Do you know this dog? RSPCA appeal after starving pocket bully with cropped ears found wandering

An emaciated pocket bully with what might be illegally cropped ears has been found wandering in Lancashire, with rescuers fearing she may have been abandoned .

The young brown-coloured dog, who has been named Moana, was seen straying by a member of the public in Preston's Moor Nook last Thursday (22 February). Concerned about her very poor condition, she was taken to the RSPCA's closest centre in Ribbleton, where she is currently being cared for by staff.

Moana, whose ribs were clearly visible, weighed just 16.8 kg, and was given a body condition score of two out of nine by the vet who examined her. She had bite marks around her rear end and grazes on the base of her tail and thigh. Her ears had also been cropped, a painful procedure illegal in England and Wales, which can cause long-term harm.

She wasn’t microchipped, so the RSPCA has been unable to trace her owner, although enquiries are ongoing. The animal welfare charity is calling for anyone who recognises the dog, or has any information about where she might have come from, to get in touch.

“Moana was in a very vulnerable condition when she was brought into us, she was clearly malnourished and very hungry, it was an upsetting sight," centre manager Ashleigh Kay said. “We’re following a careful feeding plan for her and introducing it in small amounts, several times a day. She’s making good progress and getting lots of fuss and attention from all the staff here who think she’s an absolute sweetheart."

RSPCA Inspector Susie Michallef added: “We’re appealing for anyone who recognises Moana to come forward. We can’t say with certainty what’s happened, but her welfare has clearly been compromised - particularly given she had cropped ears, which is an illegal process here - and we think the most likely scenario is that she’s been deliberately abandoned."

Her progress was being closely monitored, she said. "We’re hopeful she will go on to make a full recovery over the coming weeks and we’ll then be looking for a loving new home for her."

Anyone who can help the RSPCA’s investigation can contact the inspectorate appeal line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018 quoting incident number 01228034. Those who would like to donate to Moana’s care can do so via the Preston & District branch’s website.

The animal welfare charity has also recently appealed for information about the suspicious death of another female pocket bully with cropped ears, who was found dead in the Manchester Ship Canal last month. The dog’s badly bloated body was retrieved from the water at Colgate Lane in Salford on 30 January by one of the charity’s officers after she’d been sighted by several members of the public.  

Moana's apparent abandonment comes as the RSPCA says it is in the midst of an abandonment crisis, with cases reaching a three-year high in 2023, thought to be due to the pandemic and cost of living crises. The animal charity alone saw a shocking 33% rise in abandonment calls in 2023 compared to 2020, with more than 20,000 animals dumped in the UK last year.