Four dead puppies dumped in Hemel Hempstead river
The RSPCA are appealing for any information after the discovery was made by a member of the public
The RSPCA is appealing for information after four dead puppies were found in a river in Hemel Hempstead.
A member of the public discovered the bodies on Sunday, 16 March, in the water off Water Gardens South car park. The puppies were not in a bag or container but were loose on the riverbed.
RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Sarah Jones, who attended the scene, said two of the puppies still had their umbilical cords attached, suggesting they were just hours old. Their breed is unknown, but they are thought to be from a larger breed due to their size.
“This was an incredibly distressing discovery for the member of the public who found these poor, dead puppies in the river,” Sarah said. “There are no visible injuries or obvious cause of death, so we don’t know if they died before entering the water or if they drowned, which would be unthinkably sad.
“This is a very public place, so we’re urging anyone who may have seen something suspicious to get in touch with us, as we’re keen to find out what happened to these young dogs.”
The RSPCA is working with the local council and has asked anyone with information to contact its inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018, quoting the location What3Words: tips.update.mason.
For more information on reporting animal cruelty, visit here