The RSPCA is appealing for information after the charity released heartbreaking images of a young dog abandoned in a faeces-strewn crate at a block of flats in Lancashire.
Council workmen discovered the frightened crossbreed on the second floor of the property at Eversley in Skelmersdale last Wednesday (25 September).
She weighed just 8kg (17.6 pounds) and it’s thought she’d never worn a collar or been on a walk and the vet who treated her said it was clear she had never felt grass under her feet before.
Concerned by her very poor condition, the workmen immediately took the dog to Potter House Vets in Up Holland where she was treated by the team there. A scan revealed she was microchipped but the details had not been kept up-to-date, and the RSPCA is appealing to anyone who recognises her to get in touch.
Believed to be around a year old, she was emaciated and riddled with fleas which had caused her hair to thin and fall out in several areas. She has since doubled in weight and is making good progress in a foster home and been called Nova.
Elliot Kirwan, Director and veterinary surgeon at Potter House Vets, said: “The whole team has been affected by this horrendous and completely preventable situation.
“Nova still has a long way to go but she’s heading in the right direction. She’s very cautious on a walk and has clearly never had a collar or lead put on. She’s also never seen rain before or felt grass under her feet. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see her in this condition, but amazing how she still has this level of trust and love for humans after the way she’s been treated by them.
“She’s a little sofa princess who absolutely adores people and is now being spoilt rotten.”
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer David Hatton, who is investigating the incident, said: “Nova had been callously left in a filthy crate, surrounded by faeces and dirty bedding. It would appear whoever she belonged to had decided to simply wash their hands of her.
“Understandably she was scared and bewildered by what was happening and we’d sincerely like to thank the workers for promptly taking her for veterinary treatment so she could get the help she needed as quickly as possible.
“Like me, the team at Potter House Vets – who have done a wonderful job looking after her – were incredibly upset to see a dog who doesn’t appear to have received even the most basic level of care.
“It’s simply unacceptable to abandon an animal in a condition like this, leaving others to pick up the pieces, and we’d appeal to anyone who saw what happened or recognises Nova to contact the RSPCA.”
The charity has been making enquiries locally over the past week. People living in the block of flats have said they don’t recognise the dog or know who she belongs to, and there is no CCTV at the property.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line, in complete confidence, on 0300 123 8018, quoting reference number 01359788.
The charity received 20,999 calls about abandoned animals last year, more than in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Dogs were dumped most often, with 14,172 reported incidents.
