A litter of chihuahua pups and their mum have been found dumped in a box beside a bin in the Newry area.
A member of the public made the discovery and found the animals in a distressed state before contacting the USPCA.
The box is understood to have had no obvious signs of ventilation, was soaking wet and there was no food or bedding inside it.
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The person who found the dogs transferred the mum and pups into a ventilated box with bedding and food before bringing them to the USPCA Animal Hospital in Newry.
The pups were around one week old and they and their mum are now being cared for by the Vet team.
The mum was ‘cowering over and looked extremely nervous’, the Animal Welfare Officer at the USPCA later stated.
Nora Smith, CEO of the USPCA thanked the member of the public saying: “Only for the kindness of this individual I dread to think of the outcome of the mum and her pups. It never fails to amaze me how some people can be so cruel to animals. There are a myriad of horrible ways in which this dog and her pups could have died. Animals are not commodities, to be disposed of or dumped. They are vulnerable living creatures and should only be surrounded by love and affection."
She added: “We are at capacity in the centre presently, the number of animals being surrendered to us is putting us under extreme pressure. We will always respond and do our best by animals. However, I also want to remind and plea with anybody who is thinking about getting a pet, to know it comes with significant responsibility. I would also encourage anyone who is considering buying a pet, please consider a rescue. There are thousands of dogs, pups, cats and kittens who desperately need to find their forever home.”
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