Roxy was ‘painfully skinny’ sparking an RSPCA investigation
The RSPCA is appealing for information to track down the owners of a ‘painfully skinny’ dog found curled up on a driveway behind a bush in Essex.
Three-year-old Dogue de Bordeaux cross Roxy was found huddled by a bush on a driveway in Boxted, Essex, on Sunday morning (21 April) by kind local resident, Emma Fowler.
RSPCA inspector Nicky Thorne, who has now launched an investigation, said: “Emma was incredibly concerned about Roxy as she was cowering behind a bush and seemed very frightened. It looked as though she’d given up.
“Emma approached her but she growled so she got some neighbours to help and they took her some treats. As soon as she’d munched on a few biscuits, Roxy decided Emma was her best friend!”
Emma took Roxy to a local veterinary surgery and vets there alerted the RSPCA as she was so emaciated they were concerned she’d been neglected for some time.
Emma said: “I was shocked to see Roxy curled up on our drive but I’m glad she found a sunny spot on our drive to await rescue, and I’m very grateful to the vets for taking her in on a Sunday.
“She looked starving and shockingly thin but she was so sweet once she realised we were friends and we were there to help her. She was grateful for the attention and it was such a relief to get her to safety.”
She weighed 29kg (64lb), when a healthy female Dogue de Bordeaux should weigh up to 25kg (55lb) more than that.
Nicky added: “Roxy is painfully skinny; you can see all of her bones and every single rib. She’s just skin and bone.
“It’s clearly taken a significant amount of time for her to get into this state so I suspect she’s been seriously neglected.
“Thankfully Roxy has now been reminded what love is and so many people have come together to help her – from Emma and her neighbours who got her the vet treatment she desperately needed, to the vets who treated her and kept her safe. It’s only by working together that we can create a world that’s kinder for every kind, including for dogs like Roxy.”
Three-year-old Roxy was microchipped to a property in Halstead, Essex, and Nicky has been following up with her previous owners who say she was rehomed in September 2023.
“The people Roxy was chipped to said she’d had to rehome her last year and she’d been taken on by a man called Rob,” Nicky said.
“I’d like to hear from anyone who might recognise Roxy from the local areas of Halstead and Boxted, or anyone who knows someone who previously owned a dog that looks like Roxy.
“She’s such a sweet and friendly dog, we’ve all completely fallen in love with her, and I want to get some answers about what’s happened to her.”
Anyone with any information can call the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
