A puppy rescued from a multi-animal household incident which made international headlines is now loving life in his new home after he was rehabilitated by the animal welfare charity.
The RSPCA revealed last week how it was forced to refute allegations that a photo showing an incident the charity dealt with involving multiple dogs was not artificial intelligence but instead showed the “staggering reality” of a growing problem.
It came as the charity told how earlier this year the 250 poodle-cross dogs were found at the same property. The numbers and living conditions of the dogs had rapidly grown out of control amid extenuating family circumstances.
The charity also revealed it has seen a 70% rise in multi-animal incidents across England and Wales since 2021, referring to calls involving 10 or more animals.
From this incident the RSPCA took in 87 dogs – and the rest went to the Dogs Trust. Many are now looking for their forever homes, but one of the dog’s called Boone has already landed on his paws and is loving his new life in London with owners Dermot Murphy, wife Breda and children Joseph (22) and Tereasa (20).
Dermot (56), who previously worked for 30 years with the RSPCA, said the family decided to look at adopting another dog after losing their previous Cocker Spaniel Carson aged 14 in January and their other pet Bessie, aged eight, was missing him.
He said: “We were looking at getting another dog and then we heard about this big rescue and that some of the dogs were looking for homes from RSPCA Southridge Animal Centre so we went to have a look and took Bessie with us. (Pictured right is Boone getting rescued)
“I was taken with Boone, and Bessie got on really well with him so we decided to adopt him. “We had to wait a few weeks for him to have vaccinations and be neutered but we have had him for about a month now and he is doing really well and has settled in perfectly.
“When we first got him I had to carry him into the car and then into the house because he had never been on the lead and the whole world was a bit scary for him.
“When he first went in the garden he just planted his feet down and wouldn’t move – we think it must be the first time he had been on grass – but he soon got the hang of things watching Bessie who helped him realise that he could go to the toilet on the garden
“We then took him to a local park and he loved all the new smells and he just got the hang of things and was keen to explore. He used to chase cyclists as he had never seen them before and wanted to play but he has got used to normal things like this now.”
Boone, aged about one, was slightly underweight when he was rescued, he was matted and had to have his fur clipped, he also had issues with his ears and eyes but these issues were treated at the centre
Dermot added: “He really has brought light into our life and it is lovely having a puppy in the house again. He is so playful and gentle and has a friendly personality. He is learning from Bessie and has just fitted into our lives perfectly. He now has confidence which he didn’t have before and even walks with a bit of a swagger now.
“In fact last month he went up to Manchester with me last week to appear on BBC Breakfast News as news of the rescue broke and the presenters wanted to meet Boone and chat to me. He was so well behaved in the car and in the studios where he became quite a hit with staff there.”
The RSPCA said cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices. RSPCA experts say that even initially well-meaning individuals often see situations spiral out of control.
Frontline officers are confronting more and more – with reports of cases involving 10, 20 and even 100 animals on the rise.
Anna White, manager at Southridge who was at the rescue and helped care for some of the dogs including Boone (right), said: “When we first went to the property and opened the door we were confronted by a sea of dogs – just like in the photograph – and you couldn’t work out which body part belonged to who.
“The smell was horrendous. The dogs were living in a slurry pit and there was nowhere on the floor which wasn’t covered in faeces and the ammonia was burning our eyes. They weren’t living in those conditions – they were existing. It is the worst scene I have seen in my 38 years with the RSPCA.
“When we were taking them out of the house they were very quiet but they have been amazingly resilient and soon became different dogs altogether – they have coped so well.
“I am so pleased to see how their lives are now transformed and it is fantastic to see Boone living such a happy and healthy life and getting the love and attention he deserves. It is what makes my job so worthwhile.”
Last year the charity responded to 4,200 incidents which involved at least 10 animals at the same address across England and Wales.
And rising cruelty and neglect has caused a six-year high of animals in RSPCA care, with almost half in emergency boarding because many of the charity’s centres are full to bursting point.
Many of these animals in care have been rescued from heartbreaking cruelty and neglect, and require extensive care and rehabilitation before they can be rehomed. Meanwhile, many are part of legal proceedings, which can delay rehoming further.
That’s why the RSPCA is urging people considering adding a pet to their family to consider adopting to help free-up space in their overwhelmed centres, and to help ease the pressure caused by so many multi-animal cases.
Two of the dogs who were among the 250 found in the recent multi-animal rescue are Stevie and Sandy (pictured) who are both in the care of the RSPCA’s Southridge Animal Centre and are looking to be rehomed together.
Cream-coloured cocker spaniel Stevie is blind and deaf – and needs to be rehomed alongside Sandy, who has become her guide.
We urgently need to find suitable homes for countless animals in our care. Adopting from one of our centres or branches can be so rewarding – and we’d urge anyone in a position to add a rescue pet to their family to check out our dedicated Find a Pet web pages.”