0:00:02 > 0:00:05- Good afternoon. RSPCA control centre. - Is the cat still breathing?- No.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07You don't think it's breathing.
0:00:07 > 0:00:13Every 30 seconds, someone calls the RSPCA about an animal that needs help.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I'll pass this information through to the officer.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20From neglected pets to injured wildlife.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26For the trained inspectors, every shift is a challenge.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29- Back in the field! - That's disgusting.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31We cannot leave this situation as it is.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Now, they tell us what it's really like on the animal frontline.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- No day, really, is the same. - We have piggies!
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It never ceases to amaze me!
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I go to bed thinking about it and I wake up thinking about it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:54What makes a good RSPCA inspector? Nerves of steel. A stomach of iron.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56And a sense of humour.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Today, the case Inspector Jayne Bashford will never forget.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18What we found in that address was utterly horrific.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The cat undergoing life-changing surgery.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25This is where I hold my breath. Concentrating.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And a call about a bird of prey that has crash-landed.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Gorgeous, aren't you? You're gorgeous.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39OK.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04In east London, Inspector Clare Dew is called out to
0:02:04 > 0:02:05a very familiar problem.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Skinny dogs is something that we receive a lot of complaints about.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Blatant, "I'm not feeding my dog, I don't want to feed it,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15"can't afford to feed it, I'm hoping...I'll starve it to death."
0:02:20 > 0:02:23The emaciated dogs are a cause for real concern,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27so Clare meets a colleague to assist at the property.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29- How skinny is skinny?- Pretty skinny.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31My colleague Steve showed me over the fence.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Oh, oh.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Hello!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Oh, they're both really skinny, Steve.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44'And I, in my career, haven't seen two dogs quite as thin as that'
0:02:44 > 0:02:46in a long time, that are still standing, quite frankly.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'They were paper-thin emaciated.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54'That's at a dangerous point for that animal.'
0:02:54 > 0:02:58My first reaction is anger. Just anger. It's always anger.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I'll look around the front, you keep an eye on the back window.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Clare is determined to confront the owner.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07KNOCKING AT DOOR
0:03:08 > 0:03:13I'm not a person that doesn't get no reply when I knock on the door.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15'I just opened the door.'
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Hello! RSPCA! Anyone home?!
0:03:18 > 0:03:20And there's this woman standing in this house.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Hello!
0:03:22 > 0:03:27And three perfectly healthy dogs indoors.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30We've had a complaint about your two skinny dogs.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32'She said that she hadn't wanted them'
0:03:32 > 0:03:36and had given them away to somebody who lived four, five miles away,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40and, amazingly, these two dogs had managed to find themselves
0:03:40 > 0:03:43all the way from that address back to her garden(!)
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Even if the owners has tried to give the dogs away,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Clare still wants to know why they're so thin.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52She was nonchalant about the fact that she'd got two emaciated dogs,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55"Yeah, there's two dogs in the garden, just we don't want them.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57What do you want to do with the dogs now? You can't keep them.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Very difficult to keep my temper at that point. SHE LAUGHS
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The owner makes it clear that she no longer wants
0:04:06 > 0:04:07the two dogs in the garden.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11The priority is the dogs, it's getting them some help.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13'She quite clearly doesn't want them.'
0:04:13 > 0:04:17She's happy to give them to the RSPCA, doesn't want the responsibility.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18Come on, darling.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22'Can't be bothered. Doesn't want to, can't afford to feed them.'
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Hello. I know, you're lovely.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27I know, we're going to get you somewhere nice and warm.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Once the dogs have been removed,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33their dreadful condition becomes fully apparent.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38They're such nice dogs. They're always nice dogs. Abused dogs are always the loveliest.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42There was no way I was leaving those two dogs there.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44One way or the other, they were coming away with me.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Nice kennel, yeah, nice dog bowl.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Nice bed.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53With the dogs safely out of the house,
0:04:53 > 0:04:58Clare gathers photographic evidence for any possible prosecution.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The vet will tell us how long he thinks it's been for them
0:05:01 > 0:05:03to get quite that skinny.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Then we make a decision about whether we prosecute or not.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11I would have failed dismally in my job and would not be
0:05:11 > 0:05:15worthy of wearing this uniform if I'd left those two dogs in that garden.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Would you like something to eat? Shall I see what I've got for you?
0:05:26 > 0:05:29That look like a dog that's had much to eat to you?!
0:05:29 > 0:05:31The dogs have clearly not been fed for some time.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34'I immediately gave them something to eat.'
0:05:34 > 0:05:40Inhaling this dog biscuit, it's just sad to see an animal eat like that.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Is that nice?
