Dog With Newborn Pups Left Abandoned And Chained To Gate

THE TWO-YEAR-OLD lurcher dog was chained to a gate post by its collar in a field near Elphin, Co Roscommon. The dog had been abandoned along with six of her puppies, who she was attempting to nurse while tied to the gate.

A passer-by who found the dogs contacted gardaí and the ISPCA. The dog and her puppies were taken to the ISPCA national animal centre in Co Longford for an urgent veterinary assessment.

ISPCA Centre Manager Hugh O’Toole said he did not understand how anyone could think it was okay to leave a dog tied to a gate with no access to food or water.

He said the adult dog, which is two years old, was not microchipped.

Mr O’Toole said: “Leaving a young dog only two years old tied up without water, food or shelter most definitely put her along with her young puppies’ lives at risk.

“I don’t understand how anyone can think it is okay to leave a dog tied to a gate to nurse her puppies.

“With the recent level of rainfall and cold weather this week, the outcome could have been very different and I’m happy we were alerted so we could help them.”

It is not known how long the mother and her pups had been left in the field. They were cold and hungry, but do not appear to have any other health issues.

Mr O’Toole urged pet owners to spay or neuter their pets as early as possible to reduce the high number of unwanted animals.

He added that its centres were constantly full to capacity with very limited resources.

The dog and her six puppies are being closely monitored and will remain in the centre until they can be re-homed in the New Year.

The dog has been named Emmy Lou and her puppies have been called Billy Ray, Dixie, Dolly, Dotty, June and Patsy.