Three cocker spaniel puppies found abandoned in an alleyway in Edgware, London have been rescued by the RSPCA.
The eight week-old trio were discovered dumped in a rusty cage on Friday 25 November, as the charity revealed a shocking 25% rise in incidents of pet abandonments dealt with by its frontline officers this year as it launched its ‘Join The Christmas Rescue’ campaign.
RSPCA animal rescue officer, Holly Walker, said: “These helpless little puppies had been cruelly dumped in an old cage with no food or water.
“The two little boys and one girl are only about eight weeks old, still too young to look after themselves. I immediately took them to our Finsbury Park Animal Hospital, where they are being treated for mange, an unpleasant and uncomfortable skin condition which results in bald patches.
“Thankfully, the puppies seem to be quite happy and settled, and once their mange has cleared up, they will be cared for at a boarding establishment before being found forever homes”
Holly added: “Sadly, we’re starting to see the results of rising costs on pet owners. More animals are coming into our care, more animals are being abandoned, and fewer animals are being rehomed.
“This is why we have launched our Christmas appeal to help raise funds so we can keep rescuing and rehoming pets in need like these pups – and we are urging the public to support us.
“Maybe this was an unplanned litter and the owners panicked when faced with the prospect of feeding and caring for three tiny lives. However, it’s completely irresponsible to abandon these vulnerable puppies like this and we’d like to hear from anyone who knows where they might have come from. Anyone with information should call our appeal line on 0300 123 8018.”
The RSPCA is pleading with people not to abandon their pets as the charity launches a Christmas campaign in response to rising concerns about neglect and abandonment. The animal welfare charity has seen a shocking 25% rise in the number of abandonment incidents being dealt with by its rescue teams this year, with a 13% rise in neglect incidents being dealt with by teams.
The RSPCA is working hard to keep much-loved pets in loving homes this Christmas by providing support to those struggling and urging animal lovers who are in a position to help to support the appeal by donating during this crisis.
Dermot Murphy, who heads the RSPCA frontline rescue teams, said: “We’re extremely sympathetic to anyone struggling with rising costs at this difficult time but we’re begging people not to dump their pets. It is never the answer. Please, please ask for help.
“We’ve sadly seen a shocking rise in the number of incidents of animal abandonment and neglect our rescuers are dealing with. My fear is that we’ll see increasing cases of animals neglected and abandoned this Christmas as families struggle with soaring bills. We are doing what we can to help, especially trying to keep pets in loving homes, but we are struggling too. Our branches and centres are full to bursting and we have hundreds of pets waiting to get in. We really need animal lovers to help us get through this crisis time.
“As costs continue to rise, the impact on animals will grow. Our new, landmark Animal Kindness Index highlights the stark challenges ahead – 78% of owners admitted that they were worried the cost of living crisis would impact their pets, with 19% of pet owners worried about feeding their pets, and 28% worried about being able to care for their pets, amid these unprecedented pressures.”
It’s thought a decline in puppy sales has also caused unscrupulous breeders to dump dogs which no one wants to buy. Heartbreakingly, some of them have not survived or have sadly died shortly after arriving in RSPCA care. The charity has seen a tidal wave of animal abandonments. In recent weeks alone, the charity’s teams have rescued three eight-week-old puppies, including one who sadly died, dumped in a food waste bin in Kent, four puppies dumped in a garden in Warrington, a puppy in a carrier bag in West Yorkshire, five puppies with their umbilical cords still attached abandoned in a box in London, two cats who’d been abandoned after giving birth to kittens in the West Midlands, and nine rabbits dumped in a wheelie bin in Nottinghamshire.
The RSPCA urges anyone struggling to take care of their pet never to abandon them but to ask for help. The charity has also launched a Cost of Living Hub online with tips and advice for anyone who might be finding times hard.
If you believe that animals deserve love and care during this Christmas period, please take action now. Together, we can rescue suffering animals and give them the chance of a better future.
To Join the Winter Rescue and help our rescuers be there for the animals in need, please visit our web page here
