An American bulldog and 12 puppies were found abandoned in an empty house in Liverpool.
The dogs were found by the landlord after the previous tenant moved out. The two-year-old American bulldog, called Tara, and her dozen puppies were taken to a vet by the landlord - and then were brought to Dogs Trust by the local dog warden.
The staff at the charity's Merseyside rehoming centre, in Huyton, have been looking after the mum and her litter of six boys and six girls for the several weeks. The 12 puppies will soon be on their way to new owners after all being rehomed.
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Georgina Lowery, the rehoming centre manager at Dogs Trust Merseyside, said: "Tara and her pups are real troopers as they have had such a tough start in life but have been doing so well in kennels. It’s always heartbreaking to see a mum and her young pups come to us like this, but when we hear the pitter and patter of tiny paws, we’re on hand to give them the TLC they deserve.
"It’s so unusual to have such a large litter come through and they’ve absolutely melted our hearts. It’ll be hard to say goodbye to these little bundles of joy, but we’ll be safe in the knowledge that new owners will help them grow into large loveable dogs."
Georgina added sadly mum Tara has had her ears cropped. Ear cropping is illegal in the UK - and Dogs Trust is calling on the government to ban the sale of dogs which have undergone the procedure. The government is currently consulting on proposals to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears.
Georgina said: "Tara is a great mum and is doing really well. She’s currently getting some TLC from centre staff and we are hopeful she too will soon be ready to find a forever home where she can get the love she deserves."
Dogs Trust received 50,000 enquiries from struggling owners last year. The charity urged people who are unable to care for their dog to come forward to ensure the dog's needs are met.
In November last year the rehoming centre in Huyton opened a dog food bank to help struggling owners during the cost of living crisis. Eight in ten dog owners have experienced a rise in the costs in keeping their dog - with 77% revealing they noticed a clear increase in food.
Georgina said: "For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member, so we want to keep as many dogs and owners together as possible. The launch of food banks in some of our rehoming centres, including here in Merseyside, is one way we are trying to do this, and thanks to the generosity of people across Liverpool we have dog food available for anyone struggling with the cost of dog food."
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