A spokesperson for former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has rejected claims she has been telling tall tails about a lost dog in Dublin.

The Fine Gael European election candidate for Dublin is having a ruff time of it online over a tweet she sent while out on the campaign trail in Ranelagh on Saturday.

Deputy Fitzgerald tweeted a picture of a small dog with the caption: “Found this little guy at the Triangle in Ranelagh.”

She said she rang the number on his collar only to find that the owner was none other than former Tánaiste – and current Senator – Michael McDowell.

No you didn’t find him. I did. And you commandeered him for a photo op when I asked to borrow your colleagues phone to call his owner.

— Kelly Mackenzie (@kellyellen) May 4, 2019

Shortly after however, Twitter user @KellyEllen accused her of taking liberties with the truth.

“No you didn’t find him,” she wrote. “I did.”

“And you commandeered him for a photo op when I asked to borrow your colleague’s phone to call his owner.”

This morning, a spokesperson for Deputy Fitzgerald insisted her team did return the dog to Senator McDowell.

She said a member of the public left the dog with them after asking them if they had a phone to call the owner.

She said Deputy Fitzgerald was as surprised as anyone when that owner turned out to be Senator McDowell - adding that the former Tánaiste is just happy that the dog is safe and well at home.