0:00:02 > 0:00:04Good afternoon, RSPCA control centre.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07What animal is your call regarding today?
0:00:07 > 0:00:12In the UK, someone calls the RSPCA every 30 seconds...
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Exactly what did you see?
0:00:13 > 0:00:17So they're left outside in all weathers and they've got no bedding or shelter from the rain.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21..24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22I don't want you to go too close to it
0:00:22 > 0:00:25because swans can be very, very dangerous.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29When an animal needs help, the emergency line is open.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Do you know something? I've had non-stop calls for the past hour.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35All right, take care. Bye-bye. Got a bit of a rough throat now.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39It's cos I don't shut up.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Filming as the calls come in...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48..and when inspectors respond on the ground...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50I'll pass this information through to the officer.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55So close!
0:00:55 > 0:00:59..Rescuing everything from injured wildlife...
0:00:59 > 0:01:01to neglected pets.
0:01:01 > 0:01:02DOG BARKS
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Every shift is a challenge.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Rhea, one, RSPCA, nil.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09There's no such thing as a typical day as an RSPCA inspector.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Oi, get...! Oh, my lord!
0:01:13 > 0:01:16We never know what we're going to deal with.
0:01:16 > 0:01:17No two days are the same.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19- You're keeping a dog out there, it's disgusting.- Whoa, there!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23It can get to the point where you feel like you're banging your head against a brick wall.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25It's dirty, sweaty.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28It stuns me sometimes, the smells that I come across.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29- SHE COUGHS - Sorry.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32There's not a lot a lot of glamour in my role.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35But even if you just helped one animal...
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Hi, mate.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38..It's worth it.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Today, the animal hospital getting all its ducks in a row.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Shih-Tzu Milo faces an uncertain future.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And a call to a German Shepherd leaves Vicki McDonald
0:02:04 > 0:02:06struggling for control.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07Just calm down.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17For most inspectors, rescuing one animal in a day is reward enough.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20It's not often they get a chance to rescue hundreds.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25In North Wales, Inspector Keith Hogben
0:02:25 > 0:02:28might be about to do just that.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Oil and ducks don't mix.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49On site, Keith and his colleague Ellie West can immediately
0:02:49 > 0:02:51see how bad the spill is.
0:02:54 > 0:02:55OK, darlings. OK.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00Hundreds of mallard ducks are covered in oil.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Oh, you can really smell it now.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05And Keith starts to find disturbing clues as to what's happened.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Oh, look. Is this the oil?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Yeah. So it looks like somebody's just come and poured it.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Yeah. Shocking.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's just disgusting, it really is.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23'When I initially saw these ducks,'
0:03:23 > 0:03:27and saw the state of 'em, I was, I was very emotional,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29I think I probably had tears in my eyes.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34It looks like Keith may be too late for some of the birds.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Their feathers have been so badly oiled
0:03:37 > 0:03:40they've already died from the cold.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43It's just, it's just disgusting and wrong that someone should do
0:03:43 > 0:03:46this to these animals that can't defend themselves.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49You can see they're trying to clean themselves desperately.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I just can't understand it. I really can't.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00You have to get over that emotional side yourself, and once you're over
0:04:00 > 0:04:04that, right, get your head sorted and you know what you've got to do.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08There are still over 200 ducks here
0:04:08 > 0:04:11and Keith's determined to save every one of them.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15They're all going to have to come off as soon as possible, really.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17But he's going to need help.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I think we're looking about 200-300 that we can see.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27While he waits for the reinforcements,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Keith works out his tactics.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Ducks are notoriously hard to catch.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36They can take off vertically. They don't play ball, so to speak.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Someone could just walk it in.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43We felt the best thing was to try and create a fenced-off area
0:04:43 > 0:04:46with some fencing material that was around the property.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50And hopefully they'll just come down here, straight into here.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52HE LAUGHS
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It's not going to work like that is it?
0:04:54 > 0:05:00But how many RSPCA officers does it take to round up 200 ducks?
