DSPCA say rescue dog ‘was skin and bone’ before being found by kind Dublin stranger

It was a “kind member of the public” who brought the lonely animal to the shelter owned by the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA).

"She was skin and bone with painful pressure sores from lying on hard surfaces and yet she was still so trusting and gentle,” the charity posted on Twitter.

The lurcher was named Bána and “is going to make a truly wonderful pet.”

"She is full of cuddles first thing in the morning and loves when you sit beside her and tell her how beautiful she is.”

Bána is a “typical lurcher, all legs and full of love,” the DSPCA said.

"She does not need to worry anymore about where her next meal will come from or where she will sleep at night.”

Followers and dog lovers flocked to the replies of the announcement to thank the charity and send offers to welcome the rescued dog into their homes.

“There’s a real evilness in people who would do this to a beautiful loving animal like this,” one said.

Over 2,500 animals go through the DSCPA services every year.

It is Ireland’s oldest animal charity and works to “rescue, rehabilitate and rehome cats, dogs, equine, reptiles and small furries.”

In May, the charity featured in the RTÉ series, The Shelter: Animal SOS and shared how they were seeing a spike in stray animals and in the surrender of pets to the shelter.

“It kind of comes in waves, you could end up getting in five or six in one week and then maybe one or two in the following week,” DSCPA spokesperson Gillian Bird said.

"We are definitely seeing more older dogs, over the age of five, than we would be seeing puppies coming in to us.”

The organisation receives thousands of calls every year to help animals in need.

In 2021, the National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 0818 515 515 received 12,483 calls.