The RSPCA is appealing for information after a dog with stab wounds was left tied to a lamppost in the West Midlands.
The dog, who has been named Comet by rescuers, was found by a member of the public tied to a lamppost in The Lunt, in Bilston, Wolverhampton. He was rushed for urgent veterinary treatment and assessment and was treated for three possible stab wounds at RSPCA Birmingham Animal Hospital.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer Bal Dhamia, who is investigating for the animal welfare charity, said: “It’s heartbreaking to see a dog abandoned with painful injuries in this way.
“We’re keen to find out where Comet came from and who left him in this terrible state. When I arrived, members of the public were thankfully already at the scene and trying to feed him.
“He was very subdued and he looked exhausted. I offered the dog some food which he reluctantly ate. I could see he was still bleeding and in pain and he needed to be moved quickly to the hospital.
“I’m really grateful to the person who contacted us. He kindly stayed with him since making the call and arranged for some blankets and food.
“I managed to remove the chain which was used to tie him to the lampost and I put him on a suitable lead but was reluctant to walk or move.” Members of the public reported seeing a dog being walked at around 8pm on Monday 9 December by a slim white male before later seeing the dog tied to the lamppost.
RSPCA rescuers were called to help the dog after he was still seen tied to the lamppost the following morning on 10 December. Anyone with first-hand information is asked to contact the RSPCA appeals line number, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018 quoting incident number 01406194.
The RSPCA has just launched its Join The Christmas Rescue campaign, to highlight the battle frontline rescuers like Bal face ahead of what is expected to be another bleak winter for thousands of animals. Newly released figures show the charity has seen an almost 25% increase in animal neglect reports during the first nine months of this year and fears the problem is about to get worse.
The animal welfare charity said that between January and September 2024 its emergency cruelty line recorded 48,814 incidents of neglect, up from 38,977 for the same period in 2023 - a worrying 25% year-on-year increase. During this period the emergency line has been open 3, 276 hours, meaning it has taken an average of 15 reported incidents of neglect every single hour - or approximately one every 4 minutes.
In the West Midlands 2148 incidents of animal neglect were reported from January to September this year which is a 20% increase from the same period the year before - making it the third highest county for reports after the London area and West Yorkshire. The neglect figures have been released after the charity also recently announced that 20,999 abandonment reports were made to its emergency line in 2023, compared to 16,118 in 2020 - a rise of 30% in just three years.
The RSPCA, which this year celebrates its 200th anniversary, believes these shocking statistics are due to an increase in pet ownership during Covid 19 and the current financial hardships faced by many. Bal added: “The large 25% increase in the number of pet neglect calls we are taking is a major concern during our busy winter period when many people are facing more financial difficulties, and we fear this upsetting trend will continue.
“One call every four minutes is a frightening statistic. Coupled with this we have also seen a startling increase in abandonment cases up 30% in just three years.
“Sadly, we expect the crisis to worsen as more people tend to struggle with increased costs at this time of the year. But we can make a difference, which is why we are asking the public to support our appeal, ‘Join The Christmas Rescue’, and help our rescuers, veterinary teams, branches and centre staff, who work tirelessly to give animals the urgent treatment and love that will save their lives.”
Anyone who finds a small pet who has been abandoned, please take them directly to a local vet or rescue centre. These teams can 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. The RSPCA has also launched a dedicated cost of living hub to signpost the help out there for owners and we also have more than 200 Pet Food Bank Partnerships across the country to support struggling pet owners.