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Keith's banking on five. And the neighbour's grand-daughter.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Apparently, Serren's the expert duck-catcher,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10so, are you going to give us a hand, Serren?
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Yeah? Brilliant. Thank you.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18There's not a definite plan, I suppose. We're going to try...
0:05:18 > 0:05:20One or two of us will get behind the ducks
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and hopefully the ducks will think "Hey, I don't want to go that way,"
0:05:23 > 0:05:27and walk straight in, and Bob's your dad's brother. Apparently. But...
0:05:27 > 0:05:29If it goes to plan, it'd be the first time ever.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35With everyone in place...
0:05:35 > 0:05:36OK, Serren?
0:05:36 > 0:05:37..The corral begins.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44All right. Don't want to spook 'em.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Keep going. Keep going.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53Well done, Serren.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Very slowly, the team gently coax the first batch in.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Thank you, Serren.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Stage one complete, it looks like they've cracked it.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Mike, we'll just try and walk 'em down,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14and hopefully they might go into the boxes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15All right, darlings.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18But then, the birds have other ideas.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24And so Keith has to take a different approach.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30It looked a bit heavy-handed with the nets, I think,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34at some points, but our main concern was to not let these ducks get away.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Better than hook-a-duck, isn't it?
0:06:42 > 0:06:43At last, Keith and Ellie can
0:06:43 > 0:06:47get their hands on the ducks to see what damage the oil has done.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50God, some of these are really heavy, aren't they?
0:06:50 > 0:06:51Yeah.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's just so far down, to all of his...
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Through all the downy feathers, the nice fluffy ones that keep him warm.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Poor little soul.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Some of the birds were still trying to preen themselves
0:07:04 > 0:07:05so they were digesting the oil,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09the oil will cause burns and sores inside, so internally,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11it must be a horrendous pain for them.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It's just disgusting, it's terrible.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16So we're just assessing every one before it goes on this journey.
0:07:18 > 0:07:19Fingers crossed for 'em.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Keith is determined to save every duck he can.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Oh, that's all right.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Operation Mallard takes two days
0:07:31 > 0:07:34but eventually the last of the ducks are rounded up.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41The RSPCA wildlife centre at West Hatch is used to walk-in patients.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46But not usually this many.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Their specialist team gives each bird the full spa treatment.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I was chatting to the local chief inspector about the resources
0:07:59 > 0:08:02we've used. You know, I came up from West Wales.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05There's all the resources in the North Wales group. I should
0:08:05 > 0:08:08think it's probably cost, due to the one person or several individuals
0:08:08 > 0:08:11spreading this oil, probably between £15,000 and £20,000.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17It's heart-breaking for the animals to go through this,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19but I'd like to think we've got better things to be doing,
0:08:19 > 0:08:24you know, than dealing with someone's stupidity.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Just over a week after they arrived,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32these birds are ready to be relocated to a private pond nearby.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41And thankfully, they take to their new home like, well, ducks to water.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Staff at the RSPCA's national control centre deal with over
0:08:52 > 0:08:54a million calls a year.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56And have you tried luring her down with any food or anything?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58What animal are you calling about, Shelley?
0:08:58 > 0:09:01And it's their job to decide which calls need to be passed
0:09:01 > 0:09:02to officers on the ground.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I'll pass that on to the officers now for you.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07When you take a call, you can't really tell on that call
0:09:07 > 0:09:10whether that person genuinely needs that help or not, we've got
0:09:10 > 0:09:12five minutes to make a split choice decision.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Yep, I don't dispute you there, sir, I don't dispute you.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Some of the calls are so strange, they could only be true.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20I've had a horse in a bungalow before.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23I thought to myself, "That was kind of weird."
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I says, "Are you sure?", and she says, "Oh, I had to triple check,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43"but, yeah, it's definitely in there."