0:05:44 > 0:05:46What do you do?
0:05:46 > 0:05:48You've kind of got to try and believe people or...
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I don't know, yeah, incredibly frustrated, really.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Especially when she's got three healthy dogs inside.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Hey, you all right?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00My priority is get them out of that situation and into a vet
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and just let's get them warm, comfortable.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10At the vet's,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14the two dogs are checked over to assess their condition.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Hey, it's all right, darling. You're safe now.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20The vet will make his report, pending prosecution.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Good girl.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23That's enough. You'll be sick.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I would suspect the most likely outcome
0:06:26 > 0:06:28is that it's going to be chronic malnutrition.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32How long do you think it would take them to get in this thin condition
0:06:32 > 0:06:35if she wasn't feeding them regularly?
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- I would say it's going to be at least two to three months.- OK.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39Of underfeeding.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46The ultimate satisfaction is to do the best thing for the animal
0:06:46 > 0:06:48and just getting them out of that garden.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'Whatever happens to them now, from now, it's got to be better'
0:06:51 > 0:06:54than them curling up and dying of starvation in that garden.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04A few months on, Clare's hopes for the dogs' future are being realised.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Come on, babes. There's a good girl.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Hello, babes. There's a good girl. OK.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Kennel owner Doug is delighted with their recovery.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18They've been here just over two months
0:07:18 > 0:07:21and they've exceeded my expectations, really,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25as regards weight and condition, so we're really pleased with them.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27OK. Right. Nice, sit, sit.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31And they certainly love their food.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34I think because they were starved
0:07:34 > 0:07:38and not fed the way they should have been, that they...
0:07:38 > 0:07:42just any food that is down, they just want to wolf it up.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Back to full health,
0:07:47 > 0:07:52the dogs can now look forward to finding a new, loving home.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Yes! Yes! Yes!
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Good morning, RSPCA control centre, you're speaking to Louise,
0:08:03 > 0:08:04can I take your name, please?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07The RSPCA doesn't just take calls about cats and dogs.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20They deal with incidents relating to every animal and bird imaginable.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29And that's when inspectors have to be prepared for anything to happen.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Inspector Jason Bowles is trained to deal with all animals,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50but this call makes him feel a little uneasy.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53'Hmmm. They do make me a little bit nervous,'
0:08:53 > 0:08:57because it's not your everyday animal that I pick up.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01A bird, an injured bird of prey. Erm...
0:09:02 > 0:09:05You're immediately wondering, what have I got to deal with here?
0:09:05 > 0:09:08'How large was it?'
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It could have been massive, it could have been a tiny little bird.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12817, I'll take that job.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15It's one of the joys of the job,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17you never know quite what you're going to find when you get there.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24All the information I had was that it was a large bird of prey,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26sitting in the back garden.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Protective gloves.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Jason's going to need all the protection he can get.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34The gloves are mainly for the talons.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38They can peck at you, but mainly, if it's fairly...
0:09:38 > 0:09:43even a small bird of prey, those talons get into your hand,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46they can go straight through, so it's mainly for that.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49When I first walked into the back garden,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53I don't know what went wrong, but I couldn't actually see the bird.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57I was looking around for the bird, I couldn't see it, although it was straight in front of me.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Do you know where it is?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- Well, it's been underneath there for a while.- Right.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- And it will let you go near it. - Right.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Until it was pointed out to me that it was sitting right in front of me on the trampoline.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Oh, there it is! HE LAUGHS
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Was it there just now?
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Then I was struck by the size of it,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20so it's a pretty large bird of prey, to be fair.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23'Those talons are strong and very, very sharp.'
0:10:23 > 0:10:27They could easily go straight through your hand or your arm.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29A nervous Jason is hoping the bird might have an owner
0:10:29 > 0:10:32and so is used to being handled.
0:10:32 > 0:10:38So, put the gauntlets on and see if it would come to my hand.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42OK.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46If it's used to being on someone's arm, it might well jump onto my arm.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Maybe not.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Come on, then.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52BIRD SQUAWKS
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Jump on.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Come on.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00'Sat there in a non-aggressive position away from it'
0:11:00 > 0:11:02and held out my arm.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Gorgeous, aren't you? 'See whether it would come to me.'
0:11:05 > 0:11:08You're gorgeous. OK.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11And, like magic, the bird did.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12Good lad.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Which was...I was well chuffed.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'Now I've got a bird on my arm,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23'but then I've got the problem of trying to contain it.'
0:11:24 > 0:11:28OK. So, this is the tricky bit.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Is there another glove on the floor there? Did I leave it?
