The following article references physical and emotional abuse.
Emmerdale spoilers follow.
Emmerdale has reassured fans over Piper the dog following Tom King's "distressing" abuse.
In scenes airing on the ITV soap last night (May 27), Tom's coercive control over wife Belle Dingle escalated when he came up with the disturbing plan to poison their pet dog Piper in a bid to get Belle, who would be distraught, released from the mental health crisis assessment centre.
The soap's official X account was quick to address the storyline, writing: "These scenes can be distressing to watch, but we want to remind you that Minnie (AKA Piper) is a very good actor and is always living her best life on set!
"We can confirm that no harm has come to her whatsoever."
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Last week, Tom began tampering with Belle's medication to make her think that she was forgetting to take it, resulting in Belle making the decision to admit herself to the crisis centre.
Meanwhile, earlier in the week, Tom manipulated Belle's family into believing that she has been the one abusing him after their violent showdown in the village.
Tom and Belle's dark storyline has been ongoing since the start of the year, with the soap confirming it would cover numerous ways abusive partners can victimise their spouses, including through coercive control, physical violence, emotional abuse and technology-facilitated abuse.
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"When we first heard from the producers the way the Tom and Belle relationship story was going to go, we were fully aware of the responsibility that would bring," Eden Taylor-Draper, who plays Belle, said at the time.
"But it is an important story to tell. Soaps offer the viewer a glimpse of life behind closed doors and reveal what people present to the world isn't always a truth.
"The sad reality is that behaviour like this in a relationship is all too prevalent. I hope we do this story justice. And if people are in a situation like this they should definitely get help."
Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 7.30pm on ITV1, and streams on ITVX.
Read more Emmerdale spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk), New Beginnings Peer Support (www.newbeginningspeersupport.com) and Women's Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotlineis 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