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Other calls are a little less based in reality.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02It was one of my first calls, and this lady was telling me that
0:10:02 > 0:10:07every time she left her house, this chicken got her down on the floor.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09And I could just picture it in me head about this chicken,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12over this lady. Being aggressive.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Right.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16I've had a call to a bird of prey tangled in a tree,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19and I've got there, and it'd be a child's kite.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22And you think, well, how can someone mistake that?
0:10:22 > 0:10:25A dying cat on the side of the road that's a pile of leaves.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27The collapsed horse which is a cuddly toy.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Okey dokey, so what animal is your call in regards to today, then?
0:10:30 > 0:10:32I mean, I've had, we've had numerous calls in regards to the fact
0:10:32 > 0:10:34that people thought there was a swan injured,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38and it turns out to be an Iceland carrier bag or something like that.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43So obviously that's quite ludicrous. To be fair.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50But for every funny call, there are hundreds of serious complaints.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56In Bolton, inspector Vicki McDonald has just arrived at her latest job.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06It's a report about a number of dogs being kept in a back yard
0:11:06 > 0:11:07with no shelter.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11There was no answer at the door, and I could see that
0:11:11 > 0:11:16I could get round to the back, so I went round and was able to establish
0:11:16 > 0:11:19which house it related to and it was quite obvious when you got near.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20Hello!
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- DOG BARKS - I know, I see ya!
0:11:23 > 0:11:26What I don't want to do is have my face bitten off.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27Whoop! Hello!
0:11:27 > 0:11:29The wall was quite high at the very back
0:11:29 > 0:11:32but the neighbouring yard was open,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35and they let me have a look over, which gave me a much better
0:11:35 > 0:11:36and much clearer view.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Hello! I see ya!
0:11:41 > 0:11:43There's three adults and a puppy.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50You've got a ramshackle shelter, and the conditions...
0:11:50 > 0:11:54There's flies everywhere. It's just, it's just inadequate.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55I know, I see you!
0:11:58 > 0:11:59The conditions aren't good.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03And the dogs seem keen and capable of making a leap for freedom.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Oh, hello.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'They were very keen to kind of interact, they were jumping up.'
0:12:09 > 0:12:12It would have been cold, it would have been uncomfortable,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and it would have been hazardous.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19What I'm going to do is put a note through his door,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21with my observations from today.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And what we'll need to do is come back and have quite a serious
0:12:24 > 0:12:28discussion with him about the way he's keeping his animals.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39A week later, and in a crisp, clean uniform,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Vicki makes a return visit to see if anything has changed.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46I was going there with the hope that he'd followed the advice,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50that he would have improved the conditions that the dogs were living in. I mean, you hope.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Hello!
0:12:55 > 0:12:57He's cleaned up a bit.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01The problem I have is that it's ramshackle and squalid.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03What're you nibbling for?
0:13:03 > 0:13:06I know, I know, it's rubbish in there, isn't it?
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Things are a bit better, but the dogs still seem intent on escape.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Careful! There's some screws on top of there.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18Safety-wise, it's not ideal, I mean, that, it worries me that the dog,
0:13:18 > 0:13:19that the dog can even get there.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22The dogs are jumping up at the back wall,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26but I certainly couldn't anticipate what happened next.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Oi! Oh, my lord! Come here!
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Come here! Come here, you eejit.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37The dog's heading straight for the main road.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39It's Vicki's worst nightmare.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Come here! Oh, my lord.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46It became quite a struggle to actually get her under control.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Come here, come here.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51And she made her bid for freedom. She wanted freedom.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55German Shepherds are a big strong breed.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57All right, all right. Just calm down.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02It takes all Vicki's strength to restrain her.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04'You've just got to act instinctively,'
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and you've got to try and control it, and I thought, "Once I'd got hold of you
0:14:08 > 0:14:12"I'm not letting go of you, I'm not going to run the risk of you getting away."
0:14:12 > 0:14:15That is my point about it not being sa... All right, all right.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Calm down. You're not going to go anywhere.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20There we go.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22'She put up a bit of a fight.'
