0:00:04 > 0:00:06Britain's animals are under threat.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10All too often our wildlife and domestic pets are the victims
0:00:10 > 0:00:13of cruelty, persecution and neglect.
0:00:13 > 0:00:19Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people trying to protect and care for them around the clock.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22This is Animal 24:7.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47In the air, on land and in the water, Britain is a haven for animals.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52But when they come up against man, their lives are often in danger.
0:00:52 > 0:00:58From cramped inner cities to fields and hedgerows, from the highest moorland to the coast and beyond,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Animal 24:7 is with the people working around the clock
0:01:02 > 0:01:07to save endangered wildlife and protect vulnerable pets.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09These are their stories.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13'Today on Animal 24:7...'
0:01:13 > 0:01:19- All right, darling... - 'Anger management for Snowy, the temperamental terrier.'
0:01:19 > 0:01:21BARKS LOUDLY
0:01:21 > 0:01:27I assume her bark is worse than her bite, but I won't shove my hand in to find out.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30'A cliffhanger rescue for Gordon, the mountain goat.'
0:01:30 > 0:01:37He's been there for so long and he can't get off that ledge, so we've got to do something about it today.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41'And I help build a des-res for three rescued badgers.'
0:01:41 > 0:01:45This isn't a normal badger sett. They'll be under surveillance.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Like the Big Brother house, this place is rigged with cameras. Hello!
0:01:53 > 0:01:59Stuck inside the same four walls for hours on end and most of us would go stir-crazy.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And for our animals, it's just the same.
0:02:02 > 0:02:09The RSPCA are often called to situations where pets and people are struggling to get along.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14But the solution chosen by this next family came as something of a shock
0:02:14 > 0:02:18to the inspector who was called out to investigate.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24LOUD BARKING
0:02:24 > 0:02:29This may be a small garden shed, but there's plenty of noise coming from inside.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36It's this barking that has alerted neighbours that something is wrong.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40RSPCA inspector Sarah Keith is investigating.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Hi, RSPCA. We've had a call about the dog in the shed.
0:02:44 > 0:02:51- Why is it in a shed?- He lets it have a run in the morning and puts it in the shed in the afternoon.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- Does he walk it again of an evening?- Yeah.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59A shed is not a suitable environment for a dog to be kept in. Is it OK to have a look at him?
0:02:59 > 0:03:03The dog is called Snowy and spends most of her time locked up.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05It's no surprise she's angry.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10- Hello, sweetheart. All right, darling... - ANGRY BARKING
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Worried Snowy could attack, Sarah proceeds with caution.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Oh, that's a good girl.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Good girl.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23The incessant barking indicates this is one unhappy pet.
0:03:23 > 0:03:29- Scared to open the door too far, Sarah struggles to get a proper look.- OK, that's not happening.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Snowy is in no mood to be calmed down, but Sarah has seen enough
0:03:33 > 0:03:36and decides immediate action is necessary.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42- Who owns the dog then? Is it you and your husband?- Yeah.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Those conditions she's in, completely unacceptable.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Very, very strong smell of ammonia in there which is going to be doing no good for her lungs
0:03:51 > 0:03:55because she's going for wees in there.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00There's no ventilation in there, it's dark, there's tools that she can injure herself on.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04And she's got about that much water left in her dish.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08She needs to come out of that shed and it needs to happen soon.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11- Is there no way she can live in the house?- No.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17Theresa explains she's wary of letting Snowy inside because of the way she behaves,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20but Sarah says things have to be improved.
0:04:20 > 0:04:26What I'll do is issue you a notice to change those conditions that the dog's in at the moment.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31- Is it all right to sit down?- Yes. - I've got to do a bit of writing.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35With Theresa reluctant to let Snowy in the house,
0:04:35 > 0:04:41her only time outside the shed is during her twice-daily walks. That's not enough.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46"It is the view of the RSPCA inspector that the needs of the animal are not being met
0:04:46 > 0:04:49"because the dog has no ventilation,
0:04:49 > 0:04:54"there are tools which could be hazardous to the dog and the dog has no water.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59"You must provide adequate living conditions for the dog, including light and ventilation."
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Then I'll just put, "Provide constant water."
0:05:02 > 0:05:05You need to do it by the 22nd, a week from today.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10But if you get it all sorted within a week, it's all done and dusted
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and I won't need to give any more notices out.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- Thank you very much. - Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Sarah will be back to check that the living conditions have improved.
0:05:20 > 0:05:26But before she leaves, she needs to give Snowy some water and this means opening the shed door again.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Good girl. Drinkies! Do you want a drink, sweetheart?
0:05:30 > 0:05:35Do you want a drink? Here you are. What's this?
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- BARKS LOUDLY - All right, sweetheart.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40You eat that instead of me. There we go.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Good girl.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Oh, there's a good girl! Are you having a little wag, darling?
