An American bulldog and 12 puppies were found abandoned in a vacant house – after the previous tenant moved out.
When the landlord discovered two-year-old American bulldog Tara and her dozen puppies, they were taken to a vet.
The four-legged friends were assessed and then handed over to Dogs Trust, who are ready to rehome Tara and her litter of six male and six female puppies. Liverpool echo reports.
Georgina Lowery, the manager of the relocation center at Trust dogs Merseyside, said: “Tara and her pups are real troopers because they’ve had such a rough start in life but are doing so well in kennels.
“It is always heartbreaking to see a mother and her young pups approach us in this way, but when we hear the clatter of little paws we are ready to give them the love they deserve.
“It is so unusual to have such a large litter come through and they have absolutely melted our hearts. It will be hard to say goodbye to these little bundles of joy but we will be safe in the knowledge that new owners will help them grow into big lovable dogs.”
Georgina sadly added that mom Tara has cropped her ears. Ear cropping is illegal in the UK – and Dogs Trust is calling on the government to ban the sale of dogs that have undergone the procedure. The government is currently discussing proposals to ban imports of dogs with cropped ears.
Georgina said: “Tara is a wonderful mum and is doing very well. She is currently receiving some loving attention from the center staff and we hope that she too will soon be ready to find a forever home where she can receive the love she deserves. deserves.”
Dogs Trust received 50,000 questions last year from struggling owners. The charity urged people who are unable to care for their dogs to step forward to ensure the dog’s needs are met.
In November last year, the rehoming center in Huyton, Merseyside, opened a dog food bank to help struggling owners during the cost of living crisis. Eight in 10 dog owners have experienced an increase in the cost of keeping their dog – 77 percent reported a marked increase in food.
Georgina said: “For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member, so we want to keep as many dogs and owners together as possible. The launch of food banks in some of our rehoming centres, including here in Merseyside, is one of the ways we are trying to do this, and thanks to the generosity of people across Liverpool we have dog food available for anyone struggling with the cost of dog food.”