Worrying rise of dogs needing help as 'defenceless' puppies found in plastic bag

An animal charity has warned about an alarming rate of dogs needing help after seven puppies were found abandoned in a plastic bag recently, only two of which survived. 

Dogs Trust Ireland has highlighted the worrying increase in the number of dogs needing their help after they took in a litter of defenceless four-week-old puppies that were abandoned in Co. Dublin. 

A shocked member of the public spotted one of the tiny puppies in the middle of the road and when he got out to help, he discovered a plastic bag containing the puppy’s six siblings nearby. The pups were soaking wet and distressingly, two of them were already dead.

The veterinary team at Dogs Trust did their utmost to treat the puppies but given their age and the condition they arrived in, despite their best efforts, only two survived.

Veterinary and Welfare Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Niamh Curran-Kelly, explained: “Cases like this are incredibly upsetting for everyone involved. At just four-weeks-old, puppies are still heavily dependent on their mother and wouldn’t be fully weaned yet. They were far too young to be separated from her, let alone to have been left outside in the cold and rain. Despite receiving the very best care, we were saddened that only two of the puppies have survived this ordeal. Thankfully, these two little fighters are thriving, and both have recently been adopted”.

To find out more about the campaign and how you can help, see www.DogsTrust.ie/Crisis