Call for help to find breeders of dogs abandoned across Fenland

The hunt is on to find the breeders who have callously dumped three sets of puppies across Fenland.

Fenland District Council is appealing for help in tracing the owners of the puppies who were all dealt with by the district’s dog warden at a cost of around £2,200 to the authority.

The abandoned dogs have prompted fears people are breeding puppies and are then dumping them when they fail to sell them.

Four spaniel cross poodle puppies were dumped in Wisbech St Mary. Five mastiff cross puppies were taken to a vet in March. Two whippets were found in Manea.

Most of the puppies were in good condition, but the coats of thespaniel cross poodle puppies were badly matted and needed attention.

Fenland’s appointed stray dog service cared for all the dumped animals and was able to place them with rehoming organisations.

The council is urging anyone who finds themselves with animals they can’t rehome to get in touch to access help available rather than leaving animals at risk of harm.

Councillor Susan Wallwork, portfolio holder for environmental health, said: “It’s heartbreaking when animals are not properly looked after.

“There is support available so that an animal never needs to be callously dumped.

“We’d urge anyone who has information about who owned these puppies to let us know. It’s vital that we identify any irresponsible breeders in our area to prevent further harm and neglect of animals.

“Anyone who finds themselves with a litter they can’t home or animal they can’t keep should contact one of our local animal charities or us for help.”

In each of the recent cases the dogs have been picked up by the council’s appointed dog warden after being reported as stray.

The council’s stray dog service has covered the cost of vet bills, collection fees, food and welfare. Due to the animals having to be treated as lost, the dogs had to remain in kennels for seven days before being able to move onto rehoming partners. The total cost can reach up to £200 per dog.

The spaniel cross poodle puppies were found separately between the end of February and beginning of March, but were all the same age and believed to be from the same litter. The whippets were dumped at the end of June and the mastiff cross puppies were left at the vet’s in July.

Anyone who breeds and sells puppies for profit or breeds and sells as a business must have a licence. Failure to have a licence can result in prosecution.

Fenland’s stray dog service always tries to reunite lost dogs with owners as quickly as possible, which can be achieved where micro-chips are present. By law, dogs must be micro-chipped by the time they are eight weeks old.

• If you know anything about the abandoned dogs email: envhealth@fenland.gov.uk or call Laura Harwood on 01354 654321
• If you find a lost, stray or abandoned dog, see: www.fenland.gov.uk/straydogs
• For more information on licences to breed and sell dogs see: www.fenland.gov.uk/animallicensing
• Check a breeder has a licence via the Licensing Public Register at www.fenland.gov.uk
• If you have a dog you can’t keep see www.ravenswoodpetrescue.co.uk, www.woodgreen.org.uk or www.rspca.org.uk/local/block-fen-animal-centre.