Terrified emaciated dog found dumped next to dead family in Runcorn

A traumatised dog was rescued after being dumped in a kennel alongside its dead and decomposing siblings in Runcorn .

An RSCPA inspector described it as one of the saddest sights she has encountered.

Dog lover and member of the public Gareth Forshaw was alerted to the horrific scene on Grange Road North off Halton Road at 8pm last night.

His own Cavalier King Charles, called Lily, started barking through the window at a lane at the side of his house.

Upon investigating he found a wooden kennel, and inside an emaciated terrier-cross aged about a year old, with two dead dogs.

She was rushed to Greater Manchester Animal Hospital where she is being treated for severe mange and weight loss and will be rehabilitated by the RSPCA before being rehomed.

Gareth said: “I thought it was a strange thing to be dumped so I went to have a closer look and then when I peered inside I could see two dead dogs – and the smell of their decomposition hit me.

“There was another dog out of the kennel in a terrible state, with very little hair, which ran off.”

He added: “Me and a neighbour went to get some water and food for the poorly dog and backed away from the kennel.

“She then came out from where she was hiding and drunk all the water and ate all the food before jumping back in the kennel and laying on the dead dogs.

“She was so scared. It was awful and really upsetting for all the neighbours who were trying to help, especially as we knew she had been left with the dead animals which were probably family members.

“We called the RSPCA who advised us to try and get a dog lead on her so she wouldn’t run away, which we did, and held her until an inspector arrived.”

Inspector Lisa Lupson arrived at the scene, which was one of “the saddest sights I have ever witnessed in my 12 years as an RSPCA inspector”.

She said: “It was truly horrendous – this poor dog was so ill and was so frightened, she still wanted to be with the dead dogs which we believe were her siblings.

“Initial reports suggest they had been dead for a number of days so it must have been horrendous for her to be there all that time not knowing what would happen to her – and she was so loyal she wanted to stay with them.”