Neglected dog given new lease of life by Buxton couple after RSPCA rescue

Staffordshire bull terrier Bessie had an untreated flea infestation when she was rescued from a filthy property in Teeside in August last year, at the same time as Annie, another Staffy found skeletal and starving.

RSPCA inspector Garry Palmer said: “I was called to investigate following reports by a concerned member of the public and when I went in I was truly shocked. A vet said both dogs had suffered for at least a month – it was a really upsetting incident to deal with and one of those cases you don’t forget.

“Bessie was bald from the base of her neck to the tail and her skin had become thickened and scabby. She was in discomfort from the fleas who were crawling on her body.”

Garry rushed both dogs into emergency care where the vet decided Annie would have to be put down, but Bessie eventually responded to treatment and was taken in for rehabilitation by RSPCA Macclesfield, South East Cheshire and Buxton.

She has since settled into her new home with dog trainer Rob McNeil, 31, and his partner Jessica Murray, 27, and the couple have seen Bessie’s personality gradually transform over the past few months.

Rob said: “We went to see Bessie in her foster home at first and she was quite withdrawn – she would say ‘hello’, make a fuss then go back to sitting quietly.

“It seems she wasn’t used to human interaction and was obviously timid from the circumstances she lived in before. It must have been awful for her – especially as her canine friend was left in such a suffering state.

“Within a few weeks her personality really came through. She is a typical bouncy Staffy who loves people and enjoys playing with her tennis ball. She is still learning how to play with people but she is doing so well.”

Jessica added: “Bessie has come on leaps and bounds and loves her long walks and getting plenty of love and affection. It is so sad to think of her past but it is great she has such a happy future to look forward to thanks to the work of the RSPCA.”

The charity is highlighting this story as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty fundraising campaign to help its rescue teams out on the frontline continue to save animals from cruelty and abuse and to raise awareness about how to stop cruelty to animals for good.

A staggering 44,427 reports of dog cruelty were made to the RSPCA in 2021, involving 92,244 dogs – equivalent to at 253 a day or more than ten every hour – a significant 16 per cent increase on the same figures for 2020.

Dermot Murphy, the charity’s chief inspectorate officer, said: “It is incredibly worrying that still in 2022 we are seeing this high level of cruelty towards animals.

“We’ve seen a rise in reports of beatings and with the increase in pet ownership and financial pressures grow, which is why we are calling on the public to help us.”

To learn more about the campaign and make a donation, go to www.rspca.org.uk/stopcruelty.

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