An animal charity has rescued an “unprecedented” number of dogs since the start of this month in a series of raids across Scotland.
The Scottish SPCA said 216 dogs had been recovered in the first 10 days of October. Over the same period last year, 45 dogs were rescued.
The organisation said it was the “biggest single influx” of dogs in its 185-year history.
It is now hoping to raise more than £260,000 in order to fund care for the animals.
The charity said most of the dogs had been kept in “absolute squalor”, and a substantial number required veterinary care for health conditions – including oral and ear infections and severely matted fur.
Several others were pregnant and have since given birth to litters.
All of the animals are now being cared for at rescue centres across the country.
The conditions some were living in were described by the charity as “utterly appalling”.
Laura McIntyre, the SSPCA’s head of rescue, said she had seen a “huge rise” in the number of dogs coming through the centres since the Covid pandemic.
She said: “We are seeing far more multi-animal situations where we are having to step in, [which] can be for various reasons… financial or behavioural, whether breeding has simply got out of control or the low-welfare puppy trade side – which was very prominent over Covid, we are still seeing that now.”
One litter of pups, born in a rescue centre, are being bottle-fed by staff, while other animals are receiving specialist care.
The SSPCA said all the dogs would be assessed for behavioural issues before any decision was made on rehoming.
The charity said each dog will require about £1,223 worth of care.
They have opened an online donation portal in a bid to raise the £264,340 needed to pay for that before homes can be found.
Jennie Macdonald, SSPCA head of rehoming and fostering, said: “Our priority now is giving these dogs the care they desperately need and then eventually finding them new homes.
“We need foster homes for as many of the dogs as possible to help in the short term while we work to find their forever homes.
“Our fostering team are going above and beyond to get puppies out of the centres and into family homes for important socialisation.”
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