Three newborn puppies were boxed and heartlessly dumped by the canal

Three newborn puppies - Daphne, Dorothy, and Dylan - had a difficult start in life as they were found abandoned in a cardboard box.

Discarded by a canal, they looked heartbreakingly neglected and were suffering from a range of medical conditions.

If not for a kindhearted member of the public, they wouldn’t be able to survive on their own for much longer.

The puppies were ‘still too young to be away from their mum’

Three puppies have been rescued after being cruelly abandoned in a cardboard box by the canal.

They were found by a member of the public along the towpath on Friday, March 24 and handed over to the RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford & District Branch.

Animal rescue officer Kris Walker, who is looking into the incident, said:

The little dogs are only around eight weeks old - they are still too young to be away from their mum.

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The crossbreed dogs - two females and a male - all have skin conditions and one of the dogs also has a swollen front leg with an abscess-type injury. The charity staff named them Daphne, Dorothy, and Dylan.

Walker added:

Thankfully they will all be okay, but it is concerning that they were dumped.

He asked anyone who recognised the puppies or knew of their mum to contact the RSPCA’s appeals line on 0300 123 8018 in England.

‘The last thing you should do is dump them’

Sadly, RSPCA officers are responding to an increasing number of abandoned pets as the cost of living crisis continues to bite - but the animal welfare charity has warned the public that dumping your furry family member is never the answer.

Walker commented:

It is never acceptable to abandon an animal, even if you think you are doing it with good intentions because you can’t afford veterinary fees. It is a cruel way to treat an animal. If you have a pet who needs veterinary care, there is financial help out there - the last thing you should do is dump them.

Last month, the RSPCA received 1,324 reports of abandoned animals - up 8% from February 2022.

To support RSPCA Halifax towards the care of the puppies, please visit their donation page.

Read more:

⋙ Heartbreak over a severely abused dog that was left ‘terrified of people’

⋙ ‘Heartbreaking cruelty’ as a dog was dumped in the woods in bitter -5C cold

Sources used:

- Yahoo News: 'Puppies abandoned in cardboard box by canal'