0:14:22 > 0:14:24She's almost as big as me!
0:14:24 > 0:14:28That is my point as to being secure.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30Unsuitable back yard.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32That was very nice, thank you(!)
0:14:33 > 0:14:37I was just getting dirtier and dirtier by the minute.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39With the owner absent,
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Vicki has no way of getting the dog back in the yard.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But getting it in the van is no easy job either.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49I was trying to keep hold of her,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I was trying to get the door open on the van.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57She didn't want to go in the van,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00so I'm having to lift her into the van while holding a door open,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04it was just the most ridiculous farce trying to get her in.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10Go on. OK. Right.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12I generally win!
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Ten minutes later, the dog's owner appears.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Hiya. Can we just get into the yard now?
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Vicki's clean uniform already needs a wash,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24but she wants to explain her concerns.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29You need to make some priority time here, to get this sorted.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31It's not adequate.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35They've got nothing to lie on, but dirty, smelly ground,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37that's it, that's all they've got.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- It's not appropriate. - Yeah, I know, I appreciate it.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43So you've got some work on this weekend, all right?
0:15:43 > 0:15:45I need you to do this by the end of the weekend.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Hey!
0:15:47 > 0:15:50All right, everybody. I hear you.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52I hear you.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55'I left absolutely caked.'
0:15:55 > 0:15:58The smell of me was offending me, let alone anybody else!
0:15:58 > 0:16:00I smell so bad!
0:16:04 > 0:16:09But in the end the job did bring the sweet smell of success for Vicki.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14I went back and every possible thing I'd asked him to do, he'd done.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18And that was brilliant. And unusual for it to happen that quickly.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23When you can see that your visit on that particular day has made
0:16:23 > 0:16:28a difference to the animal's life and to the life of the owner,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30then, yeah, I think you've done your job.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Just a few miles away, on the other side of the city,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42it's another busy morning for the RSPCA animal hospital.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49David Yates and his team treat over 30,000 pets every year...
0:16:49 > 0:16:50Hiya.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55..Providing a lifeline for owners struggling to pay regular vet bills.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57This is Milo...
0:16:57 > 0:16:59- Milo Seddon? - Yep.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02..A Shih-Tzu with a rather desperate problem.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04- Hiya. - Hi, how can I help you?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07He came yesterday, he had some problems with his bladder,
0:17:07 > 0:17:08he's struggling to wee.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11He's had previous problems in the past with urinary stones.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13So I was given some medicine and told to come back today,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15but he's still not weeing so...
0:17:15 > 0:17:18And has he been straining and passing blood, urine, or nothing?
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- He's not been passing anything, since yesterday.- OK.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Urate, or bladder stones, can be serious in dogs,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28because they prevent the animal from urinating.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31It's a particular problem for small, male dogs.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Is he sometimes a bit grumpy?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36He can be, yeah, when he's not getting his own way.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38From what the owner is saying, he's normally a bit more plucky,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40a bit more spirited, and perhaps
0:17:40 > 0:17:42a bit more difficult to examine.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43He was subdued.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48Quite often it's not the animals that are aggressive that we worry about,
0:17:48 > 0:17:49it's when they're depressed
0:17:49 > 0:17:52that we'd be more concerned that things are deteriorating.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55And just keep reassuring him, and stroking him.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Oh, yeah, his bladder's huge. Yeah.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02It was fairly easy to feel a large painful, swollen bladder.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06That is a veterinary emergency.
0:18:07 > 0:18:13His bladder's very big, so he's going to need sedating, this fella,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and try and pass a catheter, and get an idea of what's going on.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21The worst scenario there would be for the bladder to burst,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23so I need to try and relive the bladder,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26otherwise if his bladder ruptures, that could be life-threatening.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Owner Ian is clearly worried for his little dog.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Aw, well done. Nice one.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Great, it'll take about 15 minutes and he'll go dozy.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40'When you're a vet, I think you need to realise,'
0:18:40 > 0:18:42that even though you've done thousands of a particular procedure,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46this is maybe the first and only time an owner sees something like that.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Their animal's been sedated, so to the owner it looks like a dead
0:18:50 > 0:18:55or a dying animal, so sedation is a striking thing for an owner to see.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59With Milo out for the count...