0:05:46 > 0:05:51I'm not going to hurt you. Good girl. Good girl.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Good girl, Snowy. Aw!
0:05:53 > 0:05:59Sarah's calming words seem to work and Snowy seems keen for a sniff of some fresh air.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02But as the darkness closes in on her again,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Snowy's frustration at being locked up returns with a vengeance.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08LOUD BARKING
0:06:11 > 0:06:17I think the lady here understands what's going on, but she doesn't have much to do with that dog.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21She's quite frightened of it. She asked me to go in and give it water.
0:06:21 > 0:06:27I think her husband deals with the dog, but as he wasn't here, somebody had to get the notice.
0:06:27 > 0:06:34I'll come back and issue him with a notice. Snowy is not the friendliest of dogs, but it's a fear thing
0:06:34 > 0:06:38and although she was jumping up and down and barking a lot,
0:06:38 > 0:06:44I assume her bark is worse than her bite, but I'm not prepared to shove my hand in and find out.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Whatever Snowy's temperament, keeping her locked in a shed is not the answer.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52If her owners don't change her conditions,
0:06:52 > 0:06:56she could be taken away when Sarah makes her next inspection.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- Coming up...- Good girl. Go on in.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Snowy is finally released from her shed.
0:07:05 > 0:07:12Come on, girl, let me pick you up without savaging me. Come on, sweetheart. Can I touch you?
0:07:12 > 0:07:17And Mountain Rescue make contact with Gordon, a stranded goat.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Beh-h! Beh-h!
0:07:20 > 0:07:23He's looking at me now. He's getting a bit agitated.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30The final goal for most people rescuing wild animals
0:07:30 > 0:07:34is the moment they can be released back to their natural habitat,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38but returning some of these animals to the wild can be tricky,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42especially with territorial creatures such as badgers.
0:07:42 > 0:07:49Rescuers have to go to extraordinary lengths to find a badger sett where a new member would be welcomed.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59'Six months ago, I visited Pauline Kidner at Secret World Wildlife Rescue in Somerset.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05'The centre was caring for a number of orphaned badger cubs found near a busy road.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09'These are the cubs now all grown up and ready to be set free,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14'but finding a place to release them hasn't been possible,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19'so I'm going to help build the badgers a brand-new home in the north of England.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:30And within this wood, this is the desirable plot.
0:08:30 > 0:08:37It's got the right slope, it's not too moist, it's quite well-drained and there aren't too many trees.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Away you go, Martin.
0:08:42 > 0:08:48'Heavy duty machinery is brought in to clear the area where our badgers' home will be built.
0:08:51 > 0:08:57'A natural badger sett is made up of a network of tunnels and chambers with many different entrances.
0:08:57 > 0:09:03'I'm with Jo Bates from the local badger group who are trying to recreate this environment.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10'Everything is carefully measured out according to architects' drawings.'
0:09:10 > 0:09:14This is a tricky moment when you try and match reality to your plan.
0:09:14 > 0:09:20I think at the moment they're working between Chamber 2 and Chamber 1 on this corridor here,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22getting that in the right place.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27'I help to mark out the trenches that will be dug to connect the sett together,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30'but, unusually, they're not in a straight line.'
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Why the curves, Jo?
0:09:32 > 0:09:38We basically know from experience that badgers don't really tunnel in straight lines.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41'And once the rough sketch is laid out,
0:09:41 > 0:09:48'the heavy metal is back digging several feet down to lay the pipes that will make the tunnels.'
0:09:48 > 0:09:53And this is the main passageway to link the east and west wings of our badger sett.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55'Though they may look rigid,
0:09:55 > 0:10:01'these pipes bend easily, allowing for the curves that badgers like to negotiate.'
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Well, as if to prove why they need a good shelter, it has started to rain
0:10:07 > 0:10:10and this is going to be one of their bedrooms.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16Okey-dokey... But there's another way in which this isn't a normal badger sett.
0:10:16 > 0:10:22They'll be under surveillance. Like the Big Brother house, this place is rigged with cameras.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Hello! Can you see me there?
0:10:24 > 0:10:29So we should be able to see the badgers as they settle into their new homes.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34In fact, there will be four cameras around the sett in general.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40'Our cameras will help check that the badgers settle in
0:10:40 > 0:10:43'and that all this hard work hasn't gone to waste.
0:10:43 > 0:10:50'We work as quickly as possible due to worries about forecasted rain which may disrupt the build.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56'Once in position, the digger begins to bury the bedrooms and tunnels with the excavated soil.'
0:10:58 > 0:11:02I guess we're walking on the roof of the badger sett at the moment.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06- Effectively, yes.- Are you happy with how it's gone today?
