The ISPCA admitted a dog into its care, following a call made to the National Animal Cruelty Helpline from a concerned member of the public recently.
The dog, a collie lurcher cross, later called Kim, was discovered by an ISPCA Inspector, locked in a crate.
It was unclear how long Kim was kept in this condition; she was underweight and her nails were extremely overgrown, likely due to the lack of exercise.
Kim was surrendered and taken into ISPCA care for a veterinary assessment.
ISPCA Inspector Deirdre Scally said: “It was awful to see a dog in such a state of neglect and I was glad I was able to rescue Kim, before her condition deteriorated any further. She is no more than a year old; still a baby and such a rough start in life. Kim is in the safe hands now, and she is recovering well in ISPCA care.
Deirdre added: “Pet owners need to be aware of their legal responsibilities. There is no excuse for animal neglect and if circumstances change, then people need to ask for help. When taking on the responsibility of a dog, or any animal, pet owners must provide a basic level of care. Rescuing animals that have been cruelly treated, neglected and abused is the centre of my job, said Deirdre and there was failings by the owner in providing for this dogs basic needs”.
The ISPCA believes that the following five freedoms should be afforded to all animals:
- Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from disease and injury
- Freedom to express normal behaviour
- Freedom from distress and fear
It will take time for Kim to recover physically from the damaging effects of a poor diet. She will also need to learn how to trust and to interact with people – possibly for the first time but with the love and care she is receiving at the ISPCA, plenty of nutritious food and a warm bed, we are confident that she will make a full recovery.
Once Kim is nursed back to full health, she will be spayed and microchipped before being responsibly rehomed.
Sadly, Kim’s story isn’t a once-off and we are continuously receiving calls to our National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 1890515 515 about animals in danger and in need of rescuing.
If you can help make a difference for animals like Kim, please donate today, if you can https://www.ispca.ie/donate/
Cover image is a file photo.