0:18:59 > 0:19:01You can see the size of his bladder.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03..David can insert the catheter.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06OK.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Now that feels quite gritty, that.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13But urine is coming through no problem. Watch your face.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Just watch you're not in the line of fire there, mate.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22Milo is clearly fit to burst, and would have been in a lot of pain.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24How many have we done, is that eight?
0:19:25 > 0:19:28We're not far off 200mls there.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35OK. That's empty now.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40With the bladder emptied, David can examine Milo
0:19:40 > 0:19:43to see if there are any more stones present.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45His urethra's very thickened,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48and it feels like there are little stones in there as well.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53I think what we're probably best doing is...
0:19:54 > 0:19:57..getting him in for surgery probably, tomorrow, for that.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Milo has already had this operation once before.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06And it's unlikely to cure the problem for good.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09But the only other option is to put him to sleep.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12I'm not going to promise that we're going to cure him or anything.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15I think he's going to have problems, and when you've done surgery once,
0:20:15 > 0:20:16that's your best chance of fixing.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Repeat surgery's just going to mean more scar tissue
0:20:19 > 0:20:20and potentially more problems.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26It's a tough decision, but Ian wants to give Milo every chance.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27You know, he's not exactly old,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30I just want to do anything I can really, just to keep him going.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Still got a lot of life in him, regardless of his illness,
0:20:34 > 0:20:35so, whatever it takes.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47I was quite taken aback at how emotional the owner became
0:20:47 > 0:20:49when I gave him this news. He was visibly shaken
0:20:49 > 0:20:53and upset at the prospect of potentially losing his dog.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Now that's... It sounds like a horrible thing,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58but I was actually pleased that he was that attached to his pet,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02it makes it much easier for me to be aware that the owner's going
0:21:02 > 0:21:05to be committed and follow any kind of treatment I recommend.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Milo's future now depends on the operation.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24A few weeks later,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Ian's beloved pet is back home recovering from the surgery.
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Give me teddy.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34I was really pleased with how this case went.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37It seemed like an owner strongly committed to his pet,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39that decided to do all that he
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and the family could do to try to get Milo back to health.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Milo. Are you ready? Come on then.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Come on then.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Milo is on a special diet to try and prevent stones forming again.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52There's a good boy.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56But for now, he's got a new lease of life.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02He's made me happy again, he's made everybody in my family happy again,
0:22:02 > 0:22:03he's running round like a puppy.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Give me that teddy.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06HE LAUGHS
0:22:06 > 0:22:08You big softy.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I know that in two years' time, it may come again,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14so to me it's about spending as much time as I can with Milo.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19At the end of it all, he's come out and he's fighting-fit,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and he's absolutely loving his life again.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31In Liverpool, Claire Fisher is on her way to a call about a cat
0:22:31 > 0:22:34that's been locked in, when its owner got locked up.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40Unfortunately, we have a lot of people that go into prison
0:22:40 > 0:22:43and leave their animals. Which really winds me up.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49But before Claire can stage a breakout for the cat,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52she needs to show it's been left to fend for itself.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56What we do when we're trying to prove if someone's attending
0:22:56 > 0:23:00to an animal, is we seal it up so we either put bits of card
0:23:00 > 0:23:04in the door frame, or people will put sellotape over doorframes.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Seals are intact. Card's there.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09Yeah, there's another one here.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12The owner's been locked up for over a week,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14and so the cat could be in a bad way.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Puss, puss, puss, puss, puss!
