These tiny vulnerable puppies were heartlessly dumped on the side of a road in the rain and cold

More and more pets get abandoned as their owners struggle to make ends meet. Shelters are overwhelmed, and they fear that the already critical situation is just the tip of the iceberg. These tiny puppies found dumped on the side of a road in the rain and cold are the latest victims of the cost of living crisis. Luckily, they were rescued and taken under the RSPCA’s care.

Abandoned in rain and cold

Five vulnerable puppies separated from their mama dog were found dumped in the rain. They were shut inside a clear plastic box with red handles and a crack in the lid.

It’s not known if they had been abandoned overnight or early in the morning. The lid was swimming in a puddle of water, suggesting the furries had been left outside for some time during the rain.

All five were huddled together against the cold when a member of the public in South London came across the box. They immediately contacted the RSPCA who took the tiny pooches under their care.

Liz Wheeler, an inspector with the RSPCA, said:

Thankfully the puppies were okay, huddled together on a brown towel in the box, but they were clearly very vulnerable. Leaving them like this is incredibly irresponsible.

The youngest puppies are less than a week old

After examining the puppies, the charity found them to be from two separate litters. Three of them were around six weeks old. The other two were less than a week old and hadn’t even opened their eyes yet, which means they had suffered a traumatic separation from their mama dog.

The pair of one-week-old puppies need special care because they’re so young, and are now being hand-reared by experienced staffers.

All five of the puppies are currently doing well with RSPCA and will continue to get the care they need until they’re strong enough to head off to their forever homes.

The RSPCA is concerned that there may be more furry youngsters out there from the same litter and that they might need help. The charity is appealing for information in a bid to find the pups’ owner.

Head to RSPCA's website to learn more about the charity and support their vital animal welfare and rescue work.

Sources used:

- Metro: 'Tiny puppies found abandoned on the street in a plastic box'

- The Dodo: 'Woman Sees Box On Side Of Road And Can't Believe Who She Finds Inside'

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