Dog found 'half dead' in 'appalling' cruelty case

A lurcher found "half dead" in Worcestershire has been described as one of the "most appalling cases of cruelty" the county's dog wardens have ever seen.

The dog, named Phoenix, was found in the Malvern Hills area with bones protruding across his body. He has since been taken in by Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS).

While the animal has received immediate vital care, senior dog warden Pip Griffin said staff were taking it day by day and keeping their "fingers crossed he will make it".

She said: "We've taken in a stray dog that was literally half dead."

Warning: Some readers may find photos within this report distressing.

Griffin said: "We're hoping to get the public behind us and to try and find the owner who has obviously done this abhorrent act to this dog.

"It has to stop. We rely on the public for information because we don't know where this dog has come from or who owned it before.

"I'd urge anyone who may know where this dog has come from to contact us so the person concerned can be held to account."

The senior dog warden said welfare cases across Worcestershire were "on the increase", which she described as "quite disheartening".

"We are seeing welfare dogs every week now. It's not just once a month, it's every week," she explained.

"I think a lot of it has to do with the cost of living, I think a lot of it has to do with veterinary fees and I think a lot of people are on the breadline.

"I totally understand but there is no excuse for [an] animal welfare [issue] to this degree, no excuse at all."

Griffin also said she had seen dogs in a better condition than Phoenix not survive because of their condition.

"To see a dog in this state and still wagging his tail, it just blows your mind," she said. "You can't put into words how bad [the situation was]."

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