Pup influx: Charity rescues record number of dogs in Scotland in over a week

The Scottish SPCA has rescued a record 216 dogs in just over a week – believed to be the largest intake in 185 years.

The influx included several pregnant dogs who gave birth to litters of puppies, and some are now being bottle fed.

Caring for the animals is anticipated to cost £20 per dog, per day, for eight weeks, prompting a crisis appeal to raise £264,340, the estimated total.

The dogs, of a variety of breeds, were mostly kept in “absolute squalor”, with many needing veterinary care, including for matted fur, ear infections and dental treatment, and were rescued within the first ten days of October.

A newborn puppy being bottle fed at a Scottish SPCA rescue centre. PA Media

Compared with the same ten-day period in 2023, when 45 dogs were rescued, the spike is a 380% increase, and the charity said the costs were “overwhelming”, with many puppies taken in.

The costs of a basic health check, first vaccinations and flea and worm treatment and the amount of days needed in care can reach an estimated £1,223.80 for each dog, according to the charity.

All the animals are receiving the necessary care in several of Scottish SPCA’s rescue centres across Scotland, with local vets assisting.

Potential fosterers are being sought, along with permanent homes, after the charity described the surge as “unprecedented” and “unfathomable”.

Scottish SPCA head of rescue and prevention Laura McIntyre said: “This is the biggest single influx of dogs in such a short period that I’ve ever seen and we urgently need help to deal with this unprecedented situation.

“We are seeing increasing numbers of cases where our inspectors need to step in to remove very large numbers of multiple animals from properties where they have been kept in utterly appalling and desperate conditions and exposed to horrific neglect.

“That has reached extreme levels over the past week and our teams have been working relentlessly to get hundreds of animals to safety.”

Head of rehoming and fostering Jennie Macdonald said: “Our priority now is giving these dogs the care they desperately need and then eventually finding them new homes – we need foster homes for as many of the dogs as possible to help in the short term while we work to find their forever homes.

“Our fostering team are going above and beyond to get puppies out of the centres and into family homes for important socialisation.

“We urgently need donations to help us give these dogs the care they need, every contribution will make a difference to their recovery and their future.

“Together we can give these animals the second chance they deserve.”

To donate to the charity’s urgent appeal people can text PUPPIES followed by their donation amount to 70450 to give that amount. For example, PUPPIES 10 to give £10.

To donate visit https://www.scottishspca.org/216-puppies-and-dogs-in-need-now.