This is the harrowing moment a stray mutt was found with its throat cut by black magic occultists who wanted the 'blood of a black dog'.

The hapless pooch was found with a deep wound on its neck while wandering around the streets in Chonburi, eastern Thailand on Tuesday (14/01) afternoon.

Locals believe it had been caught by local occultists who dragged the dog to a bizarre ritual where they abused it.

Thailand's underground 'Mon Dam' practice holds a belief that people plagued by bad luck will be cured if they drain a black dog of its blood by slitting its throat. The blood then appeases the spirits troubling them.

While the practice is illegal, superstitious locals still perform the rituals and seek out witch doctors when all other means of improving their lives seem to sail.

Fortunately, the dog, which locals have nicknamed Oleang, survived the ordeal.

Resident Yutthana Chanluewat, 51, noticed the dog, which often walked around the grounds of his fishing club.

He was shocked to see the well-liked pooch's throat had been slit. Oleang also appeared to be more fearful than the previous week, cowering under a car instead of bounding over to locals.

Yutthana said he and other locals believed it was done by a cult who want the dog's blood for a ritual.

He said: "The dog is always here at the fishing club. We call him Oleang and take care of him. We take turns to feed him but when I came on Tuesday I did not see him. There were stains on the ground where he sleeps which I thought could be paint.

"When he was called to eat his food he slowly came out. That's when I noticed his throat and realised it was blood on the ground, so I started to worry.

"I think it was a ruthless thing to do to a dog and since he is a friendly dog, I believe he was slit by a cult who wanted a black dog's blood for a sacrifice.

"Initially, we gave him first aid and then contacted the authorities and ask them to take Oleang to the vet and try to find the people who did it.''