The good folks at An Garda Síochána have rescued five tiny pups from a van that was attempting to board the ferry at Dublin Port yesterday, according to the DSPCA.
They were being kept in a miniscule postage box in the back of a van, and all four pups – who are terrier cross-breeds, and less than six weeks old – were suffering from dehydration and infested with worms.
The young pups are now in the care of the DSPCA. A spokesperson for the cruelty-prevention society said:
This is just another case of illegal smuggling of underage puppies, and the obvious disregard for the animal’s health and welfare is of great concern to the DSPCA.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the illegal puppy trade, the DSPCA is hosting a conference on Thursday October 6 at 7pm at UCD. The event is free – but you need to book, at www.dspca.ie.