A lurcher dog nursing six newborn puppies has been found chained to a gate in Co Roscommon.
The mother dog was spotted in a field near Elphin, by a kind-hearted person who alerted the Gardaí and the ISPCA.
There was no food or water left with the animals and it's not known how long they were left there.
Animal-lovers have slammed the callous act, with the ISPCA saying it was lucky the little family were found in time.
ISPCA Centre Manager Hugh O’Toole said: “Leaving a young dog only two years old tied up without water, food or shelter most definitely put her along with her young puppies’ lives at risk.
"We are urging pet owners to spay or neuter their pets as early as possible to reduce the high number of unwanted animals.
"I don’t understand how anyone can think it is okay to leave a dog tied to a gate to nurse her puppies.
"With the recent level of rainfall and cold weather this week, the outcome could have been very different and I’m happy we were alerted so we could help them”.
Efforts have been made to trace the dog's owner but she was not microchipped.
Hugh added: “The dog was scanned to trace her owner but unfortunately she was not microchipped which, is a legal requirement.
"Our centres are constantly full to capacity and with very limited resources, we sometimes have had to use private boarding kennels to help the number of animals waiting to come in, once space becomes available.
"It can also take time to find good responsible homes for the many animals in our care."
The dog has been named Emmy Lou and her pups have been named Billy Ray, Dixie, Dolly, Dotty, June and Patsy.
They will remain in ISPCA care until the New Year until they are old enough to be rehomed.
Anybody with any information is asked to contact the ISPCA National Animal Cruelty Helpline in confidence on 1890 515 515 or report online.