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's hard to deal with these big gloves,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42because you can't actually feel anything through them.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46But every time I went there this bird's feet it basically flew off.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Come on then.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55But if at first you don't succeed...
0:11:55 > 0:11:56Come on then.
0:11:59 > 0:12:00Good lad.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Good lad.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08And then it hopped straight back on and...walked slowly back to the van.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Thankfully, the bird doesn't appear to be injured,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13but it's a nervy walk back to the van.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18And the only way to relax the bird is to confine it in a box
0:12:18 > 0:12:20ready for transportation.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And at that stage it decided that it didn't really want to be handled.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28BIRD SQUAWKS LOUDLY You're OK.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30And dug its talons into the glove.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34He's got hold of my glove.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36He can have my glove, as long as he doesn't get my hand.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Those talons were straight through it,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42so I just got a little bit of a scratch. Not much.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45And I willingly gave the glove to the bird,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47and took my hand back and job done.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Jason takes the bird to a local sanctuary run by Sue Lewis.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01- There's a good bird.- While he investigates where it's come from.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Are you hungry? Yes, starving.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06The bird is identified as a saker falcon
0:13:06 > 0:13:10and its leg band suggests it definitely has an owner.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- It's really tame.- Yeah. - I mean, it loves to be on the glove.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I wonder if they've been flying it.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Usually in that situation, an animal, even if it's
0:13:20 > 0:13:24a domestic animal or a pet, wouldn't eat in that situation, because
0:13:24 > 0:13:28it's pretty stressful, just being stuck in a box and transported away.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32'And into a new place. But this bird was absolutely starving.'
0:13:32 > 0:13:33Sorry.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Yes, I know.- Is that telling you off.- Yes, leave me alone, I'm eating!
0:13:37 > 0:13:42So why do you think he's just gone and landed in the garden? Because he can fly still.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Yes, but he's weak, if he's not eaten for a while,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48then he's weak, and he hasn't got the power.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51And he's obviously really tame.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56He'll have been mobbed by the crows and the seagulls and it's tiring.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01That's probably one of the reasons why it had landed in this back garden and hadn't flown off.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06It had reached a point where it hadn't been able to sustain itself.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09He's obviously, you know, really tame.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12If he's not eaten for a while,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15and he's weak, he hasn't got the power.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Hopefully, we'll find his home. If we don't, he can stay.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21It's an unusual bird,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24so Jason is confident the owners will come forward soon.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39In towns and cities across Britain, dogs are being bred for profit.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43The animals are often sold as pedigrees, but are kept
0:14:43 > 0:14:48in awful conditions and are often suffering from serious illnesses.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52They're a commodity that they can sell for a lot of money.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59For Inspector Jayne Bashford, one case stays with her to this day.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05I can hear it now. I can still hear it. Whenever I think about it,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I'm there.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11I can see it and I can hear those puppies.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It started with a tip-off that a house on an estate
0:15:16 > 0:15:20in Staffordshire was being used as a so-called puppy farm.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26Interestingly, on 22 July, it says "little missy due".
0:15:26 > 0:15:29I believe that that's evidence of puppies being bred.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Jayne raided the property and, armed with a camcorder,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36recorded some of the most shocking
0:15:36 > 0:15:40and distressing scenes of cruelty she had ever come across.
0:15:40 > 0:15:46My concerns were raised straight away by this little puppy which was
0:15:46 > 0:15:50sitting on the sofa in the same position and it hasn't moved.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53'I attended the property with the police'
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and we went in under the warrant.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59'There were puppies in the living room, the living room was filthy.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04'There was compacted faeces on the floor.'
0:16:04 > 0:16:09The smell... The smell in there was... it was overpowering.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13'There were some elderly female dogs that it was obvious
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'looking at them that they had been bred several times,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'but you could tell these bitches had been bred from a lot.'
0:16:20 > 0:16:27OK, so, starting to go out into the rear garden of the premises now.
0:16:28 > 0:16:35'And when we went outside there were rabbit hutches.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:41There's no other way to describe them, they were rabbit hutches.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'And inside each rabbit hutch there were dogs.'
0:16:46 > 0:16:52One contained an adult Staffordshire bull terrier and her puppies,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56crammed into a rabbit hutch. Erm...
0:16:56 > 0:17:01'They're trampling over each other, trampling in their own faeces
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'and they're throwing themselves at the mesh,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07'barking, wanting to get some attention.'
0:17:07 > 0:17:12- Yes?- Yes, just let them out. - The dogs were immediately freed.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Just going to look at the inside of this kennel area.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18And the full extent of their squalid living conditions revealed.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22'These hutches are filthy. There's very little bedding.'