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Nothing.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23You do start getting really concerned because you think,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26well, we had no sighting of it, we couldn't hear this cat at all,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28it was all a bit odd.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Come on, puss, puss, puss, puss.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35A lot of my job involves being a nosy bod.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Whether that's peering through windows,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40peering through letter boxes, we do it a lot.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Claire can't see the cat, but she does spot something.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47There is indeed a key in the door.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Oh. It does open.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57Claire could walk right in. But she knows she can't.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01That to me...is an open door.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Oh, it was like it was, it was winding me up.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08This key's looking at me going, "You could enter if you want to.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10"But you won't be doing it legally."
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Potentially it's there, it's good to go, you know.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16Could just go in and check!
0:24:19 > 0:24:23So Claire now has to call the police to allow her inside.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26If you had an officer that may be handy...
0:24:26 > 0:24:29It's a gamble, for a cat Claire can't even see.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31But she wants to be sure it's OK.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33There was just something about this one.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36I just felt like if I'd have walked away...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I wouldn't have done the job properly.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42The boys in blue have turned up.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45I'm really sorry if there's no cat.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- No, it's OK. - Hey-ho, it's one of them.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50At last we've not bust the door in.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53And it's soon clear Claire's gut instinct was right.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Oh you've got... Have you got the cat? Oh, baby!
0:24:58 > 0:25:01You've been on your own for seven days!
0:25:02 > 0:25:05I was relieved to at least go in and find this little cat
0:25:05 > 0:25:07huddled in the wardrobe.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Hi, mate. You look like you're going to jump on me.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14I was so happy that I stuck at it because if I hadn't stuck at it,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16how long would that cat have been there for?
0:25:16 > 0:25:19But this tricky tomcat isn't sure he wants to be rescued.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It sort of had that look about it that was either,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28"I'm so scared I might run round the property
0:25:28 > 0:25:31"and you're never going to catch me," or, "I might bite you,"
0:25:31 > 0:25:33or, "I might attack you."
0:25:33 > 0:25:36All right, baby. It's OK, it's OK. Shush, shush, shush.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41Go in the basket. All right, baby boy, settle down. Come on.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44It's OK. Come on.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46One of our baskets is called a crush cage,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50which we normally use for sort of more wild cats.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52You can lift the end off the basket.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56And I sort of gently squashed the cat,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00so, you know... I needed for it to realise, "You have to go in here."
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Get your bum in, then. I think we're in.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07Right. One cat.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Claire thinks the cat looks pretty healthy.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Come on, you. Shall we got to the vets?
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Oh, you're big and heavy.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17But he still needs to be checked over.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Vet Alan Humphries inspects the cat, and immediately spots a problem.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32These ears. See that dark wax? Very suspicious of ear mites.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33Let's have a look.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35The poor little fella is clearly suffering.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Oh, OK, that's a classic.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Aw, bless him.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I'd like to give those ears a clean.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48A special solution is used to flush the cat's ears out
0:26:48 > 0:26:50and make him more comfortable.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51Is he going to like this?
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Aw, baby.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Oh, yes, I know.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Aw, good boy.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Bless him.
0:27:01 > 0:27:02All right, baba, no, no, no.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I think I actually ended up with some of it on my face,
0:27:05 > 0:27:06when the cat shook its head.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Is that on me, is it?
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Always a great thing to add to your day,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14cat ear gunk on your face(!)
0:27:14 > 0:27:17And this delightful blockage could be the reason
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Claire was being ignored at the flat.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24The whole time we were outside the flat door,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and I'm calling through the letter box, thinking I'm talking to myself,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30maybe it's entirely possible that he didn't hear me.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Hopefully now we've got the ball rolling with sorting his ears out.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39He will be a lot more comfy. Won't you, mate?
0:27:43 > 0:27:44A lot more comfy.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48It might have been a long job to get here,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51but Claire is satisfied with her day's work.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55It's rewarding. It is rewarding, to leave the vets and think,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59"Right, well there's a cat that's now had some treatment,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02"it feels better about its ears, it's got human contact,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06"it's got food, water, a litter tray and a clean bed. Job done."
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Hey. Ah!