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JCB used to rescue dog

A dog has been reunited with its owner in Buckinghamshire after getting stuck in a drain for five days.

Gina Kaiser brought in a JCB to rescue her pet pooch after the terrier became trapped in a drainage pipe. Lulu disappeared down the unused pipe while she was out for a walk in Dorney.

Rubble blocked her exit and she was trapped, surviving on just a trickle of water for nearly a week. Eventually, Gina was so desperate to be reunited with her pet that she hired a JCB to cut Lulu free. Luckily, a fire service rescue team were passing and stepped in to help.

They used cutting equipment, the digger and shovels to dig down 8ft and six hours later Lulu was reunited with her owner.


Huge rise in cruelty convictions

  • The RSPCA say it is currently responding to over 25,000 calls a week from the public and has seen a 23.5% rise in cruelty convictions in the last five years.
  • The first nine months of this year alone have seen 1,176 cruelty convictions involving work by the RSPCA, a 6% rise on the same period in 2011, which saw 1,108 convictions.
  • As the number of animals in need grows, welfare expenditure by the RSPCA, which relies entirely on public donations, is already exceeding forecasts set for 2012.
  • The charity said it predicted a further 6,000 dogs and cats will be abandoned between now and the end of the year at a cost of nearly £5m.

RSPA 'struggling to rehome abandoned pets'

The RSPA say it is finding it harder to rehome abandoned pets, with 12,711 dogs rehomed in 2011, compared with 16,659 in 2009.

The charity says it is finding it harder to rehome abandoned pets Credit: Sean Dempsey/PA Wire

They rehomed 29,880 cats in 2011, less than the 36,070 two years before.

Both species are taking longer to rehabilitate and rehome than a year ago meaning their average cost of stay is also rising, the RSPCA said.

The average stay for a dog in the year so far is 59 days, five more than last year and their average cost of stay has risen from £810 to £885.

Cats have also averaged stays of 59 days this year, four more days than in 2011 and the average cost of their stay as risen to £554.60 from £517.

Animals are facing dark times, warn RSPCA

The recession may be over but these are very dark times for its silent victims - the animals. They have never needed our help so desperately.

This is a real crisis and despite the immense dedication of our staff and volunteers, we are struggling to cope.

We really need our country's animal lovers to step forward and open their hearts, homes and purses in these extremely difficult times.

– RSPCA chief executive Gavin Gran

Number of pets being abandoned soars by 65%

Almost 16,000 more animals were abandoned last year than in 2007, according to the RSPCA, who warned that pet owners are struggling to make ends meet in times of economic hardship.

The RSPCA has revealed that 40,595 animals were abandoned last year Credit: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

The charity said 40,595 animals were abandoned in 2011, compared with 24,638 in 2007, a near 65% increase.

Over the same period, and despite efficiency savings, the charity's running costs have risen 8% from £111m to £120m.