Severely emaciated dog found abandoned and 'almost lifeless' on New Year’s Day in Biggleswade

The three-year-old lurcher, named Peanut by rescuers, was found with visible pressure sores and extreme malnourishment in Biggleswade. She was then taken to an emergency vet by concerned members of the public and is now under the care of the RSPCA Block Fen Centre in Cambridgeshire.

When found, Peanut was so emaciated that every bone in her body was visible, and she was “almost lifeless.” RSPCA Kennel Supervisor Tiffany Saunders said: "It was heartbreaking to see how emaciated Peanut was and that she was covered in pressure sores, which we think are a result of her laying on hard surfaces for a long time."

Despite her dire condition, Peanut is beginning to show small signs of recovery. Tiffany added: "At first, she was lifeless, but she can now stand up by herself and even jumped up and ran out of her kennel for her breakfast. It is really lovely to see her tail wag!"

Peanut is being fed small, regular meals to help her slowly regain weight. While her prognosis remains guarded, her improvement offers hope. "She has a great appetite, so we are fairly confident at this stage that she has just been starved and that illness isn't the cause of her current emaciated state," Tiffany explained.

RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer David Allen is investigating Peanut’s abandonment and has urged anyone with information to come forward. "The condition that Peanut was in is just appalling and quite shocking. She’s the thinnest dog I have ever seen, and I cannot understand how anyone could allow this to happen," David said.

Peanut was microchipped, but the person registered on the chip had sold her when she was just six months old. David is seeking any information about Peanut’s current owner or suspicious activity in the area on New Year’s Day. Anyone with information is urged to call the RSPCA’s appeals line at 0300 123 8018, quoting incident number 01419048.

Peanut’s story comes as the RSPCA reports a sharp rise in pet abandonments during the festive season. Between December 18 and December 31, 2024, the charity logged 846 incidents of abandoned animals - the highest number for that period since 2018.

On New Year’s Day alone, 43 cases of abandonment were reported. Across the whole of 2024, there were 22,503 incidents, averaging more than 61 a day.