A cat managed to drag himself home after suffering a fractured skull, split jaw, torn lips and a lost eye in a hit and run.

Maximus was so badly injured in June last year that vets feared he would have to be put down, but his owners knew they would be devastated to lose him.

After a gruelling operation which left him in need of 24-hour care, he has made it through – and now has even been nominated for a national survivor of the year award.

Vets at Inglis Vet Centre in Dunfermline devised a special treatment plan for the pet, known as Maxy, which involved a metal pin to go across the front of his face through his nose to keep the two halves of his fractured upper jaw together while they healed, while his lower jaw was also wired into place.

As he was coming round from the operation, Maxy stopped breathing twice and required resuscitation, but pulled through and was eventually stable enough to go home.

The cat still needed round-the-clock care and nursing, which his owner Sharon Trotter, from Inverkeithing in Fife, took on with support from the vets and nurses.

Ms Trotter said: ‘He needed tube feeding every four hours and his wounds had to be cleaned and redressed every day.’

This went on for over six weeks but Maximus took it all in his stride.

‘He always allowed us and our vet nurses to do everything we needed to, he had such a quiet resolve it was an inspiration.’

Seven weeks after the incident the cat managed to eat his first solid food and is now well on the road to recovery after enduring further treatments and surgery in the months following the accident.

He is one of four finalists competing for the title of PDSA pet survivor of the year 2018.

Vet Erin Logan said: ‘All of our patients are special individuals to us, but occasionally one comes along who is truly inspiring.

‘Maximus’s recovery left us in awe of the healing abilities of nature and just what is truly possible with resilience, character and the determination to survive – he could teach us all lessons about life in adversity.

‘I doubt in the rest of my career I will come across another personality like Maximus and it is a genuine privilege to have been involved with both him and Sharon. I feel he is truly deserving of the title PDSA pet survivor of the year.’

The other finalists, all from England, are a Staffie dog which had an 11-inch (28cm) stick lodged through her throat and chest after a game of fetch went wrong, a cat which was deliberately shot through the mouth with an airgun and a cat which was found impaled on railings.

People can help pick the winner by voting here.

One of the UK’s first ever staffie police dogs has joined the force.

Two-year-old rescue Staffordshire Bull Terrier Cooper, who is specially-trained to find drugs, cash and firearms, is the first of his breed to join Staffordshire Police.

The animal, who lived on the streets as a stray before being rescued by the RSPCA, joined the service earlier this year and has already helped hunt down more than £250,000 of heroin and cocaine.

And handler PC Tim Moss said he is also great at busting negative stereotypes around his breed.

PC Moss said: ‘Cooper was on the streets, he was picked up by RSPCA and was with them for seven months.

‘It’s an amazing story – one day he was in the kennels, and now he’s a fully-fledged police dog.

‘I have had Cooper since March 2018 and he joined the force the following month.

‘I’m extremely privileged to have him – he’s an amazing dog and we have an amazing bond.

‘It feels really good to have a staffie on the force.’

PC Moss said Cooper is one of the best police dogs in Staffordshire and has become something of an A-lister his county, being invited on school tours and to meet the public.

But he said despite this, not everyone realises how incredible staffies can be and said despite the negative attention the breed can bring, this is normally down to the owners – not the dog itself.

He said: ‘Owners don’t always have experience with this breed of dog, which can be where some of the stereotypes about staffies come from.

‘The houses that we go into mainly have staffies so it’s a good step to be on side with them.

‘Having PD Cooper when doing a raid because it’s a great ice breaker, people are always shocked that we are working a staffie – as either they have or they know someone who has one.

‘But it’s weird, I have a Belgian Shepherd too and people stay on the same side of the road when I’m walking him, but when I’m walking Cooper people tend to cross to the opposite side.

‘Staffies are very unique. I can say with PD Cooper he is very keen to learn and eager to please, he has a very high ball drive, and is very energetic.

‘These are what is looked for in a working dog.’

Cooper was immediately welcomed into PC Moss’ family as a family pet, not just a working dog.

He said: ‘When people found out I was getting a staff, they were made up. My partner and child love him.

‘When I heard there was a staff coming into the force, straight away I knew I’d love to have him.

‘We have an incredible bond.’

A horse who was dumped in a pensioner’s back garden is now ready to go to a new home.

