DOGS TRUST HAS said it is seeing a “huge rise” in the number of people looking to surrender dogs into its care as it highlighed the case of an emaciated lurcher who had recently given birth. 

The charity outlined that a couple found the malnourished three-year-old dog after she wandered into their garden late on St Patrick’s Day. 

Doing their best to help the dog, the couple sat with her all night as she gave birth to 10 puppies. They brought the dogs into Dogs Trust the following day. 

Just four of the puppies survived. 

Dogs Trust who named the mother of the puppies Rainbow, said she was “severely malnourished, dehydrated, completely exhausted”.

“As a result of this, she was unable to produce enough milk for her puppies. Despite our best efforts and round the clock bottle feeding, only four of her puppies survived,” Niamh Curran-Kelly, veterinary and welfare manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, said. 

“Rainbow’s body simply hadn’t been able to produce healthy puppies due to starvation. It’s a miracle any survived so, we are very happy and relieved that Rainbow and her four pups are now thriving and almost ready for their forever homes,” Curran-Kelly said. 

Dogs Trust Ireland’s regional rehoming manager Eimear Cassidy said the charity is seeing “a huge rise” in the number of people looking to surrender dogs into their care, something she said is “extremely worrying”. 

“What we really need now are more foster homes all around Ireland and people willing to take on dogs who need extra training and space to settle in,” Cassidy said. 

“Due to the pandemic many of the dogs in our care missed out on vital socialisation so they can be very worried and therefore not suited to homes with young children due to their fearfulness,” she said. 

“If you think you can give one of our adult dogs a quiet, temporary home, we would love to hear from you.”

People can offer to foster for Dogs Trust Ireland via its website. The charity currently has 273 dogs in its care.