As animal lovers, there’s nothing worse than hearing stories of abuse and neglect. It’s impossible to think that someone could ever treat another creature so cruelly.
Thankfully, this story of Peggy the Pug is a story of survival, and it’s a story with a happy ending.
A pedestrian in Middlesex, UK saw a horrifying sight when she saw a dog being tossed from a moving van’s window. She ran over to the dog and thankfully, the dog wasn’t injured, but it was clear that she was in terrible shape. She had a skin condition and she appeared to have been used as a ‘breeding machine.’
A shop in the local area took Peggy in while rescuers with RSPCA (England & Wales) were called to help the poor dog. Understandably, when rescuers arrived, she was extremely scared and nervous. She certainly didn’t trust humans.
After an exam, it was shown that her body was used to breed litter after litter.
Pugs are a very popular breed at the moment, and people tend to purchase them as puppies without knowing where they come from or how they are bred. Often times, it’s in cruel and abusive situations like Peggy’s.
The rescuers believe that her previous ‘owners’ saw that her skin condition was getting worse and worse, and they most likely didn’t want to pay for any vet bills. It’s assumed that they didn’t want to breed her anymore and decided to dump her like a piece of garbage.
“We think, over time, because her skin was getting worse and worse, they decided that they didn’t want to take her to the vet and pay for the treatment. So I think that because the skin got in such a terrible state, they decided to dump her and stop breeding from her rather than get her the treatment she needed,” says Liz Wood, deputy manager at Millbrook Animal Centre (RSPCA).
After a few days of being with the RSPCA, Peggy’s adorable and sweet personality began to shine.
Liz knew that it would take time, but wanted to make sure that Peggy had a second chance at life. She spent months with the dog, showering her with love, attention, and lots of fun walks outside. Liz also likes to bring Peggy to work with her whenever she can.
“She’s growing in confidence and is starting to come out of her shell,” Liz said.
Sadly, the people who thew Peggy out of the van have not yet been caught.
While the hunt is on for the people who committed such horrific animal abuse, Liz is spending her time calling for stricter regulations for breeders, as well as people who are considering buying from them to adopt instead.
“As these breeds soar in popularity, unregulated and unscrupulous breeders are seeing a chance to make a quick buck,” agreed Ian Briggs, a chief inspector with the RSPCA. Poor dogs like Peggy pay the ultimate price, locked up in terrible conditions and forced to produce litter after litter of puppies to be sold onto unsuspecting members of the public.”
Thankfully, there are people like Liz Wood in the world who are out there to be the voice of animals that don’t have one.
She wants to tell people that they only way of knowing if a puppy was born in a proper environment would be to actually visit the breeder yourself and meet both of the parents. However, again, she encourages people to rescue and adopt to help end this terrible business.
Watch Peggy’s rescue story in the emotional and touching video below.