The one-year-old colt, named Mr Melvin Andrews, was discovered in an grandmother’s small garden in Stoke-on-Trent after her 13-year-old granddaughter ‘adopted’ him.

She had read online that the horse would be put down if not rehomed, so shared her Nan’s address on Facebook without her knowledge.

The skinny horse was abandoned back in April but has now been nursed back to health at the World Horse Welfare farm in Lancashire after originally being handed over to the RSPCA.

Little Melvin is now looking for a home where he can be loved and cared for after making a full recovery at the centre.

A spokesperson for the charity said: ‘Melvin is now ready to find a new home on our Rehoming Scheme after undergoing his rehabilitation.

‘He was quite underweight when he arrived in our care and has put on around 100kg in the six months since being rescued.

‘He’s only a year old so we have been building up his training and education ready to find a new home.

‘He’s quite small and is unlikely to grow big enough to be a ridden pony but would make a lovely companion and would enjoy doing in-hand horse agility.

‘He is a friendly and cheeky chap so would benefit being in a home where he will receive regular handling, with an experienced rehomer.’

The charity released picture of the pony surrounded by garden furniture, wheelie bins and a rabbit hutch after he was discovered by the gran.

RSPCA inspector Charlotte Melvin arrived at the home to find the neglected animal, underweight and malnourished, but an investigation was unable to find Melvin’s previous owner.

Speaking at the time, Charlotte said: ‘We’re seeing sick or young ponies being dumped and abandoned when their owners no longer want them, and it would be a worry if online free ad sites are being used in this way.

‘Many provide advice on the commitment required to take on a horse.

‘Every horse and pony deserves responsible ownership, which includes responsible breeding, selling and rehoming.

”A 13-year-old girl responded to a plea on an online free ads site where a lady said she didn’t want the pony anymore and that he would be put to sleep if no one had him.

‘She gave her Nan’s address and the next thing that happened was a man just came along and dumped the pony there, no words of advice or anything like that – and leaving a very shocked Nan.

‘We don’t know where this poor pony came from but he clearly was not treated well before being abandoned.’

Someone very cruel left this frightened dog chained to a lamppost in freezing temperatures.

The dog was found dumped in Esher Road, Kingstanding, at around 10.20pm last Friday.

Residents gave the dog a bowl of water but were unable to approach the dog as he was too frightened.

RSPCA officer Vic Hurr, who was sent by the animal welfare charity to the scene, said: ‘This poor dog was tied with a choke chain and was absolutely terrified. He was really nervous but I was able to
safely coax him into a kennel using a grasping pole.

‘I then took him to Newbrook Animal Hospital for a checkup. Once he arrived into our care he was a different character, he was so sweet and such a gent. He was obviously just terrified when he was left tied to a lamppost.

‘Other than being scared and hungry he seemed in reasonable health and is doing well after eating a few good meals.

‘It is despicable that someone could just dump their pet and leave it on a freezing night in such a vulnerable state.

‘I am so glad the local residents rallied around to help and am now appealing for information to find out who callously abandoned him. I am hoping someone will recognise him.’

An investigation has now been launched to find out who left the dog in the cold.

Anyone with information about who dumped the dog is being urged to call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.

An investigation has been launched after an emaciated dog was dumped by the side of the road ‘less than a day from death’.

American bulldog Oscar was tied up and abandoned at a busy junction in Stockport ‘looking like a skeleton’, RSPCA bosses said.

Inspectors weighed the animal and found he was half what he should be when he was found off Adshaw Lane and Councillor Lane in Cheadle Hulme.

The ‘gentle and friendly’ dog, whose original owner has been traced through his microchip, weighed 22.7 kilogrammes, when he should have weighed 45.

Oscar was discovered at 8am on Monday and taken to Woodcroft Veterinary Group on Councillor Lane.

He is now in the care of the RSPCA.

Inspector Nadine Pengilly, who said the dog is ‘literally a skeleton’, said: ‘He’s so emaciated.

‘In my 16 years as an RSPCA inspector, he’s the skinniest dog I have seen that wasn’t dead. He was 12 to 24 hours away from death.

‘He has used up all of his body fat and muscle – the next thing to have been used would have been his organs and that would have killed him.’

Oscar, who Nadine said is ‘a lovely boy, nice and friendly’ was placed on a drip for 24 hours.

