Heartbroken rescuers discover true identity of scavenging ‘fox’ rummaging through litter for food
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Rescuers stunned heartbroken to discover true identity of scavenging ‘fox’ scavenging for food
- The emaciated animal was found foraging for food in Sheerness, Kent.
- Rescuers first thought it was a fox, but found out it was actually a German Shepherd.
- The animal had been so neglected that its bones were exposed and it was missing fur.
- Heartbreaking images of the mascot, named Bluebell, left people outraged online
A starving German Shepherd, so horribly neglected and emaciated that he was mistaken for a fox, has been rescued after being found foraging for food.
Heartbreaking images of the starving dog were shared by animal rescuers, after it was found rummaging through rubbish in Sheerness, Kent, on Wednesday.
Swale Council Stray Dog Service said the female pet, named Bluebell, was malnourished, had unclipped claws and hair loss on her back and face, adding that she had “a nasty looking mammary tumour”.
Authorities have now launched a manhunt to find the German shepherd’s owners amid fears it has been “grossly neglected” after it emerged the animal had been chipped but not reported missing.
Heartbreaking footage showed what some thought was a fox scavenging for food in rubbish bags in Sheerness, Kent.
But rescuers were horrified to discover that the animal was, in fact, a starving German Shepherd named Bluebell.
A member of the mutt team said: “This little guy has now been picked up and is flying off to the kennels.”
‘We can confirm that he is a German Shepherd, not a fox and his name is Bluebell.
She has a chip and this will be investigated further tomorrow, although she is not registered as lost or missing.
“For now, they’ll give him some tea and a warm bed before he sees the vet in the morning.”
This poor female German Shepherd has been found eating out of some black sacks on Jefferson Road, Sheerness.
“Based on the footage we have received, the poor love has obviously suffered some pretty serious neglect and has been left to fend for himself.
‘Unless there is an underlying medical condition, this is animal neglect.
“Our officer is running to pick her up and once we have more information our post will be updated.”
The dog was rescued by Swale Council’s Stray Dog team on Wednesday night.
The animal was in horrible condition, underweight and hairless on its legs, back and face. He was so neglected that his bones could be clearly seen through his skin (right)
The images of the horrific state of the animal left social media users horrified and called for immediate action against Bluebell’s owners.
One person said: ‘DO NOT return to owner. Poor dog. They do not deserve this animal.
Another added: “Poor thing, it took me a while to get to that state* Wishing her all the best and a speedy healing* Thank you for saving her*”
A couple of hours after first announcing the rescue, the mutt team continued their call to speak to anyone who recognized the pup.
They added: ‘Following our previous post on Bluebell, here are some additional photos showing his breed and the extent of his neglect.
In addition to substantial hair loss, she is also underweight, has long fingernails, and a nasty-looking breast tumor that will need investigation.
‘We’ll be chasing your chip tomorrow, but it hasn’t been marked lost or stolen.
If you have any information about this dog, please call SBC on 01795 417850 or the OOH service on 07795 237479.
“If you are the owner and there is a genuine reason behind your condition, please reach out.”