In a field near Elphin, a 2-year-old lurcher and her six puppies were discovered by a passerby on November 6. The mother dog was bound to a metal fence post by her collar, and her puppies were still too young to see. With no food or water in sight, the mother struggled to feed her babies while being restrained by the tight chain around her neck. After getting help from a concerned individual, the dogs were taken to a local vet facility run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).
It was unclear how long the seven members of a family had been trapped in their location. Apparently, rescue workers speculated that the mother and her young were deserted shortly after she gave birth. According to the Daily Mail, this act of leaving a young dog without water, food or shelter, particularly one that is barely two years old, could have put her life and that of her pups in danger. Hugh O’Toole, the manager of the ISPCA center, commented that with the recent heavy rains and cold temperatures, the situation might have been catastrophic if they had not been notified in time for the rescue mission. The canines were taken to the ISPCA’s national animal facility in County Longford to receive immediate medical attention. Thankfully, apart from having to endure hunger and the freezing weather, neither the mother nor her offspring suffered any real injuries.
The ISPCA faced a challenging situation when they had to accommodate a family of seven. Due to the limited resources and full capacity of their centers, they had to rely on private boarding kennels to manage the number of animals waiting to be taken in. Finding responsible homes for the many animals under their care can also be a time-consuming process. It is incomprehensible how someone could abandon a dog tied to a fence with her puppies, and this has rightly angered animal lovers worldwide.
The ISPCA caused a stir on Facebook after sharing photos of a charming and composed lurcher and her puppies. Numerous commentators expressed their sadness at the situation, with one calling it the worst photo they had seen due to the amount of cruelty present in the world. People were outraged at the condition of the mother dog attempting to keep her offspring safe from harm. Stronger laws and harsh penalties for animal abuse are required to prevent this kind of sadistic treatment from occurring again, according to another Facebook user. Other counties have already taken steps to revise their animal welfare regulations, so politicians must take action as well. Although microchipping is mandatory in the United Kingdom, Emmy Lou, the name given to the mother dog by her rescuers, was not chipped, making it impossible to trace her owner.
The ISPCA is currently taking care of six adorable puppies who go by the names Billy Ray, Dixie, Dolly, Dotty, June, and Patsy. Until they reach the age to be adopted, the puppies will remain under the care of the animal welfare organization. Just like other similar organizations worldwide, the ISPCA wants to remind pet owners about spaying and neutering their pets to control the population of unwanted animals. Fortunately, Emmy Lou and her litter were fortunate enough to cross paths with a kind-hearted individual while taking a stroll on a chilly November day in the Irish countryside. Their luck may continue for years to come.