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Yeah, the general consensus is it's gone OK.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14When you've done all this work and bring the badgers here, are you sure they'll like it?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16That's the million-dollar question!
0:11:16 > 0:11:20'As Jo and the team put the finishing touches on the sett,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24'I make the 250-mile journey south to Secret World
0:11:24 > 0:11:29'to help prepare the badgers for the move up north.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35'Secret World rescues, rehabilitates and eventually releases over 3,000 animals
0:11:35 > 0:11:38'back into the wild every year.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42'Pauline Kidner has been running the centre since 1984,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45'caring for all manner of animals.'
0:11:46 > 0:11:52- Hi, Pauline. Nice to see you again. - Super weather, isn't it?- Having a busy day?- Yeah, not too bad.
0:11:55 > 0:12:01Certainly a well-balanced diet. They've got cod and plaice, tripe and chicken? Lovely!
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- There we go.- Jolly good. If we can just get this all put in here now...
0:12:06 > 0:12:11'Pauline has become particularly attached to the badgers and will be driving them
0:12:11 > 0:12:14'to their new home in the north.'
0:12:14 > 0:12:20- Is there any danger for the badgers on the journey?- Travelling doesn't bother badgers at all.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24Perhaps like human babies they go to sleep and find it very restful.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29'The van is packed up, but our badgers aren't ready to go just yet.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33'As they are nocturnal, they are enjoying a cosy sleep,
0:12:33 > 0:12:38'but I'm still keen to catch a glimpse of those babies I met all those months ago.'
0:12:38 > 0:12:44- These are the same ones that were nibbling at my feet and we were chopping up food for?- Yeah.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47They've come on brilliantly.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54'As the sun drops in the sky, Pauline returns to leave some food
0:12:54 > 0:13:00'and after some tentative steps, one of the badgers climbs out of bed for breakfast.'
0:13:00 > 0:13:04One of them came out, but got suspicious and went back in again.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10Yes, but we want them to be afraid of human beings. They're behaving like wild badgers.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'The past few months have been difficult for Pauline.
0:13:13 > 0:13:20'She has had to cope with the sad fact that those who test positive for tuberculosis can't be released.'
0:13:20 > 0:13:24We're looking for bovine TB. They're all tested three times.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27If we get any positives, we euthanise those animals.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31This year we've had quite a few animals that were positive.
0:13:31 > 0:13:37- If you're taking them to the north which is TB-free, you must be sure they don't bring the disease.- Yes.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41- How important is this project to you?- We do it for welfare reasons,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44but we also do it for educational reasons
0:13:44 > 0:13:51because it just makes me smile that so many students go abroad to Africa and see elephants and big animals
0:13:51 > 0:13:54and we have fantastic animals in this countryside.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Unless we care about them, they won't be there in the future.
0:13:58 > 0:14:04- They've had their last supper. The next move will be tomorrow morning. - Absolutely. Nice and early.
0:14:05 > 0:14:12'As the badger heads back to bed, I too need an early night in readiness for a five o'clock start.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17'The hope now is that the badgers make the journey north without any problems
0:14:17 > 0:14:20'and settle happily into their new home.'
0:14:24 > 0:14:31'Still to come, the cameras are in place and the house is ready to welcome the new arrivals.'
0:14:31 > 0:14:37- Does that look like an enticing bed for a badger?- It does.- Shall we introduce them to their new home?
0:14:37 > 0:14:42'And we catch up with Snowy, the grumpy terrier in need of a new home.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:45At the moment, she's being a bit aggressive.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50If it turns out that she can't be re-homed, that would be a real shame for her.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57Animals can get themselves caught and trapped in some extremely hazardous spots.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02This can be life-threatening for the animal and for those who have to rescue them.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08The RSPCA has dedicated units to deal with the most difficult and dangerous rescues
0:15:08 > 0:15:14and today we're joining a specialist team for one of their most extreme operations.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23The rugged north coast of Wales is as dangerous as it is beautiful.
0:15:24 > 0:15:31But there's one animal that is perfectly suited to this landscape - the Kashmiri mountain goat.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34They're extremely agile
0:15:34 > 0:15:40and their appetite for special grasses can take them into all sorts of precarious positions.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43But beneath the old lighthouse and over the cliff,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48there is one goat whose taste for the green, green grass has taken him over the edge.
0:15:50 > 0:15:56The RSPCA's rope rescue team has been mobilised to try to save Gordon
0:15:56 > 0:16:01who is trapped on a precarious mountain ledge and is too scared to escape.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04We were running out of rope as well.
0:16:04 > 0:16:10Inspector Chris Dunbar has been involved in 40 goat rescues and is leading today's operation.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13He has eaten away everything that is on the ledge.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18He's able to move across the ledge and hide around the corner from us.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Our intention is now to try and abseil to get him off.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Gordon has been stranded for two weeks.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30He hasn't got the courage to jump free and has now eaten all the grass around him.
