Abandoned dog left in cage by the side of a road in Oxfordshire – with a heartbreaking note

A dog who was abandoned in a cage in Oxfordshire alongside a heartbreaking note has been helped to safety by the RSPCA.

The dog, a young male spaniel with a leg deformity, had been left by the side of a road in a broken cage on May 4.

RSPCA Inspector Stephanie Law from the animal welfare charity said: “We were contacted by a member of the public who had found two dogs in a cage beside a road located between Northmoor and Stanton Harcourt.

“Alongside this dog, who has been named Rudy by the team caring for him, was a second dog, a black terrier, who escaped out of the ramshackle cage when the member of the public who found them tried to pick it up.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to locate the second dog and have notified the dog warden in the hope the dog is brought in as a stray. If anyone knows where this dog is, or has any information on who abandoned these poor dogs, we’d encourage them to contact us.”

The duo were found alongside a note which read “Please feed and look after me. My owner is struggling to look after me”.

The incident comes as new figures released by the RSPCA reveal that its officers dealt with 1,508 reports to its emergency line about an animal being abandoned in April 2023 alone. That compares with 1,370 abandonments for the same month last year - marking a rise of 9.6 per cent.

Pet owners are urged to seek help before letting problems escalate. The charity has opened a telephone helpline - 0300 123 0650 - to support people, while practical help can be found on a recently-launched cost of living hub.

Stephanie added: “It is really upsetting that these dogs have been abandoned alongside this note.

“We know times are really tough right now. We’re doing everything we can to help keep pets in loving homes wherever possible.

“We're pleading with people not to abandon animals and encourage anyone who is struggling to seek help.”

Anyone who recognises the dog, or has information about the missing terrier, should contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeal line, in confidence, on 0300 123 8018.