Heartbreak over an abandoned dog that was once a ‘much-loved pet’

Cassie, a female boxer cross, was found tied to a gate outside the RSPCA centre in Cheshire, England.

The charity is concerned about the rising number of abandoned pets across the country and is appealing for information in a bid to locate Cassie’s heartless owners.

The owner simply walked off from their once ‘much-loved pet’

A 'cuddly' and 'friendly' eight-year-old dog Cassie is believed to have been someone's 'much-loved pet' before she was found tied to the gate and abandoned in Cheshire.

CCTV caught a man who brought her to the entrance to the centre before he walked off and left her behind. Cassie was taken in by the shelter’s staff despite the facility being full at the time.

According to the RSCPA, it's 'clear' the pooch had once been someone's 'much-loved pet'. She is also described as having a 'friendly disposition'.

Katie Buckley, animal care manager at the centre run by the charity's Warrington, Halton and St Helens branch, said:

Cassie is a lovely, friendly-natured dog, who would have been left anxious and confused by what was happening to her. It’s clear she’s been well looked after in the past which makes it even harder to understand why she was given up like this.

Read more:

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Cassie is looking for a new home

Cassie adores human affection, and while she can be a little bit nervous about new people, she’ll be your best friend if you give her treats and cuddles.

The RSCPA is now seeking a new home for the pooch. The charity says she already knows some basic commands and gets on well with other dogs, meaning she could be rehomed with a companion dog of a similar age.

She also will need a garden to potter around in with a family who are around for a good part of the day and possibly work from home.

As she’s an older dog, a quieter environment would suit her, so any children in the household will ideally need to be older than eight. More information about how to adopt Cassie is available here.

More and more dogs get abandoned

The RSPCA recently revealed that its officers dealt with 1,532 incidents of animals being abandoned in the first month of this year. This is compared to 1,390 for the same period in 2022 - a rise of 10%.

It’s believed the cost of living crisis, coupled with the expected financial pressures on pet owners during the festive season, may have led to the upsurge.

RSPCA rehoming centres are inundated with large numbers of animals, leaving the charity to meet boarding costs while spaces become available at its centres.

The charity is urging pet owners to seek help before letting problems escalate and it has opened a telephone helpline - 0300 123 0650 - to support people. Practical help can be found at a recently-launched cost of living hub for those struggling to look after their pets.

Read more:

⋙ Two dogs were heartlessly left to starve as their owners jet-setted on holidays

⋙ Heartbreak as a dog was 'dumped for dead' in a desert and had to live with coyotes

Sources used:

- Cheshire Live: 'Cuddly' dog tied to gate and abandoned had once been someone's 'much-loved pet'