Three puppies dumped in a lay-by on one of the hottest days of the year have died.
When the spaniels were found in a cardboard box by a cyclist in Rochford, Essex, on Saturday, one of the pups was already dead.
The two others, a male and female, died whilst being treated at a local vets.
Samantha Garvey, the RSPCA's chief inspector for Essex, said the animals died from parvovirus - a very contagious dog illness that causes dehydration through severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
It’s feared that the poor creatures, thought to be about eight weeks old, were imported into the UK from a puppy farm, and were dumped when they fell ill.
Temperatures in Essex soared to 32C on Sunday, the day the dogs were dumped, as much of the UK sweltered in a heatwave.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Garvey called the case "horrific", adding it was "possible" the animals were from a puppy farm.
"We see it a lot. Dogs are brought across because they are cheaper to source and import for sale from Europe than they are in the UK," she said.
"It's a problem of supply and demand. A lot of people are off work and think it's the perfect time to get a puppy.
"I would just ask that people really do their research and not agree to buy any animals who they have reason to believe are sick."
People with information about how the spaniels came to be dumped by the side of the road are asked to contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.
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