Over the last few weeks, staff at Dogs Trust Merseyside have been kept busy caring for a mum and her 12 puppies who were found abandoned in a property in Liverpool.
Two-year-old American Bulldog, Tara, and her 12 puppies were found alone by the property’s landlord after the tenant moved out. After being taken to a local vet by the landlord, they were brought to Dogs Trust by the local dog warden. The staff at the charity’s Merseyside Rehoming Centre sprang into action to take care of the mum and her litter of six boys and six girls.
Despite their worrying ordeal, the dogs are thriving after receiving lots of love and attention by the Dogs Trust team. Thanks to this care, the 12 puppies have all been reserved and will soon be on their way to their forever homes.
Georgina Lowery, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Merseyside, said: “Tara and her pups are real troopers as they have had such a tough start in life but have been doing so well in kennels. It’s always heart-breaking to see a mum and her young pups come to us like this, but when we hear the pitter and patter of tiny paws, we’re on hand to give them the TLC they deserve.
“It’s so unusual to have such a large litter come through and they’ve absolutely melted our hearts. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to these little bundles of joy, but we’ll be safe in the knowledge that new owners will help them grow into large loveable dogs”.
Sadly, mum of the pups, Tara has had her ears cropped. Ear cropping is illegal in the UK and Dogs Trust do not believe ear cropping is acceptable. The Government is currently consulting on their proposals to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears, plans which Dogs Trust support. The charity is urging the Government to go further and ban the sale of dogs in the UK which have undergone these procedures.
Georgina added: “Tara is a great mum and is doing really well. She’s currently getting some TLC from centre staff and we are hopeful she too will soon be ready to find a forever home where she can get the love she deserves”.
Dogs Trust encourages anyone who is unable to care for their dog to come forward and talk to them. Last year the charity received 50,000 enquiries from owners struggling to care for their dogs. The Dogs Trust team can provide help and support for struggling owners, and in cases where owners do need to rehome their dogs, they can do this in a way that ensures the dog’s needs are met.
If you would like to find out more about rehoming any of the dogs at Dogs Trust Merseyside, please go to www.dogstrust.org.uk
