Viewers were left feeling distraught in the final moments of last night's episode of BBC drama A Very English Scandal - after they witnessed the murder of a dog.

The political drama retells the remarkable story of how Liberal MP Jeremy Thorpe (Hugh Grant) tried to kill his former lover Norman Scott, played by Ben Whishaw in a bungled attempt that ended Thorpe's political career.

The second installment of the three-parter for BBC One saw Scott assume he was in safe company with Andrew Newman, played by Blake Harrison - but Newman was actually a hitman out to kill Scott on the orders of Thorpe.

The scene showed the pair pulling over in the rain to switch over seats, with Norman's canine companion Rinka swiftly jumping out behind him - and getting in the way as Newman's trigger is pulled.

The gunshot rang out and Norman's hand was seen covered in the dog's blood, leaving viewers 'distraught'.

Ben Whishaw's character Norman Scott wept over the dead dog's lifeless body in the final moments of the second episode of A Very English Scandal, which retells how former Lib Dem leader Jeremy Thorpe tried to have his one-time gay lover Scott killed

A hitman, played by Blake Harrison, was tasked with killing Norman Scott but he shot the dog instead in the bungled murder attempt...much to viewers' horror

Phew! The dog was revealed to be 'very much alive' by it's real-life owner as she reassured viewers by posting a picture on Twitter of the beautiful pooch

Viewers watching the drama unfold at home were outraged that the dog was killed and saying it 'destroyed' them

Such was the outpouring of worry for the dog, that the real owner of Rinka took to Twitter to reveal her pet was ‘very much alive and living the life of luxury'.

One viewer said: 'He shot the dog! Outrage! Bring back hanging for crimes against canine abuse!'

Another cried: 'Not the dog! NOT THE DOG!!!'

'A Very English Scandal is so good but am so distraught about the dog,' a third added.

The owner, a woman named Amelia who described herself as a 'part-time working mum and student', took to her own Twitter page to calm those worrying about the pooch.

'Everyone is worrying over the dog who got shot and she's very much alive and living the life of luxury in my parents house,' she revealed.

Relieved others began to tweet #JusticeforRinka, and said the dog deserved an award for best supporting actor.

Hugh Grant (left) has been widely praised for his portrayal of Liberal Democrats leader Jeremy Thorpe in the three-part drama for BBC One. The show details Thorpe's attempts to kill his ex lover Norman Scott after Scott threatened his political ambitions

As the gunshot rang out Norman realised that he was meant to be the target and made a run for his life

When the hitman drove away Norman returned to the scene of the murder and wept over the dog in the rain

Viewers couldn't cope with the distress and made claims that the dog should be given an award for its acting skills

At the end of the first episode of the BBC drama, which retells the true account of Britain’s most notorious failed murder plot, the Liberal Party MP Jeremy Thorpe decided his ex-lover Norman had to die.

Newman was enlisted as the hitman but it ultimately turned into a farce as he couldn't locate his mark.

When he eventually cornered Norman he shot the dog first giving him chance to run for his life in the botched murder attempt.

Newman drove off in a panic as Norman returned to weep over his dead canine companion screaming out to a driver passing by that it was Jeremy Thorpe who had tried to kill him.

Norman was seen with the dog Rinka, it has been reported in the past that it was his dog but was in fact owned by someone else

The final episode of A Very English Scandal airs next Sunday on BBC One at 9pm