He is now being fed small amounts every hour to gradually increase his weight without making him sick.

‘He’s so hungry that when you take the plate away he just looks at you so sadly,’ Nadine added.

She has traced Oscar’s original owner, who said they had rehomed him a year ago.

When Nadine went to that person’s house, they claimed they had given him to an unnamed man he met at a park.

But she said she is positive about Oscar’s future.

RSCPA bosses hope to find him a new home next year once he has gained enough weight.

She is desperate to bring the person who neglected him to justice.

‘I would love to get them,’ she said. ‘Someone’s been sat there watching this happen to him.’

A tiny puppy has died after being dumped outside in the freezing temperatures.

The little Akita pup, who was no more than two months old, was found by a member of the public suffering from a number of health problems.

When RSPCA Inspector Mike Scargill arrived at the scene in Alum Rock, Birmingham, he was shocked by what he saw.

Inspector Scargill said: ‘The poor puppy was clearly in a bad condition when I picked him up. He was thin, lethargic and covered in filth.

‘The problem with his anus was very obvious and this must have caused the pup suffering and distress.

‘Sadly the vet was unable to save him during an emergency procedure and he died on the operating table which is so sad.

‘I would like to trace who is responsible for just dumping this vulnerable pup in his hour of need and am appealing for information.’

Anyone with information about who dumped the dog should call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 123 8018.

A man has been jailed for causing ‘horrific and abhorrent’ abuse to animals by forcing cockerels to fight each other.

William Henry Welch, of Darlington, County Durham, was found by officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce and the RSPCA at premises in Skutterskelf, near Stokesley, on January 13.

The 29-year-old was one of a number men at the site, where officers found 27 live birds, some of whom were still bleeding fresh from cuts to their body and heads.

Bird feathers and both dried and fresh bloodstains were also discovered on the floor of a stable block.

Welch’s phone was apprehended as part of the enquiry and revealed evidence that he was present at numerous other cockfights on December 19 last year and January 4 2018.

Investigators described the graphic video footage on his phone as ‘sickening’.

Welch pleaded guilty to charges of causing an animal fight to take place, keeping animals for fighting, and being present at an animal fight on three occasions from December 2017 to January 2018.

He was jailed at Harrogate Magistrate Court on November 26 for 20 weeks and disqualified from keeping all animals for 20 years.

The defendant was also ordered to pay a total of £2,000 costs.

During sentencing, magistrates told Welch: ‘You put your own recreational needs before the welfare of your animals, in the most horrific and abhorrent circumstances.’

A second man, 53, was also sentenced after pleading guilty to being present at an animal fight.

William Chates, of Darlington, County Durham, was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from keeping all animals for 10 years.

He was also told to pay £170 in costs.

Two other defendants from the enquiry had stood trial but were both found not guilty.

‘This is one of the worst examples of animal cruelty I have seen in over 15 years of police service, so much so that I took the decision not to have the investigating officers view the video footage recovered from Welch’s mobile phone, due to its extreme graphic nature and scenes of catastrophic suffering to the animals involved,’ Sergeant Kevin Kelly, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said.

‘I would like to acknowledge the anonymous caller who made the decision contact us, knowing that North Yorkshire Police would take the matter seriously. I hope news of this sentence finds its way back to them, and serves as an example of how seriously we take this type of crime.

‘The jail sentence should be seen as a stark warning to animal abusers up and down the country that the police and the RSPCA, given the chance, will come for you.’

The RSPCA’s National Wildlife Crime Coordinator called Welch’s crimes ‘animal cruelty of the highest level’.

‘This was serious and horrific animal cruelty at the highest level,’ Inspector Geoff Edmon said.

‘Not only was this an organised and planned cockfight, it was watched and recorded on video.

‘To have to view these sickening videos is very distressing, and our thanks go to North Yorkshire Police for their significant effort and determination to place this matter before the court.’

A severely emaciated dog has been rescued after it was discovered abandoned and tied to metal railings.

It’s not known how long the female bulldog cross was left alone for, but she was so thin all her ribs and pelvis were showing.

The RSPCA says the dog may have been a product of overbreeding as she has a significant underbite, where her jaw protrudes showing her teeth.

She was spotted at 9pm on Monday in Woodside Lane in Sheffield.

Animal welfare officers from the RSPCA were then called to take her away at 11.30pm.

