Chihuahua cowered behind vet in fear of her owner after being subject to "deliberate cruelty"

Dolly was rescued by the RSPCA after being subject to deliberate cruelty by her male owner.

When the chihuahua was taken to the vets with multiple injuries, Dolly’s previous owner claimed they were all accidential - but the vet was concerned they were not telling the truth.

The vet placed Dolly on the floor to assess her movement, but she immediately ran towards the vet, hiding behind them, shivering, crouched low and with her tail between her legs.

Despite her owner calling her to him, she did not respond - prompting the vet to call the RSPCA to investigate.

X-Rays revealed Dolly had been through a shocking ordeal. She had a broken rib, a fracture to her third vertebrae indicative of a tail pull injury and a dislocated tail. The X-rays also showed skull injuries and her dew claws had been ripped out.

She had extensive bruising and swelling to her lips and muzzle area where the skin had begun to slough off. She had a cut on both the upper lip and the bridge of her nose. She was also found to have blood in her bladder.

Former RSPCA Inspector Alice Cooper, who investigated the case, said: “It was heartbreaking to think of what Dolly had suffered, and I was determined to get justice for Dolly and hopefully prevent any other animals from suffering at the hands of her owner.”

Her owner pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Dolly and was banned from keeping pets for life.

Ms Cooper continued: “Dolly had every reason to be terrified and withdrawn around humans, considering what she had been through, and yet she just wanted love and attention. I saw her multiple times throughout her recovery, and she always enjoyed a cuddle. It’s like she finally knew she was safe.”

Dolly now lives in a happy home with her new owner, Lucy Green, who is also an RSPCA Inspector.

Lucy said: “She was initially quite timid but settled in quickly and enjoyed attention. Dolly would often get up and follow me as I left a room.

“At first she was very nervous about certain things such as any loud noises or sudden movements. There were times where someone shouts on the TV or loud music might have come on during an advert and she would stop what she was doing and shake, lower her head and tuck her tail up under herself.”

Dog cruelty on the rise in South Yorkshire

Dolly is sadly just one of nearly 2,000 cases of dog cruelty recorded in South Yorkshire last year.

The RSPCA said 2023 saw 1,980 reports of dog cruelty come through in the region, up from 1,831 in 2022.

Nationally, the charity received 52,662 reports - around 144 a day - which is up roughly 8 per cent on the year before.

“It is heartbreaking that more dogs need our help - we need to make a stand against this and say ‘no more’,” said Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the RSPCA. “Dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend, yet more and more dogs are being subjected to cruelty every year. Dogs are the most popular pet in the UK yet also the ones who potentially suffer the most.