0:17:22 > 0:17:24There's no bedding, there's sawdust.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Oh, dear.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31This is a nasty, nasty environment.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34For Jayne and her team,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37the priority was to check out all the dogs to determine
0:17:37 > 0:17:41just how much they had suffered living in these dreadful conditions.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48- You look at their nails. - Oh, God. Oh, my goodness.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54The vet was of the opinion that all of these dogs were suffering
0:17:54 > 0:17:58with diarrhoea and symptoms of illness.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59Everything needed to come out.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04But the case suddenly became even more serious.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07I'm just being called down the garden.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10So police officers went up there. Erm...
0:18:12 > 0:18:14'And they shouted.'
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I'm just being called away by the police officer.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20And you just hear, "Jayne, Jayne, come quick."
0:18:20 > 0:18:23The police had made a horrific discovery.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27- There's a dead dog down here. - It's breathing.- Steve! Steve!
0:18:27 > 0:18:31They've been buried alive!
0:18:31 > 0:18:35And the police officers exhumed two puppies
0:18:35 > 0:18:40that had been buried alive in the sand. In the soil.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45That is singularly the most...erm...
0:18:45 > 0:18:52unbelievably dreadful thing I've ever seen.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55'You'd got police officers at the scene,'
0:18:55 > 0:18:59you'd got the veterinary surgeon and other experienced
0:18:59 > 0:19:07RSPCA inspectors and the whole... everybody just went silent.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14It was that moment of what, what? What on earth is going on?!
0:19:14 > 0:19:17It's just unthinkable. Absolutely unthinkable.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Sadly, both the buried puppies were too ill to survive.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33I don't think I could ever possibly say what I think about those people.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40What can you say?
0:19:40 > 0:19:42'They're living creatures.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47'They're little tiny, beautiful puppies.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51'They're just at the start of what should be their lives
0:19:51 > 0:19:57'and they've been born into this horrifically filthy,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01'dirty environment, with people who don't care less.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:08In the end, Jayne took 24 dogs away from the house.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11The three people responsible were arrested
0:20:11 > 0:20:13and later jailed for animal cruelty.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19They all received the maximum sentence that could be imposed down to them,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21which is six months in custody.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25'They were all disqualified from keeping any animal for life.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27'So if they ever have another animal
0:20:27 > 0:20:31'I just pray that someone will pick up a phone and let us know,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34'because unless people pick up the phone,'
0:20:34 > 0:20:38we would never have known, and this could still be going on.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43The successful prosecution closed the case.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47They're happy to be out, aren't they?
0:20:47 > 0:20:50But doesn't erase the memory.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54What we found in that address was just...
0:20:54 > 0:20:56it was utterly horrific.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And I think it's something that will live with me
0:21:02 > 0:21:05and everybody else that was at that warrant,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09it will live with us for the rest of our lives, I think.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Since being removed from the house,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15most of the dogs have flourished and been found new, loving homes.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19She's lovely. She's the nicest little dog.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22She's never had so much fuss, have you?
0:21:22 > 0:21:24And pet lover Avril is delighted
0:21:24 > 0:21:28to be able to give one rescued dog, Vicky, a fresh start in life.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31She's settled in extremely well.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34She seems to be a very happy and contented little dog.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39I think it's appalling that people do treat animals in this way,
0:21:39 > 0:21:40absolutely appalling.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43So we got you out of that, didn't we?
0:21:44 > 0:21:45There you go.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49RSPCA Inspector Jayne Bashford hopes that this case will provide
0:21:49 > 0:21:51vital lessons to those buying pets.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53You are a good sausage.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59I just ask people to just think, are you looking on websites?
0:21:59 > 0:22:04Are you just responding to an anonymous card in a pet shop?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Think to yourself, where are these puppies coming from?
0:22:07 > 0:22:10As they coming from a dirty backstreet breeder
0:22:10 > 0:22:12like this particular instance?
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Because all you're actually doing is, if you go ahead and buy that puppy
0:22:15 > 0:22:18that then becomes ill, you're lining the pockets
0:22:18 > 0:22:23of these people, who don't care two jots about the welfare of those dogs.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Vicky! Come on!
