An exhausted stray dog that was stuck in a dirty pond for half a day was rescued by locals in Thailand.

The pooch was heard crying by a resident who called a rescue team to help retrieve it in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on February 5.

Footage shows the black canine looking weak as it lay on its side amid thick water lilies.

The dog cried loudly when volunteers tried to pull it off the roots of the plants and became even more scared when they touched its body.

The Good Samaritan who first discovered the dog said: 'I live around here and had been hearing a dog crying for a while since morning.

'I did not know where exactly it was coming from, so I searched. I found the dog looking weak, but it would cry whenever I came near to help, so I had to call the rescuers.'

The team untangled the pooch's limbs and body from the thick roots of the water plants.

It was then carried to their truck and taken to an animal clinic.

Phimai Municipality Council Vice President Chaiwat Sukhadecha said: 'The dog was lucky to be found in time, otherwise it could have starved to death. We already sent it to an animal clinic for treatment.'

Stray animals are a widespread issue in Thailand, with up to four million dogs living on the streets due to abandonment, overpopulation, and inadequate pet ownership regulations.