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Picture: Puppies as found, Feb 2021, and one of the puppies (Molly – pictured right) in her new home.

Guardian Angels sought for 2,500 animals at RSPCA SA over festive season

Four puppies found malnourished and living in squalor at a northern suburbs house will reunite today to help other animals in need ahead of RSPCA South Australia’s busiest months. The puppies – together with their emaciated mother – were rescued by RSPCA SA inspectors following a tip-off in March 2021, with the case against their previous owner finalised in February this year.

Now nearly three years old, Molly, Poppy, Kora and Ruby are the faces of RSPCA’s national Guardian Angel Christmas Appeal, raising vital funds to support the charity’s rescue and rehabilitation of animals coming into its care over summer. Along with their four siblings and mother, the puppies required extensive care for months before they could be rehomed.

RSPCA SA Inspector Emma Shepley led the investigation and vividly recalls finding the eight puppies confined to a bathroom at the Smithfield Plains property.

“With their distended stomachs and heads too big for their bodies, it was obvious that these pups were starving, and they were filthy too,” Inspector Shepley said.

“When I saw the state of their mother, with her ribs, spine and hips all sticking out, it was also obvious that she was in no condition to produce milk for her babies.”

In RSPCA SA care the animals were put on feeding plans, vaccinated and treated for worms and fleas, and all regained healthy weights within a couple of months. Their previous owner agreed to surrender the animals, enabling them all eventually to find new homes.

“Diamond, the mother dog, took the longest to rehome because – as with many emaciated animals – the experience of starvation had a psychological impact too,” Inspector Shepley said.

“All that initial care, along with extensive behavioural work for Diamond with our skilled dog-care team, was possible because of donations from our community – these dogs are living proof of the difference donations make for animals that we seize from shocking situations.

“I encourage anyone able to donate to our Christmas Appeal to please do so, or consider giving a Guardian Angel card to an animal lover in your life – that way you’ll both be helping animals like Diamond and her puppies to get the second chances they all deserve.”

In the last financial year, RSPCA SA found new homes for a record number of 6240 animals. There are currently 754 animals in the organisation’s care and 314 are at the main Lonsdale shelter.

The Christmas appeal is vital for boosting RSPCA SA’s funds during its busiest time of the year, with around 2,500 animals expected to arrive at its three shelters from November to January.

Donate here: https://www.rspcaguardianangel.com.au/