0:16:30 > 0:16:36The dangers for him are the fact that he is liable to jump rather than let us catch him.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40I'm worried about him because he has been there for so long
0:16:40 > 0:16:45and he doesn't seem able to get off that ledge, so we've got to do something about it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50The only way to reach him is to abseil down a 300-foot cliff face.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Where's the safety now then?
0:16:54 > 0:16:58The RSPCA rope team begin their thorough preparation.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05The man in charge of Chris's safety is Inspector Richard Abbott.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07- Can you hear me now?- Yeah.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12We've got to make sure the anchor points are safe and are all even.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And make sure all the ropes are in the right place.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Are you ready for us, guys?
0:17:17 > 0:17:23Abseiling with Chris is experienced climber and animal collection officer Mark Roberts.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27You just need to extend that double chin strap... I mean chin strap!
0:17:27 > 0:17:29LAUGHTER
0:17:29 > 0:17:35'How long is this guy going to be because they reckon this weather is going to blow up?'
0:17:35 > 0:17:40The weather is starting to turn and this could threaten the whole operation.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45The team needs to act quickly, but can't start until the boat arrives.
0:17:45 > 0:17:50We need the boat because if we're not careful, the goat, which is wild, won't want to get caught.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55It won't understand why we're trying to catch it and it's a risk of it jumping.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58If it jumps, it will land in the sea
0:17:58 > 0:18:04and we will need the RIB there to recover the goat and bring it back to shore.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08Finally, the boat gets here and it's all systems go.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12If you didn't have grey hair, you have now.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27The view from the boat shows how bad the conditions are
0:18:27 > 0:18:30and what a dangerous position the goat is in.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35We can't leave it there. It will eventually starve, get too weak and fall off.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40It'll suffer when it doesn't need to. It's just got in an awkward position.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44The RSPCA can't just sit back and watch this goat slowly starve.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Can the guys in the boat see if we're above him?
0:18:48 > 0:18:53- With the help of the coastguard radio, contact is made. - Yeah, you're above it.
0:18:54 > 0:19:01And Chris and Mark go over the edge. It's a perilous operation, so safety is paramount.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Everybody at the top is attached into the system now,
0:19:05 > 0:19:11so if anybody slips or suddenly gets pulled over, there's no risk that they're going to fall.
0:19:11 > 0:19:17You've got the safety going down, so if this was to snap now, they'd be attached into this.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22Everything seems to be going smoothly, but suddenly, there's a problem.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27My ab rope has caught on something. I'll have to have some slack on my safety.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Chris's rope has snagged on a rock.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36- Hang on. If Chris could hang fire, we're just having to pass his knot...- Just hold it now.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40You'll have to give it plenty of slack. Pull that back through.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46But the team is well-versed in dealing with setbacks like this and Chris is quickly back on track.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51We can't see anything, so we're talking through the radios and they're telling us
0:19:51 > 0:19:58what's happening on the ledge, so we can control the safeties and make sure they're secure from the top.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Chris finally reaches the ledge and greets Gordon.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Beh-h! Beh-h!
0:20:06 > 0:20:09He's stood looking at me now. He's getting a bit agitated.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13You've been here a long time, haven't you? Come on.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15CLICKS TONGUE
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Chris is worried Gordon may jump.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21He's shivering away there, isn't he?
0:20:21 > 0:20:24They move in to try and shepherd him to higher ground.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Gordon bolts, narrowly missing Mark, and disappears from view.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Everyone holds their breath.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41But relief!
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Gordon is safe.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Good job, sir!
0:20:46 > 0:20:53The threat of being caught has finally persuaded this cowardly goat to tread where he once feared.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Chris and Mark emerge triumphant.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03It's been a gruelling challenge, but they finally got their goat.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I think that went fairly well, didn't it?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- There he is. He's grazing away down there.- He was shaking quite a lot.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Yeah, he was sort of quivering.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Apart from when he head-butted you or tried to!
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Yeah, we weren't best of friends at that moment.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25Once we got down alongside him, we came either side of him,
0:21:25 > 0:21:31he was still a little bit jumpy and spooky and making as if he was going to jump off the cliff edge,
0:21:31 > 0:21:38but we gave him his time and after trying to butt my colleague, we got below him and he came up.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40It was quite a successful rescue.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45You can see him there grazing on the cliff and he's perfectly happy now
0:21:45 > 0:21:49and I think he probably won't stop eating for a few days.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53Having roamed the North Wales cliffs for over a century,
0:21:53 > 0:21:58these Kashmiri goats have become an enduring feature of the rugged coastline.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02And thanks to the amazing efforts of Chris and the team,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06there will be plenty more years left of grazing for Gordon.
