The RSPCA is appealing for information after a dying emaciated puppy was found abandoned in a layby near some woodland in Essex.
The french bulldog pup, who was thought to be only eight weeks old, was found by a member of the public in a box in a small layby along Bounstead Road, next to Friday Woods in Colchester on Sunday March 12.
The member of the public said the pup was in a box with a blanket which was covered in faeces – they then rushed him to a nearby vet.
On examination it was found the poor pup’s eyeball was ruptured and he was emaciated. He was weak, cold and in shock, and despite everyone’s best efforts the sad decision was made by the vet to put him to sleep as nothing more could be done to save him.
The vets reported the incident to the RSPCA and Inspector Caroline Richardson is investigating.
She said: “This a truly heartbreaking incident and it’s so upsetting to think that this poor pup was so poorly yet whoever had him then decided to abandon him all alone.
“He would have been terrified and I’m just so upset that he was treated this way, I am just grateful that in his last few hours he was shown love and kindness.
“This is a busy area with dog walkers and families using the woods, so I am hopeful someone may have seen something, or may know of a breeder who suddenly no longer had one of their pups.
“We are appealing for anyone who has information to contact us in complete confidence on 0300 123 8018 so we can look into what happened. The incident number is 01040391.”
The RSPCA has seen a shocking increase in the number of puppies and breeding bitches being abandoned with a rise to 711 in 2022 from 411 in 2021. It’s thought a decline in puppy sales has caused unscrupulous breeders to dump dogs which no one wants to buy. Some of them have not survived or have sadly died shortly after arriving in RSPCA care.
To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit: www.rspca.org.uk/give.