0:22:35 > 0:22:39The RSPCA doesn't just respond to calls about mistreated
0:22:39 > 0:22:40and injured animals.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41In Manchester,
0:22:41 > 0:22:46its animal hospital deals with over 27,000 appointments every year.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52The hospital is a charity that helps those with sick animals
0:22:52 > 0:22:54who are struggling to pay expensive vet bills.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58'The RSPCA hospital'
0:22:58 > 0:23:00exists primarily to treat people
0:23:00 > 0:23:03who are unable to afford private veterinary fees.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08It's shaping up to be another extremely busy day
0:23:08 > 0:23:11for hospital director David Yates.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Starting with a cat called Bacardi.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17The next patient in is Bacardi, which is
0:23:17 > 0:23:21a seven-year-old neutered female cat, belonging to Mr Jones.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Bacardi has sustained a serious-looking eye injury.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Concerned owners Michael and Antoinette
0:23:27 > 0:23:29have no idea how she received it.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31We went to the vet a couple of weeks ago.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34She had a bit of a bad eye,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37we didn't really know what were wrong with her, so we just
0:23:37 > 0:23:40come down here today to see if she can get any more treatment.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44With their three daughters anxiously awaiting news at home,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49Michael and Antoinette are hoping David and his colleagues can help Bacardi.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50Jones?
0:23:50 > 0:23:55The owners had taken care of the cat, they'd had her neutered, they'd vaccinated and cared for her.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00But she'd sustained an injury to the eye which proved too costly for them
0:24:00 > 0:24:05to manage in private practice, so she was referred to a charity hospital.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06Come on in. Hiya.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12When we first examined Bacardi, the damage to the eye was extensive.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- Now, that eye has lost a lot of fluid.- Yeah.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20The layer that's over the top of the eye is damaged, you know,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24so water that's normally inside the eyeball has come out.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27And it's all infected and inflamed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Sadly, David decides the eye can't be saved.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34With the damage that Bacardi had sustained,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37that soon became obvious that we couldn't save the eye.
0:24:37 > 0:24:44That eye's going to have to come out, because it's infected and sore.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Then we're left with a choice.
0:24:46 > 0:24:52We have to either take out the eye or consider putting Bacardi to sleep.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56The choices are drastic but losing an eye
0:24:56 > 0:25:00is a life-threatening situation for an outdoor cat.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03The chances of a fatal injury or accident are high.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10Cats rely on both eyes to get depths to their vision.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14'She wouldn't easily be able to escape from other cats or be able'
0:25:14 > 0:25:17to negotiate very well in a totally outdoor environment,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20so if the owner was adamant that they wanted Bacardi to stay
0:25:20 > 0:25:24and live an outdoor life, we would be a little concerned about that.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27David needs to know that Bacardi's owners understand
0:25:27 > 0:25:31the gravity of the situation before he agrees to operate.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- Do you think she'll be able to cope with one eye?- I do.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35- She's pretty resilient.- Yeah.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Yes, we'll give her a bit of extra-special treatment, won't we?
0:25:39 > 0:25:44- David decides surgery to remove the eye can go ahead.- I'll see you soon.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49And Bacardi is taken away to be prepared for her operation.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52I even told the kids, I've had that cat longer than yous!
0:25:53 > 0:25:57They showed obvious concern in the consulting room that they
0:25:57 > 0:26:01wanted us to fix Bacardi and get her back to normal.
0:26:01 > 0:26:02- Bye, now.- Bye.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Owners Michael and Antoinette can do nothing but wait and hope.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14It's a procedure that we do quite a lot, enucleation. It's surprising
0:26:14 > 0:26:18how often pets, particularly dogs and cats, will damage their eyeballs.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Vet Rachel Watkinson is performing the surgery on Bacardi.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29One of my colleagues did the surgery, and first we stitched the eyelids together
0:26:29 > 0:26:32so that the eyeball is enclosed in a little bag, as it were,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and then we dissect around the eyelids
0:26:35 > 0:26:41and around the bony orbit that keeps the eye inside the skull.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44This is a delicate operation.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47This is where I hold my breath.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Concentrating.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Any mistake could be costly.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57So the eye is just about to come away there now. There we are.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02It's come out all in one, which is good.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06I just need to really check that we haven't got any bleeding
0:27:06 > 0:27:08down in the orbit there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14And then we're finished.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Just going to be a bit uncomfortable for the next day or two,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20a little bit of swelling and bruising, but hopefully
0:27:20 > 0:27:24she'll feel a lot more comfortable in a couple of days.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Bacardi was home within a week.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35And two months later, after a couple of wobbles,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38she's now settled back into family life.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41She's only run into one thing, hasn't she?
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- Yeah, and she's fell off the window once.- Yeah, once.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46But that was when we first brought her back home.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50And it's not exactly injured her, really. Not at all.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56She means quite a lot to us, because she's like a sister,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00- because we've had for so many years. - She loves you, doesn't she?
0:28:00 > 0:28:02- Yes.- Cos you give loads of strokes, like that.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07- She's not like a cat, she is part of the family.- Yet, she really is.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd