THEIR message is clear: mistreat a dog in this state and you will be hunted down like a... well, you can guess the rest.

A story published during the week by The Courier-Mail about a dog abandoned by the side of a road on the Sunshine Coast, which is then killed moments later by a passing car, has stirred an online outpouring of grief.

But more than that, it has spurred the online community to attempt to make someone accountable for their callous action.

More than 6000 readers have 'recommended' the story on Facebook, seeking to spread the word in an effort to identify and hold to account the person responsible for the dog's cruel treatment.

Published on October 6, reporter Jane Fynes-Clinton's piece Death of an Abandoned Dog opens with: "TO THE driver of the sedan: I thought you might be interested to know the outcome of your actions at 7pm last Sunday...."

Her story details how she and her family, while driving home one night, saw another driver dump a dog by the road. On doubling back to help rescue the discarded, distressed pet, they witnessed it running out into traffic and being hit by an unsuspecting young motorist.

"I witnessed the five minutes he lived after you drove away. I saw him running, scared. I arrived as he lay dying on the roadside and I was with him, patting him, as he died," Fynes-Clinton wrote.

"That he did not die alone is small consolation. At the end, at least he knew the love of a caring human's touch."

Grab a box of tissues and read the full, heart-wrenching story here.

The reaction from readers has been angry, tearful and, in a clear sense, purposeful. They won't tolerate this in their community.

PW posted: "I am in tears reading this. The thoughts that were running through his mind in his last moments are just heart breaking. How anyone could just dump a pet is beyond me. Thank you for being there for him and showing him that us 'humans' are not all bad."

Lauren of Brisbane said: "I'm sharing this through facebook (and so are a lot of my friends)... Hopefully we can find the guy that did this :( My heart goes out to your and your family (and the other driver involved)... I can't imagine what you must be going through!!! What is wrong with people these days?"

Pete of Brisbane posted: "Good on you for writing this and good on the Courier Mail for printing it. It was a tragic end for the poor thing. I can only hope that the person responsible for dumping this dog reads this. Karma will catch up to such a heartless person. It is beyond inexcusable."

Donna Condon of Brisbane said: "For evil to triumph requires nothing more than good people to do nothing. Let's repost this again & again, to educate everyone about the consequences of thoughtless, stupid, selfish actions."

So what next? Can the person be found? Do you know who they are? Could this case prove more than just another sorry tale of neglect?

Can The Courier-Mail's online readership stop this sort of thing from happening again?

Originally published as Web closing on dead dog's cruel owner