PUPPIES SEIZED AFTER being shipped from Dublin Port earlier this week are said to be doing well, though they may need socialising before they are ready for their forever homes.
In total, 96 puppies were seized at Holyhead, in a joint operation with the DSPCA and customs. The dogs, which included Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, Cavachons and Yorkshire Terriers – all profitable breeds – were returned to Ireland and are being cared for by the animal welfare charity.
Gillian Bird, spokesperson for the DSPCA told TheJournal.ie they are doing well and most have been placed in temporary foster homes. A small number are still at the charity’s shelter in Rathfarnham and one of the puppies, which was found to have a heart condition, will be kept there so tests can be run next week.
“Obviously some had parasites and they were very, very tired when we got them,” she sad. “They all started eating ravenously. They usually don’t feed them before travel.”
They are very quiet, which is not good because it means they haven’t had a lot of socialisation. Puppies should be bouncing around and barking in the middle of the night. These are mass production puppies, so they may have been taken from their mums too early and haven’t received that training in how to be a dog. They also wouldn’t have had a lot of human handling. What you end up with is a nervous animal who shies away from human contact.
Bird said the puppies may need a little extra time in their foster homes to socialise them and get to know their personalities before they can be re-homed, but once they are ready, the charity will be seeking good homes for the pups.
She said the DSPCA is also always looking for people interesting in fostering animals.
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