A woman has shared her shock after discovering a dog tied up to a fence with a heartbreaking note. The poor pooch was found tied up outside an address in Stafford, in the West Midlands, during the dark hours on Tuesday.
While he had a water and food bowl beside him, they were completely empty and it is not known how long the dog spent outside in the cold without a drink. He was also wearing a shock collar to limit his movements around the garden.
Rescuer Sophie claims to have come across the dog while walking in the area - and eventually decided to rescue him before contacting the police, reports BirminghamLive.
She said: "It looks like it has been there for a couple of days.
"There were empty dog bowls next to him and an electric collar on the dog. So tonight, we rescued the dog and took it to a warm home, fed him and gave him water.
"How can anyone be so cruel and spiteful to an animal? Don't buy a dog if you can't look after it."
Sophie says he was sat alongside a handwritten note, which read: "Hello! My name is Woody. I am looking for a family. I love children and I am cat friendly. If interested, please give the door a knock."
She claims to have contacted the police but was told to speak to the RSPCA regarding the matter.
"My friend has taken him in for a loving forever home," she added.
It comes after the RSPCA revealed a stark increase in the number of animals being dumped on the streets, with a 17 per cent rise from 2020 to 2021 and another 24 per cent increase this year.
Dermot Murphy, chief inspectorate officer at the RSPCA, said: "The idea of putting your cat in a cat carrier and taking them to a secluded spot in the woods before walking away, or chucking your dog out of the car and driving off leaving them desperately running behind the vehicle, is absolutely unthinkable and heartbreaking to most pet owners - but sadly we are seeing animals callously abandoned like this every single day.
"We understand that sometimes the unexpected can happen - the pandemic and cost of living crisis proved that - but there is never an excuse to abandon an animal. There are always other options for anyone who has fallen on hard times and can no longer afford to keep their pet."
A report released by the RSPCA in partnership with the Scottish SPCA shows the cost of living crisis is the most urgent threat to pet welfare in the UK.
Their research found 78 per cent of pet owners think the cost of living will impact their animals, almost seven out of 10 (68 per cent) expressed concern that the cost of care was increasing, and a fifth (19 per cent) are worried about how they’ll afford to feed their pets.
The study also showed cat owners seem to be most impacted and concerned about cost of living pressures.
An RSPCA spokeswoman told the Mirror: "It certainly is a worrying time for lots of people including pet owners. In terms of what people struggling can do, we would encourage people to reach out for help to family, friends, or charities.
"Sadly we are seeing more and more animals coming into our care and many of these have been abandoned, which is never the answer."
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