RSPCA inspector Sara Jordan said: ‘One of my animal collection officer colleagues went out to this poor girl on Monday night.

‘She is extremely thin, with all her ribs and pelvis showing.

‘She is only a young dog but has enlarged mammary glands, which may be a sign that she has been overbred.

‘She has a very pronounced underbite, where her bottom jaw protrudes showing her teeth.’

She was wearing a purple collar with white spots and was tied to the railings with a metal chain lead.

The bulldog is not microchipped and was not wearing a tag so there is no way of tracing her owner at the moment.

Inspector Jordan added: ‘This dog was abandoned alone, in the dark and cold in a very poor state and it’s taken some time for her to get like this.

‘I want to hear from anyone who recognises her, knows someone who had a dog like this that is now missing or saw anything they think might help my investigation.

‘Please call the RSPCA inspector appeal line on 0300 123 8018 and ask to leave a message for me.’

A family of swans that were shot dead in Kent may have been killed due to their association with the Queen.

Two swans and five cygnets were found wrapped in plastic bags after they were thrown down the bank of a stream in Benenden, Kent.

All wild swans in England and Wales are owned by the Queen, and Stephen Knight of the Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, Middlesex, said that may have been why they were targeted.

Mr Knight told The Telegraph it is ‘not uncommon’ for the animals to be hunted.

He said: ‘The reason they pick on swans is because it is widely know that they belong to the Crown, so they are a symbol of the establishment.

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‘The kind of people who do this are faceless bullies that have got no moral compass.

‘Someone once posted a gag that was titled ‘how to upset the Queen’. It included a picture of a gun and swan, which was locked in a cage. After that we saw a little spike in shootings.’

X-rays revealed one of the birds was peppered with pellets, leading the RSPCA to believe they were killed in an air gun attack.

The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the attack described as ‘senseless’ by inspector Dave Grant.

He added: ‘It’s clear that these poor mute swans have been shot and killed deliberately – one of the birds was peppered with pellets.

‘It’s absolutely disgusting that someone would purposefully target and kill these beautiful birds, and it’s heartbreaking that an entire family has been wiped out in this cruel incident.’

Officers from Kent Police were called after the swans were found at about 10am on November 24.

Anyone with information about the incident or witnesses to suspicious behaviour in the area should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.

A tiny kitten had to be put down after his owner abused him so badly that he eventually smashed his skull in.

Archie Spencer, 19, left Wolfie with injuries similar to those caused in a car crash in the final attack.

The four-month-old kitten had to be put down.

Spencer’s girlfriend Rebecca Guy, 19, kept taking the kitten to the vet to try and help him, claiming the injuries had been caused accidentally.

Spencer has been jailed for the abuse, while Guy has been banned from keeping animals for life.

Wolfie suffered numerous injuries between January 25 and March 28, while Spencer lived at a Wolverhampton flat with his partner.

Rebecca Guy took Wolfie to the vet three times. The first time he had a head injury. Weeks later he had suffered five broken ribs, and on a third occasion on March 28 he had a horrific skull fracture which went from one side of his head to the other.

The final injury was so serious the vet decided the kindest thing was to put the cat to sleep and, believing the injuries had been caused deliberately, called in the RSPCA .

Inspector Kate Parker said: ‘The pair had always denied harming the cat, however in court Spencer took responsibility for the injuries to Wolfie – although we will never know what actually happened.

‘On the third and final occasion the cat was clearly badly injured. The vet took some video showing poor Wolfie who looks barely alive and when she touched him he reacts, which demonstrates he would have felt pain.

‘That is when the decision was made to end his suffering and later an X-ray revealed his horrific skull fracture.

‘Poor Wolfie was only four-months-old and in that short life enjoyed so much suffering and pain – it is horrendous to think what he went through.

‘In the end he was barely alive and breathing in his own blood, it was truly awful.’

‘In over four years as an inspector this case has been one of the most sickening to investigate, and it saddens me that we will never know the full facts on what Spencer inflicted on Wolfie, but I am grateful to the courts for their sentencing.

‘The life time ban given to Spencer will hopefully mean he can never inflict such suffering on another animal.’

Expert witness Vet David Martin concluded that the force that must have been used by Spencer, of Goodwood Drive, Wolverhampton, on the third and
subsequent fatal attack could be likened to that seen on a road traffic collision.

