‘Pile of rags’ in road was starving dog left for dead
Collapsed animal rushed to vet after near-miss
A starving dog was found collapsed in a busy road.
The female tan lurcher, now named Snoopy, was at first mistaken for a pile of rags when a motorist spotted her in Woolley Road, Senacre and rushed her to a vet.
Snoopy was discovered last Thursday night and is now recovering at Leybourne Animal Centre. The RSPCA has launched an investigation.
Rosie Russon, an RSPCA inspector, said: “The people who found her said they at first mistook her for a pile of rags, she was so still and they had to swerve to miss her.
“Thankfully they realised in time and kindly rescued her and took her to a nearby vet who called us the next day.
“She is extremely thin– almost skin and bones – and weighing just 10 kilos rather than the 16kg which would have been a healthy weight for her size.
“No medical condition has been found so this emaciation seems to be due to not being fed. She also had injuries to her tail, which are consistent with being caged in an enclosed space.”
The inspector said staff think the dog is young, less than two years old.
“She has clearly had a very sad start in life but regardless she is such a sweet, friendly little thing.
“She seems to be making a good recovery, although there is always a danger of organ failure in dogs so we are keeping a close eye on her,” Ms Russon added.
Snoopy’s plight comes as calls are made for tougher animal cruelty sentences.
MP Gareth Johnson, who represents Dartford, wants to see five years in jail for the worst cases, rather than a six-month maximum and is backing a campaign by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The charity also cites evidence showing animal cruelty offenders go on to commit other serious crimes, so they should be treated as a serious criminals by the justice system to protect the public.
Anyone with any information about how Snoopy ended up on the side of the road should call 0300 123 8018.