Skinny Dog Dumped Close to Death; Kittens Discarded in bin; Tarantulas Left in box - Among Reports to RSPCA This Winter
The charity is highlighting some of the cases it dealt with such as Peanut (pictured now and before) after newly released figures reveal for the first month of this year 1,972 abandonment incidents were reported to the RSPCA - compared to 1,471 incidents in the first month of 2024, a rise of more than 34%. Similarly, December 2024 saw 1,802 incidents of abandonment - again a rise; more than 17% higher than 1,540 incidents that month the previous year.
RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Briggs, said: 'Our rescuers have been busy dealing with all types of neglected and abandoned pets this winter in horrific states of neglect and many are lucky to have survived but thanks to the public reporting incidents to us we have been able to help.
'These include an injured stabbed dog left tied up, Peanut the emaciated dog so thin he was hours away from death, kittens dumped in bins, tarantulas abandoned in a box, rabbits left in freezing temperatures and a neglected pony left to fend for itself.
'We believe due to the cost of living crisis and the high cost of winter, such as Christmas expenditure and utility bills, more pets have been abandoned - sadly they are often left with no food or water, no-one to care for them and no idea if anyone will come to help.
'Thanks to the public supporting us we are able to rescue many animals, rehabilitate them and find them new homes - but to continue this life-saving work we need people to Join The Winter Rescue. '
The dog, named by rescuers as Peanut, was found dumped down a country lane in Biggleswade on New Year's Day and was rescued by a passerby who took her to a vet.
The poor dog, aged about three, also had multiple pressure sores on her legs - indicative of laying on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
She was lifeless when she was taken into the care of the RSPCA Block Fen Centre in Cambridgeshire but every day is making small steps on her road to recovery
Tiffany Saunders, Kennel Supervisor, said: 'Peanut is still very underweight and has a long way to go but we are pleased with her progress so far and it's lovely to see her sweet personality shining through..'
It is believed the bunnies may have been unwanted Christmas presents and someone had dumped the small cage outside Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home, in Harpurhey, after it had closed for the night.
Luckily a member of staff who lives on site spotted the cage and discovered that it contained two rabbits. There was no cover to protect them from the torrential rain and they were exposed to freezing temperatures due to plunge to -3°C (26.6°F) overnight which they are unlikely to have survived.
The RSPCA took the bunnies to the RSPCA's Manchester and Salford Branch. Sadly a vet examination found the black rabbit had a broken leg in the past which hadn't healed properly as she wasn't given vet treatment at the time so it was decided that the kindest option would be to euthanise her. The remaining white male rabbit will be available for adoption soon.
The terrified pup, who is believed to have been deliberately abandoned near the Rochdale Canal, is now receiving urgent veterinary care at the RSPCA's Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.
The young Cane Corso was suffering from a severe skin condition which was affecting her face and front legs and had caused significant hair loss and scabs from her scratching.
A member of the public found her on the canal path near Chadderton Hall Park on 17 January and she was taken to Manchester and Cheshire Dogs Home, where the team named her Pearla. The puppy, who is believed to be around 14 to 16 weeks old, is now receiving ongoing veterinary care.
RSPCA Inspector Jess Pierce, who is trying to trace the person responsible, said: 'She was in a dreadful state from an untreated skin condition. It was so upsetting to see her suffering like this and left alone when she needed help.'
The terrier-type, named Rocco by rescuers, was left abandoned in Cranbrook Road in Frittenden, Kent, by his owner who had moved away and left him behind with no food and water and little shelter. It is believed he had been left alone a number of days and at that time temperatures were below freezing.
As an RSPCA went to rescue him he was greeted by the friendly dog wagging his tail in relief as this video shows. Rocco was underweight but is now in the care of the RSPCA and once he is ready will be rehomed.
The four female dogs were found shivering and scared tied to a gate in the middle of a quarry off Barley Green Lane in Alrewas by a passing cyclist on Wednesday (15 January) who reported the matter to the RSPCA.
Inspector Graeme Brookes said: 'It was heartbreaking to see the condition of these dogs. One of them was so terrified that she couldn't walk on a lead. I had to carry her to my van, and while she was in my arms, she locked eyes with me and wouldn't look away. When we arrived at the vet, she wouldn't leave me.'
Once they have recovered from their ordeal they will be rehomed.
Staff at RSPCA Woodside in Leicester are now caring for the 11 kittens - and they couldn't believe that so many had been jammed into such a small carrier.
The kittens were found on Wednesday 15 January in Western Park and were taken to the animal centre. Six boys and five girls had been crammed on top of each other and were nose to tail inside.
Each kitten was then given a health check by the vet and their ages were assessed - it is thought there were at least two litters and their ages ranged from nine to 16 weeks.
The frightened young felines were found when a householder heard meowing coming from a bin in Chelmsford Street, Darlington, and lifted the lid to find the pets in a cat carrier on January 11.
The female tabby and a black male with white markings - thought to be around five to six months old - were taken for veterinary care by the finder. Now named Brooke and Sydney, they are being cared for at a private boarding facility on behalf of the RSPCA and will be rehomed soon.
The spiders were left inside rubbish sacks on a grass verge outside the Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare in Lewes before Christmas.
Initially, ten spiders contained in plastic boxes were found, but one tarantula died later. The others were transported to RSPCA Sussex North and Brighton Branch's reptile facility on December 10 to receive specialist care.
They recovered from their ordeal and all of the spiders have been rehomed with owners who were able to demonstrate expertise, as well as possessing suitable accommodation to meet the specialist needs of the invertebrates. The person responsible for the abandonment has so far not been traced.
The dog, who has been named Comet by rescuers, was found by a member of the public tied to a lamppost in The Lunt, Bilston, Wolverhampton on December 9.
Kind members of the public helped him and he was rushed for urgent veterinary treatment and was treated for three possible stab wounds at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Bal Dhamia, who is investigating for the animal welfare charity, said: 'It's heartbreaking to see a dog abandoned and I could see he was exhausted, still bleeding and in pain when I went to help him.' Despite his ordeal he has shown remarkable resilience and is now in the Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home and is looking for a new home - his profile can be found here.
The pony was so ill he was found leaning against a gate on land near to West Newton Farm, West Newton, near Bridgwater, on January 15 at around 12.50pm. He was underweight with diarrhoea and lice.The RSPCA fears the pony was discarded by his owner due to his health. He is now in care receiving the veterinary care he needs.
The black dog who is named Kailo was taken to a vet at around 11am on Sunday, January 12 after he was found by a member of the public rummaging through bins but is now doing well in RSPCA care
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Bal Dhamia, who is investigating, said: 'It's so sad to think that Kailo has been in this terrible state and outside in this really cold winter weather. He's a lovely dog who has clearly been trained at some point as he's really intelligent.'
To help the RSPCA rescue more animals like the ones highlighted please visit rspca.org.uk/winterappeal
Photographs can be downloaded from this link
A video of Peanut is available here https://rspca.quatrix.it/download/bb7a5438-890a-4733-a23b-969a1bb82959
• The RSPCA has launched a dedicated cost of living hub to signpost the help out there for owners and the charity also has more than 200 Pet Food Bank Partnerships across the country to support people.
• If you find a small pet who has been abandoned, please take them directly to a local vet or rescue centre who can then call in the expertise of our teams if there's evidence that the animal has been neglected or abused. There's more information on how to safely handle and transport an animal on our website. If you find a dog please contact your local authority's stray dog service.
Cheryl Hague
RSPCA
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