0:22:12 > 0:22:18Later, Big Brother is watching how our badgers settle into their new home.
0:22:19 > 0:22:25- That's fantastic.- Aw! - It looked like he was going to take a chunk out of the camera.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27It makes it all worthwhile.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35When pets become difficult to control, they are sometimes banished to unsuitable places,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38just to get them out of the way.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Earlier, we saw how a terrier called Snowy was kept in a garden shed.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45She had become so aggressive
0:22:45 > 0:22:50that even RSPCA inspector Sarah Keith was nervous about trying to get her out.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Now Sarah's back.
0:22:57 > 0:23:04Last time Sarah Keith visited Snowy, the dog was angry and frustrated. And it's no surprise.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09The four-year-old terrier was locked in this dark and dirty shed for hours at a time.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14But now Snowy's owners have come to a decision about their dog.
0:23:14 > 0:23:20Since the last time I was here, the owners of Snowy have decided to sign her over to the RSPCA
0:23:20 > 0:23:24as they're not managing to look after her on their own.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29She's quite aggressive, so we might have fun trying to get her out of this shed!
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Although Sarah is used to handling all kinds of dogs,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Snowy's past behaviour means she'll have to be careful,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40but as she passes the shed, things are ominously quiet.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Hi. I've come to get Snowy.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44BARKING
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- You've come to get her?- Yeah, you said you wanted to re-home her.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Snowy is inside the house and still barking as much as before.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Yeah, I've come to get her today.
0:23:55 > 0:24:01Sarah is invited in and the owners confirm they think it is time for Snowy to go.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- That's it. And then your full signature on that one.- OK.
0:24:05 > 0:24:11Once the paperwork is completed, Sarah goes to get a lead, prepared for a tussle to get the dog out.
0:24:11 > 0:24:16She's making a lot of noise in there, but actually, she seems to have calmed down a bit.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20I can hear her through the door, I can't see her yet.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Hopefully, I'll not get eaten!
0:24:22 > 0:24:27The last time Sarah saw Snowy, she did nothing but snarl and bare her teeth.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Today, her bark seems worse than her bite.
0:24:30 > 0:24:35Hello, baby girl. Come on, darling. Off we go!
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Bye!- Bye! Come on, Snowy. What's that?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41We're going in a van. We're going in a van.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45But she's obviously not that used to being on a lead.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51She seems fine. I think it was being shut in that shed that was making...
0:24:51 > 0:24:55She's nervous, but nothing that a bit of work won't fix.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58You're not aggressive, are you?
0:24:58 > 0:25:02All the hair's gone down on her back now. It was all stood up before.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Are you going to go in there? What's in there?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Go in there then. Go on then.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Now out of her shed, Snowy is not keen to be confined again.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17With most dogs, Sarah would lift them straight into the van.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Snowy seems in a better mood, but Sarah is concerned she may bite.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Let me pick you up without savaging me.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Come on, sweetheart. Can I touch you? I can, yeah. You're a good girl. Come here then.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Good girl. Oh, she's a good girl.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Sarah works hard to make her feel safe
0:25:38 > 0:25:42and Snowy shows there's another side to her temperament.
0:25:42 > 0:25:48I thought I was going to get an arm torn off, but she's all right once you get to know her.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51She's fine once she's out that shed.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54But Sarah can't take any chances.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Snowy will have to prove she can change her aggressive ways for good
0:25:58 > 0:26:02if there's to be any hope of finding her a new home.
0:26:04 > 0:26:10As she arrives at the kennels and sees other dogs, it's obvious there's plenty of work to be done.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13LOUD BARKING
0:26:13 > 0:26:15This way. Come on.
0:26:15 > 0:26:21She is doing a lot of stereotypic behaviour. She does a lot of spinning.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25It will be a real shame if she's only ever been in a shed
0:26:25 > 0:26:30and she comes to a kennel, another stressful environment,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and it turns out that she can't be re-homed, it would be a real shame,
0:26:34 > 0:26:39so hopefully, she'll pass her assessment and we can find her a nice new home.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Snowy will now undergo a ten-day assessment
0:26:43 > 0:26:47to prove she's got the right temperament to make a good pet.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52She'll be tested on her obedience and on how she reacts to people and other animals,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55but first she needs a health check.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Her temperament could be a worry with regards to re-homing.
0:26:59 > 0:27:06This is all new for her. She's been kept in a shed all her life. She doesn't know what any of this means.
0:27:06 > 0:27:12She's just letting people know, "If you come near me, I might take a chunk out of you!"
0:27:12 > 0:27:14But hopefully, she won't.