Spencer admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the cat and was jailed for 12 weeks and banned from keeping animals for 10 years.

Guy, of the same address, pleaded guilty to one animal welfare offence of failing to protect the cat from pain and suffering, and was given an eight-week jail term suspended for a year and was banned from keeping animals for life.

An abandoned pregnant dog was found covered in so much of her own poo the RSPCA couldn’t tell what colour she was.

The dog, who has been named Florence, had a closed eye when she was discovered and a cut to her face.

She was left in a filthy wet crate wrapped in plastic, which had no bedding and was filled with faeces.

Her makeshift home was discovered on Sunday night in an alleyway near Florence Road, in Finsbury Park, north London.

Vets at the RSPCA’s Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital found a dead puppy inside her ruptured uterus.

Emergency surgery was needed to save Florence’s life.

If Florence was left any longer she would soon have died a ‘horrible death’, the RSPCA said.

‘Poor Florence has been through a heartbreaking ordeal, but despite it all she has still been friendly, even though she is so poorly,’ a hospital spokesperson said.

‘When she came into us we did an ultrasound that showed the presence of a dead foetus in her uterus.

‘Sadly it is most likely she was having difficulty giving birth when she was abandoned.

‘If she had been seen by a vet sooner they could have intervened and maybe helped and saved her pup.

‘There was also a superficial wound on her face which has been treated.

‘She is currently recovering on fluids and medications but is still in a serious condition.’

RSPCA officer Nicola Thomas said Florence’s situation was both heartbreaking and tragic.

‘I would like to thank the member of the public who contacted us after finding poor Florence in the alleyway,’ she said. ‘They kept her safe until I arrived to collect her.

‘When I first picked her up she was covered from head to toe in faeces and smelled so awful.

‘You couldn’t actually tell what colour she was meant to be.

‘Dumping a dog for any reason is heartbreaking, but to think that this poor girl was so poorly and also in the midst of labour is just tragic.’

She added: ‘It is also clear that Florence has had numerous puppies in the past and was probably a breeding dog, so therefore if anyone thinks they have had a puppy from her we would also urge them to get in touch.’

Anyone who recognises Florence can contact the RSPCA immediately on our inspector’s appeal line number on 0300 123 8018.

A woman had the shock of her life when she looked outside and saw a seal rummaging around in the bushes of her garden – four miles from the sea.

The three-week-old seal is thought to have travelled up a drainage system and was searching on mainland in the hope of finding food and water.

The woman, from Terrington St Clements, Norfolk, had to take a double-look as she looked out of her garden window and saw the baby seal.

She immediately called the RSPCA who arrived shortly after to rescue it.

RSPCA officer Naemi Kilbey said the ‘incredibly feisty little fella’ would have died of starvation if it had not been found.

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She said: ‘When the call first came through I was wondering if there had been a misunderstanding as to how far inland this pup had been found, but it turned out this little pup really was miles from the sea.

‘He was an incredibly feisty little fella and it took all my strength to catch and rescue him, but it would have been his spirit and fight for life, that would have kept him alive during his ordeal.

‘If he hadn’t been found he would have likely died of starvation due to not being able to find any food.

‘I’m so glad that this was a happy ending and that the pup was found. He really was quite a character.’

The pup was taken to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre in East Winch, Norfolk, where he was checked over before being released to the shore days later.

RSPCA East Winch centre manager Alison Charles said: ‘Seals are incredibly strong and powerful wild animals and can have a very powerful bite which can cause horrible wounds.

‘People may think they are helping, but these are wild animals, and need to be left well alone.

‘If you see a sick or injured pup please call the RSPCA’s emergency cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.’

Today in ‘extremely London photos’, we have a young fox cub passed out on top of a microwave.

He may have got fed up with sleeping behind bins, so climbed into a family’s home through the cat-flap, knocked over a few pot plants and curled up for the night.

Kim Fryer, who found him when she came downstairs at 7am, said: ‘I turned on the kitchen light expecting him to make a bolt for the cat-flap but instead he just opened one eye and did not move.’

She called the RSPCA and the animal was taken to a rescue centre and checked over for any injuries or illness. He was given a clean bill of health and released back into the open near the home where he was found.

Kim Fryer was at home in Rawnsley Avenue, Mitcham on December 15 when her daughter discovered the fox early in the morning.

