Dog to lose leg after being dumped near Potton vets

The dog - a one-year-old male lurcher type nicknamed Rosco - was found by staff at the vets surgery on Thursday afternoon tied to railings in Deepdale.

Staff reported it to the RSPCA and animal welfare officer (AWO) Jane Folly went to investigate.

She said: “Poor Rosco was staggering and limping badly. He’d been left tied to railings on the main road, just outside the surgery.

“He was in a bad way and needed to be seen urgently by a vet but, I suspect, with a serious injury that would need treatment his owners decided to abandon him outside instead of facing a bill.

“Rosco isn’t microchipped and had no ID tag so we don’t know where he’s come from.”

The tan-coloured pooch was assessed by vets who suspect he will likely need the broken leg - his right rear leg - amputated.

He was wearing a leather collar and was tied to the railings with a piece of string.

“He’s also extremely skinny so, once he’s had surgery, we’ll be spending time building up his weight and getting him back up to full health,” AWO Folly added.

“This poor boy hasn’t had the best start to life but, thankfully, he’s now with us and will get the best care we can give him.”

After his operation, Rosco will be moved to RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre in Cambridgeshire where his treatment and rehabilitation will continue.

If no one comes forward to claim him he’ll be rehomed once he has recovered from his surgery.

The RSPCA is also investigating his abandonment and would like to hear from anyone who recognises him, knows where he’s come from or saw anything suspicious in the area on Thursday afternoon between 1pm and 2pm.

Anyone with information which could help the investigation should call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs like Rosco please donate by visiting www.rspca.org.uk/give.