0:27:14 > 0:27:20Care assistant Michael Cuthbert will monitor her progress. He's dealt with difficult dogs before.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26She's showing signs of slight aggression which isn't unusual, especially on day one.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29We never take any risks. We always put a muzzle on.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35Snowy doesn't like being told what to do. She fights the muzzle and doesn't want to be weighed.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40This lack of obedience might count against her in the quest for a new home.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46But Michael decides to give her the benefit of the doubt.
0:27:46 > 0:27:52She's under quite a lot of stress at the moment, so the best thing we can do is pop her back in her kennel,
0:27:52 > 0:27:58let her settle, and we can always weigh her on a different day. Good girl.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01It's nice that she's not in a shed any more.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05So it's just wait and see now, really.
0:28:05 > 0:28:11I hope she settles in and I hope her temperament will be all right once she's used to different people.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- If you've been shut in a shed your whole life...- She needs time.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18She needs time and we'll wait and see.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Snowy's unruly nature presents a big challenge.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Dogs with aggressive temperaments can't be re-homed.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29Snowy will have to learn quickly if she's to get a second chance.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34If there's no improvement in her behaviour, her future looks bleak.
0:28:34 > 0:28:40If she settles in OK and it is just a bit of nervous aggression, then we'll be able to re-home her.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43At the moment, she's being a bit aggressive.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48Hopefully, we'll be able to sort her out and find her a nice new home,
0:28:48 > 0:28:53otherwise, it might be a case of we have to put her to sleep.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Still to come...
0:28:58 > 0:29:03Snowy is put to the test during her anger management class.
0:29:03 > 0:29:09Her hackles are going up and she's barking quite a lot, so it might be that Snowy's not too keen on cats.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Finding places to release rescued badgers is a difficult job
0:29:17 > 0:29:20and often artificial homes have to be built.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Earlier in the programme, I helped dig a new sett for three badgers
0:29:24 > 0:29:28that had been cared for by Secret World in Somerset.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30It's time to see if they like it.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38'At Secret World, today is the day the badgers will be released
0:29:38 > 0:29:42'into their new artificial sett. It's a special moment for me.
0:29:42 > 0:29:48'I first met these three when they were brought into the centre as orphaned babies.
0:29:48 > 0:29:53'Now all grown up, they are about to head north and that means a very early start.'
0:29:54 > 0:29:58It's 5am, a bit of a rude awakening for me,
0:29:58 > 0:30:03but for the badgers, it's the start of their big trek across the country.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06'It's a big moment for Pauline Kidner too
0:30:06 > 0:30:10'who has spent the last six months raising these badgers.'
0:30:11 > 0:30:17We're just going to put a blanket over it, so it makes it a bit more of a dark tunnel for them to go in.
0:30:17 > 0:30:24'Our first job is to try and coax the animals out of their bedrooms and into their carrying cases.'
0:30:24 > 0:30:30- Come on, in you go. In you go. - Got stuck in the entrance there!
0:30:30 > 0:30:32- Right, OK, everybody?- Yeah.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35There we go, right.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40- Come on, in there. Go on, that's it. - A bit better behaved, that one.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44That's it. OK. So it's to the van and go.
0:30:45 > 0:30:50'The badgers need to travel 250 miles to the newly constructed sett
0:30:50 > 0:30:56'and with heavy rain forecast, we're all very keen to get the badgers snug in their new home
0:30:56 > 0:30:58'before the weather turns.'
0:30:59 > 0:31:03- There we go. Bon voyage! - See you later.- See you later.- Bye.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12'The morning sun rises and after a few hours on the road, we arrive at our destination.
0:31:12 > 0:31:18'We're met by Jo Bates who oversaw the construction of the big badger house.'
0:31:18 > 0:31:22- I expect you'd like to see your badgers.- Yeah, I'm quite excited.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24They've travelled well anyway.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29We checked them halfway and they've been fine.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35- There they are, Jo.- Fantastic. Yeah. They look a little bit cautious.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Shall we have a look at their sett then?
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Yeah, that's really nice.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45- It's just up here.- What do you think about the setting overall?
0:31:45 > 0:31:51It looks smashing. It's lovely when you can come to a place like this which is so natural for them.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55There's so many places that they can go to and it's beautiful.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- This is the entrance we were thinking of.- Right.
0:31:59 > 0:32:05From up here, you can only see the front door, not the bedrooms, but it's all set up with cameras.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10The screens are over here, so you can have a look at what it will be like in their rooms.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- That's all working, I gather? - It is, yeah.
0:32:13 > 0:32:19Here's our little studio set-up. If you come round here, you can see the screens.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23- Wow, that's the actual chambers inside?- Yeah.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Isn't that fantastic?
0:32:26 > 0:32:31- They're fabulous. You can actually see them coming in... - The two entrances, yeah.- Brilliant.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35- Does that look like an enticing bed for a badger?- It does.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39It's probably about time to introduce them to their new home.
