Dogs were found ‘living in squalor' in caravans

THREE dogs, living in what the ISPCA have described as ‘squalor’, have been removed from a house in West Cork. 

ISPCA inspector Lisa O’Donovan responded to a call regarding a property in the area and, on investigation, discovered three dogs living in squalor.

 ‘Two of the dogs were discovered tied with a very short rope to a wheel in a disused caravan,’ said Lisa. ‘The dogs were unable to move around properly and were terrified. These dogs would have been forced to sleep and eat in their own faeces and urine. Neither of these dogs were microchipped,’ a spokesperson added.

 Insp O’Donovan also discovered a third dog in a second caravan. ‘This dog was microchipped and further investigation revealed that he had gone missing from his home in Cork city in March,’ the ISPCA said.

 ‘It is routine for ISPCA inspectors to scan every dog that comes into our care for a microchip,’ said Insp O’Donovan. ‘These three dogs looked very out of place on this property and I was immediately suspicious. We cannot emphasise enough the importance of microchipping dogs, and more importantly the importance of having the microchip details up to date on the database. Six months had passed since this little dog called Rusty was reported missing, and one cannot express the delight an owner can feel to get that important phone call to tell them their dog has been found and is safe. We are very relieved to have these dogs out of these inhumane conditions and safely in our care.’

Microchipping is a legal requirement for all dogs, and owners must have their dog microchipped, the chip details up to date on a government-approved database, and be in possession of their microchipping certificate. Not only is this a legal requirement, but it can make all the difference for a lost dog.

 ‘The ISPCA was delighted to reunite Rusty with his owners, who are absolutely overwhelmed to have him home,’ said a spokesperson. ‘The case is currently under investigation to discover the origins of the other two dogs,’ they added.