AN APPEAL for information has been launched after a dog was found abandoned in a terrible condition on the street of a village near Broadway.
The Jack Russell terrier, affectionately named Ethel, was found in Childswickham in a weakened state, severely underweight, and with old, untreated wounds.
Her rear right leg was particularly badly affected, appearing to have gone through a strangulation injury necessitating an amputation.
After being collected, Ethel was rushed to the vets by the county’s dog warden team to be stabilised and given pain relief.
Following the seven-day statutory boarding period ending, with no owner coming forward, Ethel was passed to a charity-organised foster home where she is receiving specialist care.
Despite initial inspections, which found she had a potentially cancerous mass on the left side of her chest and dental disease, she is on the road to recovery and reported to be doing well.
Pip Griffin, senior dog warden for Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) on behalf of Wychavon District Council, said: “It is upsetting to see the unnecessary suffering Ethel has endured.
“When she was found, she was in a huge amount of pain, yet she still has the sweetest temperament.
“It is important we find the former owner so that we can prevent them from allowing this to happen again.
“Sadly, Ethel’s story is not a unique experience as we continue to find more dogs with welfare needs being seized across the county.
“We will continue to ask for the support of the public to track down negligent owners.
“If you know who had this dog previously, please come forward and provide a statement.”
Last year, 24 per cent of stray dogs had welfare issues, compared to one-fifth of all strays received in previous years.
Worcestershire Regulatory Services is responsible for the dog warden service in Wychavon and the five other city, borough and district councils in the county.
Residents with any information on Ethel or her owner can contact WRS by calling 01905 822799 or email [email protected] to pass on what they know.