0:32:39 > 0:32:45'We used the bales of hay to build a walkway towards the entrance to the sett.'
0:32:45 > 0:32:52We're very nearly at the end of what has been a pretty mammoth project to get these badgers a new home.
0:32:52 > 0:32:58Lots of people, lots of lifting, a lot of work. I only hope they like it!
0:32:58 > 0:33:03'And with the hay in place, it's time to get our badgers moved in.'
0:33:03 > 0:33:07It must be exciting for you. It's close to the end of a long project.
0:33:07 > 0:33:13It's really great to see. I'm really looking forward to them settling in.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Just over the bale.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19It's like an obstacle course. I'll take it from here.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27This is the moment when the badgers are about to cross the threshold in their new home.
0:33:27 > 0:33:33'And with a little gentle encouragement, the first badger races into the sett.'
0:33:35 > 0:33:38All right, steady, steady, steady.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Let's see if this one gets the idea of where it's meant to go.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47'Followed by his rather more hesitant brother.'
0:33:47 > 0:33:52Are you OK if you bring the next one...? Brilliant.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Last one. That's where the other guys have gone.
0:33:55 > 0:34:01- Once you turn round, you'll realise, won't you? - There he goes.- There we go.
0:34:01 > 0:34:08- Just when you're not expecting it, he's off.- At least they're all in where they're meant to be.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13'All three badgers are in their new home, but will they perform for the camera?'
0:34:13 > 0:34:17- I think we're going to go and see if we can see them.- Good idea.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21- All right?- You're keen to go. - I want to go and see.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Oh, wow, look!
0:34:25 > 0:34:29'All the hard work has paid off.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34'The badger sett is also a film set. Will it be a bit of a tear-jerker?'
0:34:35 > 0:34:39That's a real close-up, isn't it? Oh, that's fantastic.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43It looked like he was going to take a chunk out of the camera!
0:34:43 > 0:34:48- He's having a good look at it. - That's wonderful. It makes it all worthwhile.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Thank you so much for giving them a home. That's super.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56'These badgers were originally part of a group of six,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59'but three were put down after testing positive for TB,
0:34:59 > 0:35:03'so, for Pauline, finally getting to this stage, is overwhelming.'
0:35:03 > 0:35:08You see badgers in cameras in your place, but this is almost in the wild.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11It is. It's fantastic.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Because of the testing regime that we do, we have to put some down,
0:35:15 > 0:35:20and it's always that much better when we know they've made it.
0:35:20 > 0:35:27They have to be sacrificed, so that we can get healthy animals back out, but it's never easy.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Never easy, but you're enjoying it?
0:35:30 > 0:35:36We have a tough time and we get criticised because of the protocol that we follow.
0:35:36 > 0:35:42This year, we will have to put eight cubs down out of about 35, but that's the way it's got to be.
0:35:42 > 0:35:49- But the other 27 or so will be out finding new homes like this and surviving and thriving.- Yes.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53And everybody, volunteer staff, they've all played their part.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59The last thing that remains to be done is to take these barriers off the other entrances,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03stuff some straw in, so it's not too draughty,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06but they can get out and hopefully forage around here.
0:36:06 > 0:36:13It's the end of a great story for me, having fed them as babies and now seeing them released into here.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17But that's nothing as to how much it means to Pauline.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20You could see her reaction, her emotion,
0:36:20 > 0:36:24the depth of her involvement in these fascinating creatures.
0:36:33 > 0:36:40When the RSPCA takes animals from their owners, they often come with problems that need sorting out.
0:36:40 > 0:36:45Sometimes it's health issues, but as we saw earlier in the programme with Snowy,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48it can also be a case of anger management.
0:36:48 > 0:36:54Snowy has been put on a ten-day behaviour training programme to try and improve her temperament.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59If she doesn't pass, it will be impossible to re-home her.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08This is the RSPCA welfare centre in Hull.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13For lucky animals, it is a quick stopover here before they are found new homes,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16but for Snowy, it's a different story.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20After showing signs of aggression, the next few hours are crucial.
0:37:20 > 0:37:27Care worker Michael Cuthbert will perform Snowy's behaviour test to determine if she can be re-homed.
0:37:27 > 0:37:33Today is a big day for Snowy because if everything goes well, she could end up going for adoption,
0:37:33 > 0:37:35as soon as the assessment is done.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40If Snowy's temperament hadn't improved, then we would work with it as much as we can.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Occasionally, we will get dogs where their temperament doesn't improve.
0:37:44 > 0:37:51They've had such a poor start in life or things have happened to them that they'll always be quite aggressive.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55If this is the situation, sometimes the dog will be put to sleep.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58Michael is hoping this won't happen to Snowy,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02but he needs to find out if she's making any progress.
