Five puppies dumped in metal cage and left to die in Leeds in freezing cold temperatures

The five 15-week-old pups - who all have a chronic skin infection which has resulted in them losing their fur - were spotted by a local dog walker. They had been abandoned near a hedge next to a golf course, and were rushed to the rehoming centre by the dog warden and kind-hearted members of the public.

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Amanda Sands, rehoming centre manager at The Dogs Trust in Leeds says: "It was a horrendous sight. The metal dog crate they were in was far too small so there was hardly any room for them to move; they were all virtually on top of each other.

"The poor things were having to sit in their own excrement, there was no bedding whatsoever and it was very, very cold, and as they've lost their fur they had absolutely no protection from the weather. It was awful. We have no doubt they would not have survived the night if they hadn't been found.

"We got them out of the crate immediately and made sure they were clean, then gave them food and water which they were desperate for.

"We got them lots of comfy bedding and settled them down for the night which took some time as they are extremely friendly and playful!"

The pups have been named Tiger, Rory, Birdie, Caddy and Chip.

When they arrived at the centre they were checked over by one of our vets and are currently being treated for mange, a highly contagious skin disease which causes intense itching, usually as a result of scratching to relieve the irritation, the dogs hair falls out, as is the case with the hairless pups.

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