SSPCA launch urgent appeal to help care for pup influx
An influx of puppies has seen a Scottish welfare charity appeal for fund to help care for them.
In a heartwarming turn of events, the Scottish SPCA is now welcoming the arrival of multiple puppies being born into their care after a host of pregnant dogs were rescued.
The charity launched an urgent appeal for funds after saving 216 dogs in a ten day period, in what is believed to be the biggest intake of dogs in their 185-year history.
Several of the animals were heavily pregnant and the SSPCA is now seeing an influx of puppies who have been born in their animal rescue centres across the country.
While the appeal target has reached just over 50 percent, vital funds are still needed to care for the dogs and the newborn puppies, whose numbers are increasing by the day.
One litter of three Staffordshire Bull Terrier pups have received round the clock care since being born at one of the charity’s centres.
It was all hands on deck to care for these puppies in their first crucial hours.
The pups, named Hank, Eddy and Hattie, have been looked after by staff who have worked through day and night to ensure the best care was given to mum and her puppies.
The influx has been largely driven by rescues of large numbers of dogs from locations across Scotland.
Most of the dogs - from small to giant breeds - had been kept in absolute squalor and a number have required veterinary treatment for various conditions including dental disease, infected ears and severely matted fur.
All the animals are now safe and receiving the necessary care in several of the Scottish SPCA’s rescue centres across Scotland. The charity has also been supported by local veterinary practices in handling the emergency response.
However, the charity is facing a race against time to cover the cost of looking after each of the animals and finding both temporary foster homes and permanent forever homes.
The charity estimates that the cost of the care for each animal will be an average of £20 per day for just their accommodation and launched an urgent appeal to raise funds for their care as each dog could be in our care for up to eight weeks.
The costs of basic health check, first vaccinations and flea and worm treatment and the amount of days needed kept in our care can reach an estimated £1223.80 for each dog.
Thanks to the generosity of the public the charity is now halfway to achieving that goal.
Scottish SPCA Head of Rescue and Prevention Laura McIntyre said: “We urgently need help to deal with this unprecedented situation as the numbers of dogs in our care are growing by the day through litters of puppies being born.
“Every day we are seeing increasing numbers of cases where our inspectors need to step in to remove very large numbers of multiple animals from properties where they have been kept in utterly appalling and desperate conditions and been exposed to horrific neglect.
£Our teams across the charity are working relentlessly to help and care for all these animals but we need your help.”
Head of Rehoming and Fostering Jennie Macdonald, added: “Our priority now is giving these dogs the care they desperately need and then eventually finding them new homes – we need foster homes for as many of the dogs as possible to help in the short term while we work to find their forever homes.
“Our fostering team are going above and beyond to get puppies out of the centres and into family homes for important socialisation.
“We urgently need donations to help us give these dogs the care they need, every contribution will make a difference to their recovery and their future.”
“Together we can give these animals the second chance they deserve.”
To donate to the charity’s urgent appeal text PUPPIES followed by your donation amount to 70450 to give that amount. For example, PUPPIES 10 to give £10.
If you are considering adopting an animal then please check and apply via the Scottish SPCA website.
If you are interested in becoming a foster carer then find out more here - https://www.scottishspca.org/foster-an-animal
If anyone is concerned about an animal, please do not hesitate to contact the charity’s confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
