Ellie was dumped by a Transit van in Bootle, Merseyside

The RSPCA is investigating after a mastiff who had recently had puppies was abandoned in a Merseyside layby.

A passerby alerted the animal welfare charity after seeing a Transit van pull into a layby at Pinfold Woods on the Northern Perimeter Road in Bootle, throw out the mastiff and drive off. The incident occurred at 8.30pm on 17 August.

RSPCA inspector Naomi Morris has launched an investigation and is keen to hear from anyone who may recognise the dog.

A stray lurcher has been dubbed Britain’s most unwanted dog after being rescued from the streets but missing out on a new home for four years.

Four-year-old Sue was rescued from the Bath area and arrived at the RSPCA’s Bath Cats and Dogs Home on 22 August 2017.

After marking her fourth year at the rescue centre, staff are desperate to find this lovely girl the right home after she’s seen 941 of her kennel-mates go off to their new homes while she’s been waiting.

Latest research has revealed that a whopping 160,000 furry friends have gained weight in Scotland since March 2020 – contributing towards a total of 1.4 million pets across the UK who have done so during lockdown.

Vet charity PDSA says that the worrying findings unveil the true extent of what was already a growing pet obesity epidemic, with the pandemic creating a ticking time bomb threatening the lives of pets across the UK.