When she heard the Inspector at the gate, Cherry (pictured above) must have known that help had arrived. She would finally get the food and water she desperately needed.

But was it too late to save her brother, Champ?

Sadly, Cherry and Champ’s story is not unique. All over WA, animals are left to fend for themselves.

They are left without food and water. They are left without shelter from the elements.

And they are left to die of starvation.

 

1025 Abandonment reports made last year in WA.

It’s heart-breaking to know that some people think it’s OK to leave their pets unattended for days or weeks on end. They think that leaving a bag of food and a bucket of water for a few days will be enough.

Who will be there to save these animals if something goes wrong?

Nutritious food, fresh water and shelter are the most basic needs of every animal. Every animal relies solely on their owner to provide these needs.

But animals continue to be left to suffer. They’re left hungry, alone and afraid.

We want to make sure that every one of these animals can be rescued. Wherever they are in WA, we need to be there to save them from neglect.

With your help, we can be there when they need us most. Inspectors can step in to rescue animals who have been abandoned by their owners.

 

Christmas Eve heart-ache

Inspector Sam arrived at the property the day before Christmas last year. Little Cherry greeted her at the gate. Her tail was wagging softly, hoping this meant food and water wasn’t far away.

The Inspector was responding to a report that two puppies were abandoned at the property. She thought it was strange that only one puppy had come to greet her.

She called loudly and checked around the messy yard. It was clear that nobody had been there for some time.

There was no sign of any water for the puppies. And not a scrap of food to be found.

How could anyone leave these two beautiful puppies to starve to death?

It was also scorching hot. In the days leading up to Christmas last year, Perth had experienced a run of hot weather. On Christmas Eve, the temperature had soared past 30C by 8am!

Inspector Sam was very concerned that after calling and making noise, the other puppy still hadn’t appeared. Was she too late?

She made her way through the messy yard to a broken down shed. While searching for the other puppy she never took her eye off Cherry.

Her heart sank.

Just inside the door of the shed, little Champ lay lifeless in the dirt.

Fearing the worst, Inspector Sam bent down and touched his tiny, skinny body.

Generous donations make a difference on the front line, where Inspectors are fighting cruelty every day. Their training, their vehicles and the equipment they use are only made possible thanks the support that people like you provide. When you make a donation, you're helping to keep inspectors on the road, rescuing animals from cruelty and neglect.

 

Just in time

Little Champ finally responded to Inspector Sam. He opened his eyes and moved his paws to let her know that he was still alive.

Fearing for little Champ’s life, Inspector Sam knew she had to act quickly.

In the searing heat, a long weekend of public holidays ahead, and knowing that little Champ was at death’s door, Inspector Sam knew she had to get help immediately.

She found a shallow dish among the rubbish in the backyard and filled it with water. Both puppies jumped in the dish and started drinking frantically.

She grabbed some food from her vehicle to feed these starving puppies.

Not knowing when Champ or Cherry had eaten their last meal, she gave them a small serve of dog biscuits at first. They gobbled them up quickly.

When Cherry and Champ arrived at the RSPCA Animal Care Centre in Malaga, they were rushed to the vet clinic where they were examined by RSPCA vets.

 

A shaky start and a bumpy road ahead

Both puppies had a long road ahead. In addition to being very skinny, both pups were dehydrated and had worms.

It was likely that it had been over a week since anyone had provided food or water for them.

Champ had a little trouble navigating around the consultation room, so the RSPCA vet checked his vision. They noticed both his corneas were cloudy with signs of discolouration. Champ would need to see a veterinary ophthalmologist (eye specialist).

Without generous donations, we wouldn’t be able to go that extra mile for animals in need. Thanks to people like you, little Champ got the very best care available, and we were able to confirm that he wasn’t in any pain, and he wasn’t suffering.

Champ was examined at Perth Animal Eye Hospital in Manning. They confirmed that Champ was unfortunately blind, most likely since birth. A note from Champ's case file reads:

Fortunately, this is not a painful condition. He will likely adapt very well to his blindness and can still be a great companion.
- Dr Taemi Horikawa, Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialist.

With such a shaky start to their young lives, the future is now looking bright for Cherry and Champ.

They were soon ready to face their next chapter.

With their health restored, Cherry and Champ were both sterilised, micro-chipped and vaccinated,
ready to find permanent loving homes.

Cherry’s new family came along in no time. They fell in love with her instantly and soon she was on her way to a happy new home.

Champ’s new family had a special surprise for him. They already had a dog—a German Shepherd-cross—and when he came to meet with Champ at the RSPCA, they got along famously.

Not only has Champ found a loving new family, he’s also hit the jackpot with his very own big brother who will help guide him through life.

When you donate, you’re helping to rescue more animals like Cherry and Champ.

How many more animals can you help to live happy, full lives with loving families?