“Were the RSPCA, as a charity, not able to do this work anymore, no one else in the public service could pick it up. Animal welfare would not be furthered; it would be significantly disadvantaged.”
Association for Chief Police Officers (ACPO)

  • In 24 seconds we will answer another call for help.
  • In 2.5 minutes we will treat another injured animal.
  • In 4 minutes we will rescue another animal.

Without our intervention, Soldier would have starved to death

Solider as he was when our inspector found him - RSPCA prosecutions department

We were only alerted to the plight of Soldier, when a concerned member of the public in Southampton called our cruelty line. Inspector Bailey found Sodier in a terrible state. His coat was heavily matted and covered with faeces. “He was the skinniest dog I’ve ever seen”, reported Inspector Bailey.

Inspector Bailey rescued Soldier and took him straight to the vet to assess his condition. The vet was unable to sedate Soldier to get rid of his filthy fur as he was not strong enough for the anaesthetic. Soldier needed three days of feeding before he could be clipped and cleaned. This revealed the severity of his emaciation as every single bone on his body was visible. His body had no fat or muscle mass and measured just a couple of inches across at its narrowest. 

 

We prosecuted Soldier’s owner who was banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.

Soldier with his loving new owner - RSPCA

Soldier was cared for at RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre and slowly regained his strength. He has now been found a loving new home.

“Many people assume the RSPCA is some sort of government funded agency that will always be there. It’s not. It’s a charity that is completely dependent on generous donations from people like you. Please help us stay strong for the animals, now and for many years to come” Gavin Grant CEO, RSPCA

How you can help us to save more animals
Your support is crucial. We cannot continue our work without you. Our officers face cruelty to animals every day. But every sad story has the potential for a happy ending and the RSPCA will never give up on the fight to turn cruelty around. Please donate as much as you can so we can achieve our mission of building a better society where animal welfare is valued, respected and understood.

Donate now - call 0300 123 0346 quoting Soldier

To discuss your donation or find out more about RSPCA projects, contact Sarah Donnelly on 0300 123 0220.

What if appeal, launched July 2012
Read the full appeal: What if appeal - Soldier's story (PDF 1.8MB)