A probe has been launched after the body of a dog was found by workers clearing an attic.
The grim discovery was made at a council bungalow in Hatton.
A tenant who recently moved out after several months said she had noticed a “funky” smell but thought it was just dirty carpets.
Amie Grace said she had never accessed the roofspace as she had no ladder – saying previous occupants must have left the animal there.
Now the Scottish SPCA has been brought in to deal with the incident.
A spokeswoman from the animal welfare charity confirmed inspectors were called to the Hatton Farm Gardens home just before 4pm on Tuesday.
They are now awaiting post mortem results.
One neighbour said the remains were of a Staffordshire bull terrier but the charity said it could not confirm the breed.
Miss Grace had been living in the bungalow since the summer and moved out on November 9.
The heavily pregnant 22-year-old said: “I didn’t know anything about this until I saw a status posted on Facebook.
“Apparently there was a dog found in the loft of my old house.
“A council worker came up to the house and asked my ex-neighbours if they knew who the tenant was as they found the dog.
“I’m nine months pregnant just now as well.”
Miss Grace said there had been a strange odour near the loft hatch of the small bungalow.
She said: “There was a funky smell in the house but I just thought it was the carpets so I cleaned them.
“When I opened the coat cupboard there was always a smell as the loft door was in there.
“I never had to access to ladders so I never went up to the loft.
The neighbour, who wished not to be named, said: “The council were in to clear the house and found the dog in the loft.
“It was a big Staffy of tan colour and from what I have heard it was a good dog.”
Scottish SPCA Inspector Fiona Shand said: “We were alerted to an incident at a property in Hatton on Tuesday and our investigations are on-going.
“Anyone concerned about the welfare of an animal should contact our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
Aberdeenshire Council said no incident was reported to their dog warden services.
