Here’s a “pupdate” on the six tiny Lurcher puppies who were dumped in a bucket late in 2016. The tiny, five week old pups were dumped on a doorstep a few days before Christmas 2016. Due to the timing of their discovery, the youngsters were named after Santa’s reindeer, after being taken to the RSPCA.
The litter of puppies are recovering from their ordeal, although one puppy – Dasher - very sadly died of parvo within a few days of being rescued. The surviving puppies are doing very well, thankfully.
Deputy manager at RSPCA Millbrook, Liz Wood, said: “These poor pups were very sick when they came in to us. They had been dumped on the doorstep in a bucket in the freezing cold. They were so lucky they were found as if they had been there too much longer they would’ve all died.
“We think the person that had them may have possibly bred them to be sold as Christmas presents and then as the litter started to get ill rather than take them to a vet like any loving pet-owner would do they chose to dump them. How anyone could treat defenceless little pups like this is just beyond me.
“Sadly one of the pups died just before Christmas. The rest of the litter have been in quarantine since they came in to us but have made it through so we think they are out of the danger zone now which is such a relief.
“They have some skin and eye infections but are responding well to treatment so we are hoping they will go on to make a full recovery. They are our little Christmas miracles!”
The five puppies - Blitzen, Cupid, Dancer, Prancer and Rudolf – are at the RSPCA’s Millbrook centre, and are enjoying lots of attention and affection from staff. As soon as they are declared fully healthy and old enough, the RSPCA will be looking for long-term loving homes for them.
If you would like to help the RSPCA in their vital work helping dogs like these young Lurchers, text HELP to 78866 to give £3 (Text costs £3 + one standard network rate message).