RSPCA: Appeal for information after two different starving lurcher dogs dumped on Christmas Day

Rescuers had to attend Christmas day callouts for two emaciated lurcher dogs - dumped in two separate abandonment cases.

The Scottish SPCA is appealing for information after a female lurcher was found abandoned near Riverbank Primary School, in the Tillydrone area of Aberdeen. A member of the public took the dog to a local vet practice on Christmas day, after they discovered her in poor condition.

Scottish SPCA Inspector Alexandra Campbell, said: “The dog is tan coloured female lurcher who is extremely underweight. She also has evidence of having pups within the last couple of days. The dog is now in the care of one of our animal rescue and rehoming centres."

If anyone recognises her or has any information surrounding her circumstances, they are urged to call the Scottish SPCA's confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.

Meanwhile in North Yorkshire, another emaciated lurcher likely hours from death after being dumped in a hedge on Christmas Day was saved after a fellow dog sniffed her out. The seven-year-old dog, who the RSPCA have named Rosie, was so thin that her ribs protruded through her skin - and her body was covered in puncture wounds.

The animal charity she had been “left to die” in a hedgerow on Spen Common Lane near Tadcaster, before she was found at 7.30am on Christmas morning by a dogwalker, after their dog started barking for help. The passerby carried the starving animal back to her home nearby and immediately called the RSPCA, who sent her to an emergency vet.

Rosie was put on a drip and has been receiving round-the-clock veterinary care ever since at a 24-hour animal hospital. Despite her poor condition, she is making encouraging progress - but an infection in her hind leg might mean she has to have it amputated.

The RSPCA, which is funding the cost of Rosie’s care, is appealing for anyone who recognises her or saw what happened to get in touch. RSPCA officer James Dack told SWNS: “Rosie was sniffed out by the member of the public’s own dog. She was extremely fortunate to be discovered as it was a quiet country lane and there were very few people around.

“We’re not sure how long she’d been lying there - possibly overnight - but I think she may have succumbed to her injuries and the cold had she not been found," he continued. “She had clearly been dumped and left to die."

The pup was found covered in a purple antibiotic spray, which had been used to try and treat numerous puncture wounds on her body, Officer Dack said while there had been an attempt to treat her wounds with an antiseptic spray, "whoever callously abandoned her has probably thought, she’s injured, she’s on her way out, I’ll just leave her".

“It was a shocking incident to have to deal with on Christmas Day but it’s why we are out there 365 days a year and it was a pleasure to be able to help Rosie," he added. “We’d like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the kind member of the public who stopped to help - without her I think we could have been looking at a different outcome - and to the wonderful veterinary team who have been caring for her since.”

Rosie was microchipped to an address in Nottinghamshire but the details were out of date, and she had been sold to someone in the ‘Wales/Shropshire’ area four years ago. Anyone with information about her is urged to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018.

The incident comes at a time when cases of abandoned amimals have soared to a three-year high. Already this year the RSPCA has received 19,457 incidents, with 1,619 reported last month alone.

The RSPCA is calling for animal lovers to donate to its 'Join the Christmas Rescue' campaign to enable rescuers ahead of what's expected to be a busy season.