie, attended court 11 times about her future. Earlier this month, it was ruled the dog should be destroyed.

Sgt Allan Knight, from the Devon and Cornwall Police dog handling unit, told the BBC: “There will always be some dogs, for whatever reason, that cannot go back, and cannot get walked by staff because of the danger they possess.”

(Pictures: SWNS))