The dog was tied to a gate (Video)

It is terrible enough to abandon a pet. What is even worse is leaving an animal to die by chaining it up and trapping it. The exhausted lurcher was found lying flat on her side while nursing the pups. They were so young they hadn’t opened their eyes yet. A walker spotted the vulnerable animals by chance in a field in Elphin, a small town in County Roscommon, Ireland. They were taken to a vet at the ISPCA National Animal Centre in Longford for urgent attention. Apart from being cold and hungry, they fortunately do not appear to have any health issues.

It is unclear how long they had been left alone in the field but they are being closely monitored by ISPCA staff. The poor dog was left with no water, food, or shelter. And on top of all of that, she had to care for her new puppies all alone. Recent rainfall and cool temperatures could have turned this into a tragedy in a hurry. Fortunately for the mama dog and her babies, a good samaritan spotted the trapped dog and reported the incident. This poor mom had barely enough slack on her chain to even lay her head down and rest. She had fought so hard, and it was time to finally bring her and her babies to safety.

A very different end

Mr O’Toole said the dog was scanned for a chip to trace her owner but she was not microchipped, which is a legal requirement. The charity is urging pet owners to spay or neuter their pets as early as possible to prevent accidental or unwanted litters. The dog has been named Emmy Lou and her little puppies are Billy Ray, Dixie, Dolly, Dotty, June and Patsy. They will remain in ISPCA care until the New Year when they will be old enough to be responsibly rehomed. Watch the video, they enjoy this new start and all the hugs they receive each day.