40 Yorkshire Terrier dogs left to fend for themselves after owner passes away

The RSPCA is currently undertaking efforts to find suitable homes for more than 40 dogs and puppies that were rescued from a residence in Kent after their owner was discovered deceased.

Over the course of the previous couple weeks, the RSPCA teams have been offering care and support to a number of Yorkshire terriers spanning from four weeks to ten years old, subsequent to the unsettling discovery made by the police on January 15th.

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Authorities had been alerted to the property in Rainham due to concerns regarding the well-being of the owner.

Upon arrival, law enforcement launched a large-scale operation that lasted for a week, aimed at rescuing the dogs that had been left to fend for themselves for several days.

Given the significant number of animals residing in the cluttered premises, the teams had to employ night cameras and set traps in the attic to ensure the recovery of each dog.

Leading the rescue mission were Animal Rescue Officer Brian Milligan and Inspector Clive Hopwood. Mr. Milligan recounted, “The final two puppies we found were captured using a cat trap, which proved to be a challenging process due to the dogs’ lightweight.

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Overall, this was a difficult undertaking that required substantial resources from the RSPCA to clear the property and ensure the retrieval of all the dogs.

We conducted extensive searches every day for a week to rescue each dog—ultimately, we had to search every room.”

RSPCA officers have revisited the bungalow and confirmed that no dogs were left behind.

Presently, the rescued canines are receiving care at various RSPCA animal centers, while a local charity collaborating with the RSPCA will assume responsibility for a small number of them.

A spokesperson from one of the animal centers, which is currently providing care for ten dogs and four puppies, mentioned, “We are allowing the dogs time to adjust to their surroundings by providing them with attentive care.

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They are being kept in pairs since they were previously living in a household with multiple dogs. We need to invest time in assessing their individual personalities.

All of them will undergo grooming, but in terms of their health, there were no major issues, apart from some dental problems.

However, many of these dogs exhibit signs of fear, which is understandable considering the distressing experience they have been through. Helping them regain a sense of security and finding them new homes will be a gradual process, and we will proceed at their own pace.”

The discovery of such a large number of animals in the vicinity of Rainham came as a surprise to the neighbors, who reportedly had no knowledge of the owner housing so many pets.

One neighbor expressed, “He was a helpful person. Always ready to lend a hand. He was quite intelligent.”

The deceased owner’s relatives cooperated with the RSPCA during the recovery operation and were unaware of the extent of the issues at the property.

A police spokesperson stated, “Last week, RSPCA rescuers were called to an address on Pump Lane, where a number of dogs and puppies were removed from the property and are now under our care.

The deceased individual was found, and there is no suspicion surrounding the cause of death.”

To get in touch with the RSPCA regarding these dogs you can visit their website here.