A pair of black and tan German Shepherd puppies were found abandoned in a cardboard box on the last day of the Jubilee weekend.
Poor Truffle, as RSPCA staff have since nicknamed him, and his sibling were left in a box by the cricket pitch at Seven Kings Park, Ilford.
The pair were found in a very bad way on Sunday, 5 June, and sadly only Truffle survived.
RSPCA inspector Philip Heyes was called out to collect the puppies. He said: ‘A passer-by discovered the two tiny pups inside a cardboard box dumped in a hedge at the park while he was watching cricket nearby. He heard a noise and went to investigate.
‘The puppies are only around five weeks old and both were very weak and sick. He contacted us and went back to the park to check on them but, sadly, the second puppy had already died.
‘When I went to collect them, the male was collapsed on top of his dead sibling; it was heartbreaking.
‘I rushed the surviving pup to our veterinary hospital where he was given emergency treatment.
‘He’s still on a drip and is receiving round-the-clock care. Thankfully his temperature has come down and he’s starting to eat on his own so I really hope he pulls through.’
Truffle remains in RSPCA care, where he’ll stay until he is better.
The little sweetie already has a potential home lined up.
Philip is now investigating who is responsible for abandoning poor dogs and leaving them in such poor health.
‘I’d like to speak to anyone who knows where these puppies have come from or who may have seen anything suspicious in the park on Sunday afternoon,’ he added.
‘If anyone has information that could assist with our enquiries please contact our appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
‘These pups were too young to be separated from their mother and were clearly not in a good way so to abandon them to fend for themselves is awful.
‘I’m now concerned about their mother and any other littermates who could also need veterinary treatment.’
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