An emaciated dog left close to death and dumped on New Year’s Day is making a slow recovery “and still has a long way to go” at an RSPCA rescue centre in Cambridgeshire. The lurcher, named by rescuers as Peanut, was found dumped down a country lane in Biggleswade and was rescued by a passerby who took her to a vet.
“Her skin and bone appearance shocked rescuers as every bone in her body was visible,” said an RSPCA spokesperson.
“The poor dog, aged about three, also had multiple pressure sores on her legs – indicative of laying on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
“She was lifeless when she was taken into the care of the RSPCA Block Fen Centre in Cambridgeshire, but every day is making small steps on her road to recovery.”
Tiffany Saunders, kennel supervisor, said: “Peanut is still very underweight and has a long way to go but we are pleased with her progress so far and it’s lovely to see her sweet personality shining.”
The story of Peanut – and others including kittens disposed of in a wheelie bin and tarantulas found in freezing conditions – are among some of the heart-breaking rescues the RSPCA has responded to during their busy winter period.
The charity is highlighting some of the cases it dealt with such as Peanut (with before and after photos) as new figures show in the first month of this year, 1,972 incidents were reported to the RSPCA – compared to 1,471 incidents in the first month of 2024, a rise of more than 34%.
Similarly, December 2024 saw 1,802 incidents of abandonment – again a rise: more than 17% higher than 1,540 incidents that month the previous year.
RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Briggs said: “Our rescuers have been busy dealing with all types of neglected and abandoned pets this winter in horrific states of neglect and many are lucky to have survived but thanks to the public reporting incidents to us we have been able to help.
“These include an injured stabbed dog left tied up, Peanut the emaciated dog so thin he was hours away from death, kittens dumped in bins, tarantulas abandoned in a box, rabbits left in freezing temperatures and a neglected pony left to fend for itself.
“We believe due to the cost of living crisis and the high cost of winter, such as Christmas expenditure and utility bills, more pets have been abandoned – sadly they are often left with no food or water, no-one to care for them and no idea if anyone will come to help.”
He added: “Thanks to the public supporting us we are able to rescue many animals, rehabilitate them and find them new homes – but to continue this life-saving work we need people to Join The Winter Rescue”
The RSPCA has launched a dedicated cost of living hub to signpost the help out there for owners and the charity also has more than 200 Pet Food Bank Partnerships across the country to support people.
If you find a small pet who has been abandoned, please take them directly to a local vet or rescue centre who can then call in the expertise of our teams if there’s evidence that the animal has been neglected or abused.
There’s more information on how to safely handle and transport an animal on our website. If you find a dog please contact your local authority’s stray dog service.
