Shelby the bullmastiff was seen ‘going mad’ at the bag encouraging the couple to walk over and look inside
Shelby the bullmastiff was seen ‘going mad’ at the bag encouraging the couple to walk over and look inside
A “superhero” dog has saved the lives of two kittens who were dumped in a carrier bag in the River Alt. Shelby, the bullmastiff, was being walked by her two owners when she sniffed out the kittens, who had been abandoned in the river in Gillmoss.
Shelby had been “going mad” at the carrier bag and when her owners went over to see what she had been barking at they discovered the kittens “soaking wet” inside. The owners, who have not been named, reported the incident to Moggies & Doggies Merseyside, a volunteer rescue for animals, who took the kittens in.
Volunteer at the rescue, Philippa Knight, 58, from Huyton, said: “A couple were out walking their dog yesterday afternoon and the dog was going mad at a bag that she pulled out of the river. The dog was going mad, staring at it and barking. They went over to see what she was going so mad at and saw it was two little kittens inside the bag.
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“They picked them up and took them home. They contacted us to take them in, dried them off and gave them some food while they waited for us to come and pick them up. It’s heart breaking, they’re the most loving kittens, we have no idea who or why they have been dumped there. Shelby is such a good girl, our superhero for rescuing them.”
Philippa told the ECHO how “heart breaking” incidents like this have surged over recent months, as people can’t afford to get cats neutered and are abandoning them instead. She said: “People are just dumping them because they can’t afford to get them neutered. The way they were dumped there in the river is heart breaking.
“The amount of abandoned cats found in the last few months has been horrendous. Last week we rescued one from an embankment that has a 60ft drop. It was just a tiny kitten that was trapped. We had to get nets and rescue the kitten, this is what we do on a regular basis.
“This last year has been horrendous, they’re being dumped on our rescues in cardboard boxes, in cages. People need to be aware of the severity of abandoned cats and dogs at the moment.”
