RSPCA: Dog found tangled in barbed wire surprises rescuers with tiny puppy

A tiny terrier named Ladybird dumped over a wall into a tangle of barbed wire has surprised her rescuers, by giving birth to a healthy 'Babybird'.

The RSPCA rescued the new mum from Levett Road in Barking, London, on 18 March. Inspector Lee Ricketts, who worked with London Fire Brigade to rescue the frightened dog, said the charity was called after a person walking along the street - near St Erkenwalds Church - heard a distressed dog crying on the other side of a six foot-high concrete wall.

"When they looked over the wall the spotted Ladybird tangled in barbed wire on the other side," he said. "The homeowner had no idea how the little dog got into the enclosed garden, so we believe she’d been thrown over the wall from the street on the other side."

The pup was "incredibly distressed and very frightened", he continued. "Her nails were long and she was missing patches of fur, so she’s not been properly cared for for some time."

Ladybird - named FOR the distinctive black spots on her back - was taken to the RSPCA’s Finsbury Park Animal Hospital where staff checked her over. She was very nervous but the team managed to settle her down with some treats and TLC. Inspector Ricketts added: "A vet checked her over and gave her some pain relief for some cuts and a leg injury, as well as treating her for fleas. There were no signs of her pregnancy; she wasn’t showing at all."

But on Thursday night (21 March), she started trying to make a nest, he said. "Just a few hours later, Babybird arrived."

"Ladybird is such a good mum," Inspector Ricketts said. "She is doing really well and is constantly cuddling her little pup. She was so nervous at first and now we can understand why she was so defensive; she didn’t know whether to trust us with her precious baby.

"Thankfully, she’s now realised she’s safe and she’s really sweet. We’ve been giving her lots of attention and she and her new baby are being monitored closely."

Ladybird has not been microchipped, so the team didn't know where she had come from, or who she belonged to. The RSPCA is now appealing for information from anyone who saw the incident or who recognises the dog, asking them to call 0300 123 8018, quoting reference number 01237423.

This case comes as the animal welfare charity says it is in the midst of an animal abandonment crisis - which it believes is linked to more and more people struggling to meet the cost of living. Abandonment calls at the charity recently reached a three-year high, and rescuers estimate some 20,000 animals were dumped throughout the course of 2023.