Six of 11 puppies stuffed into carrier bags and a guinea pig cage have died, the RSPCA said as it urged Britons against buying imported pets.
Police discovered the severely dehydrated and ‘visibly distressed’ young dogs in an ‘appalling state’ in the back of a vehicle in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, on March 2.
Officers had received a tip-off about a smell coming from a home – no puppies were found inside the property but dog waste was found strewn across bedrooms. After spotting a steamed up van parked nearby, they found the ‘very poorly’ puppies inside and broke in to save them.
The pups, aged between two and four months, were put in the care of the RSPCA, which discovered eight of them had parvovirus – a highly infectious and often fatal disease in dogs.
Vets managed to save two cocker spaniel puppies, Pearl and Pablo. One has been taken in by a Nottinghamshire Police officer and the other is with one of the vets who cared for them.
They also managed to stop three Yorkshire Terriers, Emerald, Opal and Topaz, from falling ill who are doing well in new homes but are ‘incredibly anxious’.
But six of the pups failed to recover from the virus and sadly died.
Nottinghamshire Police said a man, 20, who was arrested on suspicion of theft and fraud had been released as officers continue their investigation.
It is believed the animals came from a puppy farm – where dogs are bred in high-volume, low-welfare conditions primarily for profit – before being imported from Ireland to be sold on in England.
The RSPCA is now calling on the Government to crack down on puppy imports after the number of dogs being brought into the UK surged during lockdown.
Ella Carpenter, manager of the RSPCA’s Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham, said: ‘It was heartbreaking to see the puppies fall so ill so quickly.
‘They were fighting for their little lives and, sadly, for six of them it was just too much.
‘This is something we see time and time again with puppies who have been bred in poor conditions on puppy farms here and overseas.
‘Diseases like parvovirus are rife in these conditions and can prove fatal for vulnerable pups.
‘What’s frustrating is that it’s so easy to prevent these horrendous illnesses by ensuring there is a good level of biosecurity and by vaccinating.’
RSPCA dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines warned such methods are not only serious for dogs, but it also poses a ‘significant public health risk’.
She said: ‘Most dogs have not had the correct vaccinations or health checks and could be bringing in serious diseases that could infect our own dog population or even be transferable to humans.’
‘We know that there are unscrupulous people out there who want to exploit the demand for dogs and are willing to take advantage of families who want to add a dog to their home,’ added Dr Gaines.
‘Sadly, this comes at the expense of the dogs.
‘Puppies are being bred in poor conditions overseas and are taken from their mums too young, put into a van with lots of other puppies – the perfect breeding ground for nasty diseases and infections like parvovirus – before being travelled thousands of miles and imported into the country.’
Nottinghamshire’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Foody recently urged dog owners to be vigilant following high-profile incidents of dog thefts nationally.
She said: ‘This is a shocking example of callous individuals using animals for their own ends.
‘There is no consideration for the health, wellbeing and safety of the animals concerned, and in my view it’s time to get tough on those who seek to steal, exploit and ill-treat dogs and indeed any animal.
‘We need confidence that those responsible will receive appropriate sanctions.
‘Dog theft, for many is akin to the theft of a family member which is why we are doing everything we can to help people protect their dogs and prevent dreadful incidents like this.’
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