‘My daughter found him at 7am and called up to me. I came down and spotted this little fox curled up on top of the microwave,’ she said.

‘I have five cats and a dog so obviously I have a cat flap. He must have crawled under the gate and through the cat flap. A couple of my plants were smashed and there was mud everywhere.

‘I put the light on and one eye opened but he didn’t move. We could tell there was something wrong with him.’

A spokesman for the RSPCA said Inspector Phil Norman attended to collect the fox. He was taken to the charity’s Putney Animal Hospital, in London, where vets checked him over and monitored him.

‘While he seemed extremely weak and lethargic to begin with he soon perked up and staff could find nothing wrong with him,’ said the spokesman.

‘He had got in through the cat flap and found a nice warm spot to sleep in. He was quite happy to be taken in to the hospital for a health check but was understandably not keen on being in a cage.

‘Fortunately he was quite healthy with a beautiful fluffy coat, so after a thorough check over he was released back to the area he was found in by one of the hospital staff.’

Someone left a newborn puppy to die in an alleyway on Christmas Day.

The RSPCA has launched an investigation after the paralysed dog was found in Carr Street by a member of the public, who looked after it at home before contacting the animal charity two days later.

It was left in a cardboard box in Bradford with no food or water.

Inspector Dave Holgate later collected the dog and took him to a nearby vet.

‘Unfortunately, the little crossbreed puppy was in a terrible state,’ he said. ‘He was collapsed at the rear and was dragging his back legs.

‘It seems as though his back end was paralysed and he was unable to use his legs.

‘Goodness knows how long the poor pup had been in this state – he may have been born like this or could have deteriorated as he grew.

‘I suspect he was abandoned by the breeder when they realised he would need expensive veterinary treatment or would fail to sell.’

Vets assessed the tiny dog and discovered he was suffering and was sadly unlikely to recover so he was put to sleep on welfare grounds.

‘It’s so sad that we weren’t able to save this little puppy but I’m just glad he’s no longer sat inside a cardboard box cold, frightened and in pain,’ added Inspector Holgate.

‘At least he felt love and compassion in his final hours.

‘To abandon this poor puppy – who was too young to be away from his mum and siblings – is disgraceful, but to do so on Christmas Day with him in dire need of veterinary attention is despicable.

‘I’m now seriously concerned about his mother and I’m appealing for anyone who recognises this pup or may know where she’s come from to get in touch by calling our inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.’

A terrified dog was tied to a tree and abandoned by its owner just 50 metres away from an RSPCA shelter.

Bruce the rottweiler cross was spotted by a dog walker who immediately contacted the animal welfare centre.

Officers from the RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre in Ringwood, Hampshire, said Bruce was ‘very scared and shaking’ when they found him.

Now they have launched an investigation to try and find Bruce’s owner.

RSPCA inspector Jo Story said: ‘Bruce has a microchip but the details are not up to date so we do not know if he has previously been lost, or perhaps even stolen.

‘He was very scared and shaking when he was first found, with no sign of an owner around.

‘We’re not sure how long he was there as people could have driven by and not seen him. It was a dog who noticed him first and alerted its owner.

‘We understand he is 16 months old and was most recently rehomed along with his sister to a woman in Bournemouth around four months ago, however we have been struggling to get in touch with them.

‘We’re really keen to hear from anyone who recognises Bruce, knows where he came from, or who knows how he came to be left alone.

‘He’s very affectionate and enjoys attention. He is a lovely dog.’

A ‘beheaded swan’ that turned out to be a plastic toy and a ‘dead dog’ on a roof that was really a cuddly toy are among the RSPCA’s most entertaining call-outs.

The charity gets a number of calls every day and has revealed some of the most bizarre requests for help they have received.

While animal welfare officers experience many distressing scenes, it was nothing but laughs when they responded to a call from people in Grantham, Lincolnshire, concerned about a bright red scorpion on a pavement.

RSPCA animal collection officer Paula Jones arrived to the cordoned area to find the distressed public surrounding a rubber toy.

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She said: ‘Cecil the scorpion is now my van buddy and keeps me company on the road.’

A woman in Warrington, Cheshire, was terrified by the sight of a headless swan and called RSPCA to report it, who quickly realised it was just a decorative plastic bird.

Inspector Claire Fisher said: ‘We all had a laugh about this one and, to be honest, were just relieved there wasn’t a swan that had suffered an awful death.’

Another distressed caller reported what he thought was a dead dog on a flat roof of the Elim Pentecostal Church on Dalton Road in Port Talbot.

Inspector Nigel Duguid was relieved to find out it was only a toy.

He said: ‘We get calls to all sorts of things – all animals of all shapes and sizes and species – but in my 37 years as an RSPCA inspector I have never been called to rescue a cuddly toy before’.

Another swan incident was also worrying for the RSPCA officers, when a number of people reported an injured swan in Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire.

The bird was supposedly not moving and did not look afraid of people or traffic.

The officer that attended the had trouble locating the swan – until she realised the reports were about a group of five decorative wooden swans that had been put up for Christmas.

On another occasion residents in Stoke Newington, London, reported a skinned cat being dumped in a garden, where the RSPCS officers ran to check and even found the ‘body’ covered with a towel.

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Luckily, the ‘cat’ was eventually nothing more than a fur hat.

RSPCA inspector Kate Ford said: ‘I was very relieved it wasn’t the dark case I was expecting to turn up to.’

A concerned woman reported a distressed lizard in Hackney, London which turned out to be a dog’s elephant-shaped chew toy.

Other occasions included a kite put up to scare birds which was mistaken for an actual bird, a worried cat owner who mistook a happy squirrel for her missing pet, and a grey heart-shaped cushion was mistakenly reported as an injured owl.

Assistant director of the RSPCA Inspectorate Dermot Murphy said: ‘Every day is different at the RSPCA and our officers are used to responding to heartbreaking calls, taking on hair-raising rescues and, from time-to-time, dealing with laugh-out-loud situations.

‘From stuffed toys to decorative models, our officers have helped them all.

‘While we all enjoy a giggle at this time of year, there is a serious message here too.

‘Every year we’re under more and more pressure to help animals who desperately need us.

‘Everyone who called us had genuine concerns that there was an animal in distress and we rely on public to be our eyes an ears and let us know when they fear an animal is suffering.

‘Perhaps these calls are just a reminder to maybe take a closer look before picking up the phone.

‘However, thankfully these mishaps are few and far between and we would like to thank everyone who takes the time to report suffering to us and helps us make the world a kinder place for animals.’

Armed police officers forced their way into a prisoner’s home – to rescue his starving gerbil.

The hungry pet’s owner had been in jail for a week but had refused to give the RSPCA access to his address so that they could rescue the animal.

Eventually Derbyshire Police and the Armed Response Unit were called to the Allestree property and entry was forced.

The gerbil was then escorted to a nearby vet so that it could be cared for by the RSPCA.

Derby City Police Safer Neighbourhood Team later posted on social media about the unusual incident.

‘Tonight our officers have been on the sharp edge of policing as always,’ they wrote.

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‘Our friends at the RSPCA informed us that an individual who was currently in prison, and had been for nearly a week now, had a gerbil at his home address.

‘Sadly the individual was refusing to give access to their address so that the RSPCA Officers could prevent the gerbil from dying or suffering unnecessarily.

‘Our officers forced entry to the address, with some help from the Armed Response Unit and found the gerbil who was thankfully still alive, but very hungry.’

They added: ‘We’re not just about arresting bad guys and posing for photos on Facebook. Sometimes we’re a bit soft and caring.’

A spokesperson at Derbyshire police said armed officers are routinely called on to provide support in gaining access to properties where there is a cause for concern.

They said: ‘Responses to calls from partner agencies, such as the RSPCA, are one of the many elements of community policing.

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‘Attendance at this incident had no impact on operational policing, due to Armed Response Vehicles being deployed across the county.

‘Armed officers are routinely called on to provide support in gaining access to properties where there is a cause for concern.

‘Had there been a need for them to be deployed elsewhere, officers would have been able to be mobilised quickly.

‘In addition, on entering the property, officers found that the gas fire had been left on. This was switched off and the property able to be made safe.’

This cute little ginger kitten was close to death after being found in squalid conditions.

The five-week-old cat was anaemic, weak and fighting for his life when RSPCA officers discovered him at a property in Milton Keynes.

The kitten was rushed to a veterinary clinic, where vets quickly realised he needed an emergency blood transfusion to save his life.

RSPCA officer Sue Taft volunteered her own cat Brian to be the donor.

Ms Taft said: “This poor kitten was signed over after he was found collapsed and nearly dead.

‘He was absolutely covered in fleas and severely anaemic so the vets decided his only hope was a blood transfusion so I took my own cat Brian down to help out.

‘As soon as the blood went in, the little kitten started to pick up and after a few days he was happy and eating again like kittens do.’

They named the kitten Brian junior in honour of the cat who saved his life.

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Ms Taft’s Brian senior, four, was an RSPCA rescue cat himself and came into the charity’s care with a badly mangled leg which needed amputating before he was adopted.

It’s not the first time Brian senior has donated blood.

He has also helped several other cats that have needed a transfusion.

What a hero.

Brian junior is currently in foster care as he waits to be adopted.

An abandoned Staffie filmed chasing after his owner’s car is now happily living in his new home, after Snoop Dogg took up his cause.

Millions of people watched CCTV footage of Snoop being driven to the side of a road and dumped by his owner just before Christmas.

The rapper felt he had to do something for the dog named after him. ‘It is heartbreaking. There is always room for another dog in Casa de Snoop,’ he told the Daily Star.

We’re sure Snoop and Snoop would have settled into a blissful domestic routine in America, but he’s now got a new owner already.

Snoop is now living ‘like a king’ in the Herefordshire countryside, with new owner Laurence Squire. They bonded ‘instantly’ and are now both regulars at the local pub.

‘One evening I was watching the news when Snoop’s story came on,’ Laurence said.

‘What happened to him was shocking, and it was clear from the footage – in the way that he tried to get back into the car – that he was a loyal dog.

‘I thought that he seemed like the perfect dog for me and that I could offer him the home he deserved.’

Snoop was dumped at the roadside in Stoke-on-Trent on December 17 last year.

Footage of a man getting out of a car with the dog on a lead before abandoning him was released by the RSPCA and Snoop’s plight went viral.

Laurence, who previously had a Staffie which died in November, said: ‘They are such a loving breed and so I started to look for another one.’

He had already contacted the RSPCA to say he was looking for a male Staffie when he heard about Snoop.

After meeting at the charity’s Gonsal Farm Animal Centre in Shropshire, dog and potential owner ‘clicked’.

Snoop had been suffering separation anxiety, and still struggles to get into cars, but Mr Squire was a good fit because he works from home, the RSPCA added.

He now has a large garden and surrounding fields to run around in.

Mr Squire added: ‘He is a fantastic dog and he settled in straightaway.

‘As soon as he came into the house for the first time, he jumped on the sofa and it was as though he decided that was the space for him.

‘He loves to lie on the back of the sofa and if I put the fire on he will curl up in front of it.

‘He loves being warm and if he can find his way into a bedroom, you’ll find him under the duvet with his head on the pillow.’

The inquiry into who left Snoop at the roadside is continuing.

Snoop’s story had a happy ending, but there are still many Staffies waiting to be rehomed, as well as other breeds.

Find them on the RSPCA website.

Over 50 Siamese cats were rescued from a single home after their breeding became ‘out of control’.

The RSPCA were called in to deal with the 55 cats, who had taken over the home.

Staff are now looking for new homes for the dozens of cats, which include kittens and pregnant adults.

With each cat selling for around £500, they are worth up to £25,000 in total.

Liz Wheeler, RSPCA inspector, said: ‘Multi-cat households can often arise as a result of unneutered cats breeding until a situation becomes out of the owners’ control.

‘The RSPCA often works with owners to neuter and reduce the numbers of cats and dealt with more than 1,000 calls relating to animal hoarding last year.

‘The hope is that these cats can now be found loving homes and get their second chance at happiness.’

Inspectors rescued them from a household in Croydon on February 20.

Siamese cats originate from Thailand and are known to be intelligent, curious and talkative cats.

These cats will need a home with adults or families with older children.

Some of them can be rehomed together as they are bonded, whilst others will be happier to be rehomed on their own.

They were then taken to three animal centres in the area – there are 11 cats at RSPCA Leybourne in Kent, six at the RSPCA Purley, Caterham and District branch and 38 Siamese cats at RSPCA South Godstone Animal Centre in Surrey.

For more information about rehoming any of the cats, contact the branches.