October 13, 2021 - 1759 views
RSPCA Cymru has lanched a rehoming appeal for two dogs, nine months after they were rescued from a dilapidated farm with 43 others
Lassie and Pippin, who had never been for a walk or worn a collar before they were found, are still waiting for their furever homes
A special appeal has been launched to find loving new homes for two dogs in Wales who have spent over 260 days in RSPCA care after being rescued from dilapidated farm premises in Ceredigion in January.
Female crossbreeds Lassie and Pippin, who are five and two-years-old respectively, have received months of care and rehabilitation at the charity’s Bryn-y-Maen Animal Centre in Upper Colwyn Bay after having had little human interaction for most of their lives.
The dogs, who had never worn a collar or been on a walk, have come on in leaps and bounds in RSPCA care, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the centre’s staff. But although both of them have been patiently waiting for loving new homes for several months, no-one has come forward to adopt them.
The appeal comes during Adoptober, when the RSPCA urges people to Adopt Don’t Shop and shines a light on the rescue animals looking for forever homes in the charity’s care.
Bryn-y-Maen’s manager, Victoria Williams, said: “When Lassie and Pippin arrived they were unsocialised and very nervous. They’d been living rough in inappropriate conditions in a dilapidated outhouse with 43 other dogs and had never experienced a normal life. It’s taken months of patient work by the staff here to gain their trust, build their confidence and get them used to everyday things.
"Both of them need a quiet rural or semi rural environment with understanding owners who are going to be able to continue to build their confidence as they take this next step. They are very special dogs who have been through a lot, so please get in touch with us if you think you can offer them a forever home.”
RSPCA officers removed 45 dogs from the property after the owner agreed to work with the charity when the situation got out of control. The sheer quantity of dogs meant the owner was struggling to meet their basic needs; a lack of shelter, parasite control and poor diet were all areas of concern.
Bryn-y-Maen animal care assistant Callum Bartley, said it has understandably taken a long time to build a bond with Lassie and Pippin.
He said: “For a couple of months we would just sit outside their kennels throwing high value treats in for them. Once they were comfortable with that we fed them through the kennel bars before letting them out in the main block, leaving food bowls in different areas and gradually introducing more staff around them.
“The next step was to get them used to a lead and a collar and about three months after they arrived, they were finally ready to go for a walk. This may sound like a long time for some people but we know when you work with these types of dogs you should never rush them and let them do everything at their own speed."
Visit the RSPCA’s Find A Pet website to find out more about Pippin and Lassie and the type of homes they are looking for.