0:38:02 > 0:38:08The first stage is to test how she reacts when someone walks into her cage. This is her big moment.
0:38:08 > 0:38:14Good girl. She's shown quite a happy response which is a really good thing. She's happy to see you.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18She's not cowering. She's not showing any signs of nerves.
0:38:18 > 0:38:25In fact, she's quite bold at the moment. She's keen to go out as all dogs are when we get their leads on.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29The signs of aggression would be she'd have her hackles up.
0:38:29 > 0:38:35If she was stressed, she would be showing signs of stress which can be wrinkles on the head,
0:38:35 > 0:38:40lips smacking where they show their teeth. This is again a sign of aggression.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42She's not showing any of these signs.
0:38:42 > 0:38:49The first signs are positive, but Snowy's next test is how she takes to orders.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53To start with, we'll just see what basic commands she can do.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57A lot of dogs do respond to treats, so we tend to use them quite a lot.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01Snowy's not particularly treat-mad, but we'll see how we go on with that.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Snowy, sit! Snowy...
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Snowy ignores Michael's commands.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10- Sit!- But then she proves she can listen.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Good girl. Well done.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17You always praise a dog as well, so she knows that she's done well.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22So now she's mastered the "sit", how will she do on the next command?
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Down! Down!
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Down! Snowy...
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Teaching old dogs new tricks is notoriously difficult.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Snowy seems happy to break the mould.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Good girl! Good "down", Snowy.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Sitting and staying seem to come fairly naturally to Snowy,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45but there are some areas where she's still got ideas of her own.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Snowy, to be quite honest, is very poor on her lead.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Again this might be the fact that she's been in a shed,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56so even when she wasn't in her shed, she's probably been a "garden dog".
0:39:56 > 0:40:02A lot of people get dogs and don't walk them, unfortunately. They think they're fine to go in a garden.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06This isn't adequate for any dog. All dogs need to go out.
0:40:06 > 0:40:13The next thing we'll try is heel work. You put your dog into a "sit" position on your left-hand side.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15They're following your heel,
0:40:15 > 0:40:20so as you walk, the dog is meant to follow your heel and you put the command "heel" in.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22So, heel! Heel!
0:40:22 > 0:40:27Snowy tries to keep up, but it's going to take a few more walks round the block
0:40:27 > 0:40:30before she can pass this part of the test.
0:40:30 > 0:40:36She's not brilliant on her lead, but she's not absolutely disastrous either.
0:40:36 > 0:40:42Hopefully, she'll improve. I'm quite impressed. For a dog that's not used to being on a lead, she's not bad.
0:40:42 > 0:40:47Despite a few hiccups, Michael is pleased with Snowy's progress,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51but now comes what could be her hardest test yet.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55How will Snowy react when she sees a cat?
0:40:55 > 0:41:01If a dog is not a cat-friendly dog, it becomes quite obvious because hackles will go up.
0:41:01 > 0:41:08If that's the case, we just put on her form when she goes up for adoption "not to live with cats".
0:41:08 > 0:41:13Snowy has already proved she's happy around humans,
0:41:13 > 0:41:18but dogs are notorious for hating cats and it seems the feeling is mutual.
0:41:18 > 0:41:24Her hackles are going up a little bit and she's barking quite a lot.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Again this isn't a great indication,
0:41:26 > 0:41:31so it might be the case that Snowy's not too keen on cats,
0:41:31 > 0:41:35which is quite common - some dogs just don't like cats.
0:41:35 > 0:41:41If that's the case, it just means we'll put on her card not to go with cats in the future.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Good girl.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47With Snowy's behaviour test over, it's time for Michael's verdict.
0:41:47 > 0:41:54I'm really pleased with Snowy's progress. The worry we had when she came in seems to have gone now.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59She'll only get better and better and eventually we'll find her a nice family home.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03So, from a bad-tempered and frustrated dog locked in a shed,
0:42:03 > 0:42:08Snowy has come on leaps and bounds and proved she can be nice after all.
0:42:14 > 0:42:20If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime or a creature that needs immediate protection,
0:42:20 > 0:42:26remember there are dedicated professionals out there who will answer your call around the clock.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30They are the people we meet on Animal 24:7.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35'Next time...
0:42:36 > 0:42:41'A family pet or a threat to the public? On the road with the dangerous dog team.'
0:42:41 > 0:42:46Thank you very much, gents. Powerful dog.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49'Not every pet is happy to attend the mobile vet clinic.'
0:42:51 > 0:42:54- Oh, feisty! - Now we see what she can do.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58'And some motherly love for some tiny orphans.'
0:42:58 > 0:43:03He's very good, actually. He doesn't cry hardly. A perfect baby.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2010
0:43:28 > 0:43:32Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk