0:00:04 > 0:00:06Britain's animals are under threat.
0:00:06 > 0:00:13All too often, our wildlife and domestic pets are victims of 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
0:00:19 > 0:00:24right around the clock. This is Animal 24:7.
0:00:42 > 0:00:48In 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 our cramped inner cities, from our fields and hedgerows, from moorland to coast and beyond,
0:00:58 > 0:01:04Animal 24:7 is with the people working around the clock to save endangered wildlife
0:01:04 > 0:01:08and protect vulnerable pets. These are their stories.
0:01:11 > 0:01:17- Today on Animal 24:7... - Oh, she's got a really nasty ear there.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Tara and Tiny - two Alsatians on the edge of being taken away.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24You'll lose them and end up in court.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29- An injured swan with a protective mate.- All right.
0:01:29 > 0:01:34Just watch him, watch him. Easy, fella. Easy.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36'And Bambi's on the bottle.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:41Cor! Down in one. I don't know who he learned that from.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- Just like that. - Is it real ale, though?
0:01:47 > 0:01:55Pets can provide valuable companionship, especially for owners who live alone with their animals.
0:01:55 > 0:02:01So when the RSPCA have to step in for the sake of the animal, it can be heartbreaking.
0:02:09 > 0:02:15German Shepherd Tara and her six-year-old son Tiny live in a flea-infested flat.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24Tiny's hair is falling out because he's being bitten by fleas, which he's allergic to.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Tara has a serious ear infection. Both dogs are downbeat and lethargic.
0:02:31 > 0:02:37RSPCA inspector Vicky McDonald has spoken to their owner about their health before.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39She's back to see if it has changed.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Tara! Tiny!
0:02:41 > 0:02:47- Right, he's still got this problem, hasn't he?- The hair he's lost there. - Underneath as well.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52- It's instantly clear nothing has. - You've got more than one problem
0:02:52 > 0:02:56- because you've got fleas on the dogs.- Right.
0:02:56 > 0:03:02Dogs with an allergic reaction to fleas. And also because there are fleas on the dogs,
0:03:02 > 0:03:07fleas are jumping off the dogs, laying eggs in your carpets...
0:03:07 > 0:03:13- If one flea gets on that dog and has a nibble, it'll set it all off. - That's what it starts from?
0:03:13 > 0:03:19Yeah. So what you'll need to do is get back on top of it again on the dogs and in the house.
0:03:19 > 0:03:26- Then, every couple of months do it with stuff from the vets. - Tiny's skin is sore and infected.
0:03:26 > 0:03:33- Tara's poorly ear is even worse. - Oh, she's got a really nasty ear there. That really is chronic.
0:03:33 > 0:03:39- We need to get to the vet tomorrow. - I clean it out each morning, but it's just getting worse.
0:03:39 > 0:03:46Steve seems to be taking on board all of Vicky's advice about getting Tiny and Tara treated,
0:03:46 > 0:03:54- but it's vital he cleans their home, too.- You need to treat the entire house for that.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58If Housing can help you get somebody round to do that,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01that'll probably be the best bet.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06I'll try to catch up with you tomorrow and see how you got on. Or with the vet.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Tara and Tiny are clearly uncomfortable and need a vet.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Steve has had them since they were puppies and thinks a lot of them,
0:04:15 > 0:04:22but he's been unable to afford to get them treated. Vicky decides to help him help his pets.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26I'll leave it with you. Thanks for your time.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33She'll be back in 24 hours to make sure these two dogs have had the treatment they need.
0:04:33 > 0:04:39He's had the help and he's had the advice. He needs to get his animals to a vet.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43If he doesn't, he could face prosecution.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Over the next few weeks, Vicky checks up on Tara and Tiny several times.
0:04:52 > 0:04:58- Steve? Can you answer the door? - Although the vets report that they have been in for treatment,
0:04:58 > 0:05:04they've missed crucial follow-up visits. There's never anyone at home.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- Steve, are you home? - Every time it's the same story. - I can't see anything.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Finally, though, Vicky's persistence pays off.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- DOG WHIMPERS - Hello!
0:05:17 > 0:05:21After two months of phone calls and visits, the owner's home,
0:05:21 > 0:05:26but it's not good news - Tara still has an ear infection
0:05:26 > 0:05:31and Tiny has been reinfested with fleas and is now losing weight.
0:05:31 > 0:05:37You really, really should have been back to the vet. You cannot leave these things untreated.
0:05:37 > 0:05:44You're falling into the realms now of causing your dogs to suffer by not getting them the treatment.
0:05:44 > 0:05:50You know they need it. You haven't made any attempts to get me here for help,
0:05:50 > 0:05:57to get back to the vet's. I understand you've got bills, but we all have bills to pay
0:05:57 > 0:06:03- and to get our pets to the vet when they need it.- For the RSPCA, taking older dogs like Tara and Tiny
0:06:03 > 0:06:09away from their home is a last resort. It would be a wrench for both owner and pet.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14I'm going to give you a final chance, but this is going to be under caution today.
0:06:14 > 0:06:22I'll issue you with a warning notice to get them treated and to get the follow-on treatment they need.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27- If you don't...- I'm going to lose me dogs.- And end up in court.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- So this is your last chance. Do you understand?- Yeah.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35- I shall see you later. - Right.- See you.
0:06:38 > 0:06:44Four weeks later and Vicky's back to see Tara and Tiny.
0:06:44 > 0:06:50While she's been on holiday, her colleagues have checked on the dogs and told her things are no better.
0:06:50 > 0:06:56She can't get in touch with Steve, but she knows he hasn't been taking the dogs back to the vet.
0:06:56 > 0:07:02It's all well and good doing the first visit, but if you don't do the follow-ups, you're wasting it.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07The vet isn't telling you to go back other than because it's necessary.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Yet again, no one's home.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I'll have a look round the side.
0:07:17 > 0:07:23I'm trying to either attract the attention of him or one of the dogs.
0:07:25 > 0:07:31But the dogs are quite old and one's got an ear condition, so they probably won't hear me.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Vicky is now extremely concerned about the welfare of these dogs.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41She calls the police to help get them out of their flea-ridden home.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43HE WHISTLES
0:07:46 > 0:07:50But, to Vicky's disappointment, the dogs aren't there.
0:07:54 > 0:08:00There's plenty of dog bowls around. It still smells of them. I think he got wind of me.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02He knows that his chances are up.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06This job is getting more and more frustrating.
0:08:06 > 0:08:14It's already dragged on for 16 weeks and Tara and Tiny are still no closer to the treatment they need.
0:08:19 > 0:08:25Still to come: Tara and Tiny's owner runs out of chances.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30Things just aren't getting better and it feels like I constantly have to chase you.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I can't do that to them.
0:08:33 > 0:08:39And the bizarre invention to keep a pigeon with two broken legs off his feet.
0:08:39 > 0:08:45- It's the perfect couch potato's arrangement! - That's exactly it.
0:08:48 > 0:08:55Like us humans, animals can often form close family bonds, few more so than swans.
0:08:55 > 0:09:02Swans mate for life, stay together all year round and both look after the young.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07So when one gets hurt or injured, the whole family can suffer.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It's an idyllic scene.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16A mother and father swan and their three cygnets,
0:09:16 > 0:09:21quietly enjoying the tranquillity of the East Yorkshire countryside.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23But all is not well.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27The mother swan is seriously injured.
0:09:27 > 0:09:33RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Leanne Honess has been called to check it over.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37One swan we think was either shot or attacked by a dog.
0:09:37 > 0:09:43It's reported to be covered in blood. We need to pull it off the river to investigate.
0:09:43 > 0:09:50These swans are living on a remote part of the river. Two workmen repairing the bridge spotted them.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Yeah, I see. We just need to get him before he goes down there.
0:09:55 > 0:10:01- Do these get fed by members of the public regularly?- Quite possibly. Here they're coming now for bread.
0:10:01 > 0:10:07- Exactly. Come on. - The area is popular with dog walkers. Leanne's worried
0:10:07 > 0:10:13- an attack by a pet could have damaged the swan's wing. - If we get him to the bank,
0:10:13 > 0:10:19- we can get them out.- Swans are the largest of all water birds and can be dangerous to approach,
0:10:19 > 0:10:26especially when injured or guarding their young. Leanne attempts to coax the injured bird to the shore.
0:10:26 > 0:10:32I just don't want to go in there with my boots on and scare her over there too much,
0:10:32 > 0:10:39- but she's not coming out otherwise. - She has to opt for wet feet and eases her way into the stream.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Good girl!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Good girl.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50She's been attacked. She's really scared. It's just a bit of patience.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54If you keep throwing the bread in, it'll bring her over here.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59- When I whack my hook round her, we can pull her out.- Come on, girl.
0:10:59 > 0:11:05Leanne needs to be careful. Swans are graceful creatures, but they can be aggressive.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11- The mother's injured and her mate will try to protect her. - She's just so wary.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17- We've got to do this at some speed or as soon as I grab her... - Will he attack you?- Absolutely.
0:11:17 > 0:11:23- I thought he would do. He's protecting her now. - As soon as I grab her, he'll go.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29Leanne's struggling to get close. With water coming over the tops of her boots,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31one of the workmen offers to help.
0:11:31 > 0:11:39- If I just put the hook round the swan's neck...- Shove it round her neck and pull. But watch him.
0:11:40 > 0:11:47- Repairing bridges is one thing, catching swans quite another. - A first time for everything.
0:11:49 > 0:11:56The family are a close-knit group. Will they be able to separate the injured bird?
0:11:56 > 0:11:59I'll see if I can do anything from that side.
0:11:59 > 0:12:05Leanne's new recruit succeeds in splitting off the mother and has a chance to catch her,
0:12:05 > 0:12:10- but the male isn't happy. - You're a star. Just watch him!
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Easy, fella. Easy.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19- As the father threatens to attack, the injured swan is finally taken away.- There, there, big boy.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Stay there.
0:12:22 > 0:12:28- Now the injury can be assessed. - Just watch her wings, honey.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Do you want to hold her head while I look and see?
0:12:31 > 0:12:36Good girl. Come here. ..It seems to be a bite.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42We'll take her to the vet's. Might be advisable to clean her up and give an antibiotic injection
0:12:42 > 0:12:48so we can bring her straight back and there's no disruption to the mate.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54Leanne's hoping the treatment will be brief so she can bring the swan back as soon as possible.
0:12:58 > 0:13:04As soon as she's back with her family, the less stress there is on the cygnets and the male as well.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Hopefully, that's what will happen. We'll see.
0:13:07 > 0:13:14Swans take equal responsibility for their cygnets' care and the burden will now fall on the father,
0:13:14 > 0:13:21but the trip to the vet is vital if the mother is to have any chance of rejoining her family.
0:13:21 > 0:13:28- Hello!- Hi, Leanne. - Any injury to a bird's wing is a worry
0:13:28 > 0:13:33and the bite could be infected. Vet Carol Paterson assesses what's wrong.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37It certainly doesn't look like there's a horrendous wound.
0:13:37 > 0:13:43- They're so white.- While the size of the blood stain hinted at a serious injury,
0:13:43 > 0:13:48- the true cause comes as a surprise. - It's not as bad as we thought.
0:13:48 > 0:13:54It's just damaged one of her flight feathers. She can manage without one.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58- So we can get rid of that? - They do bleed like stink.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03We'll just get that tidied up, pulled out and cauterised.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Carol decides to remove the broken feather.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10The swan's maintained her serenity.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Whoa, whoa, big girl.
0:14:12 > 0:14:18Although they are trying to help, the swan becomes more anxious.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20OK, OK...
0:14:20 > 0:14:24- If you steady her body. - Extra help is needed.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28You ARE being brave.
0:14:28 > 0:14:35- With the swan calm again, Carol can get back to work.- Will it be painful?- No, not at this point.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41- There we are.- The broken feather is gently removed.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- That's you.- Fabulous.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50After a spray with antibiotics, she's zipped into the carrying bag to be taken back to her family.
0:14:52 > 0:14:59- But then Leanne finds another cause for concern.- I found a lump. Could that be a possible float
0:14:59 > 0:15:01- or something?- Oh.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- There's a swelling on the swan's neck.- It moves.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10But how far does it move? That's not good news.
0:15:10 > 0:15:16Leanne was hoping to have this mother back with her cygnets today. This is a major setback.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21- There's not much point... - Releasing her?- No.
0:15:21 > 0:15:27Unfortunately, in a swan the most likely thing is picking up some fishing tackle.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31You do get a lot of swans that swallow fishing tackle.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35People do leave it around and it's easy for them to pick up.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40Removing an object this far down the swan's throat
0:15:40 > 0:15:44is a risky operation. She needs specialist help.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Sometimes they do pull through it. Sometimes due to stress, they don't.
0:15:48 > 0:15:55But hopefully it will be able to be removed and it won't cause her too much hassle or stress.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Right. I'll leave her in your care.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- OK. Thanks, Carol. - You're welcome. Good luck.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06It's an unexpected blow. The nearest help is 30 miles away
0:16:06 > 0:16:11and the operation to remove fishing floats will take some time.
0:16:11 > 0:16:18As the father glides on alone, any hopes of a quick family reunion have now disappeared.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28Later: mother swan is prepared to go under the knife.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30The next job is to pluck our swan.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33A good method for making one sneeze.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39And Tara and Tiny have to be taken from their owner.
0:16:39 > 0:16:45It's just really upsetting. It's not fair on them, at the end of the day.
0:16:49 > 0:16:56Here on Animal 24:7, we've spent a lot of time at Tiggywinkles in Aylesbury with founder Les Stocker.
0:16:56 > 0:17:02I'm always impressed at the level of dedication Les and his team show to the patients that are brought in.
0:17:02 > 0:17:08Whatever the animal, and whatever its problem, they never fail to give them total commitment.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'This is Arthur, an orphaned red deer.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23'He was found alone, wandering in a park, looking for his mum.
0:17:23 > 0:17:30'Here at Tiggywinkles, the real-life Bambi has now become a bit of a hit with Les Stocker and his staff.'
0:17:30 > 0:17:36- Wow.- Wants its food.- I've never seen red deer with you here before. - It's the first one we've ever had.
0:17:36 > 0:17:43It was quite stunning when it came in. It was so much bigger than a normal calf, a normal deer.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48And it's just taken over the life of the nurses. They all love it.
0:17:49 > 0:17:55I don't think he ever saw his mother. I think he just popped out and something happened.
0:17:55 > 0:18:02The minute he was in here, he was up to us, interacting with us, pushing and wanting feeding.
0:18:02 > 0:18:08'Without any maternal bond, Arthur's been forced to rely on humans for help.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:14- Vicky, you're his mother. - One of his mothers. A few of us feed him, Sharon and Francesca.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19Sharon's more his mum than I am, but whoever's got the bottle.
0:18:19 > 0:18:25- So do we feed him in here?- No, we'll take him out to Les's garden. It's a nice environment for him.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- Have some lunch.- OK.
0:18:28 > 0:18:35'As we make our way to greener pastures, Arthur makes a tentative move out of his stables.
0:18:35 > 0:18:41'Without any parental role models to guide him, he falls into step behind me!'
0:18:42 > 0:18:49- You coming as well, Goose? - 'It's easy to see why all of the staff have fallen in love with him.'
0:18:50 > 0:18:56It's extraordinary to be able to stroke him and touch him. He's very tame. Will that be a problem?
0:18:56 > 0:19:02It is. Normally, small deer come in and they're very trusting, but we can get them wild.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06We let them grow up - fallow deer, roe deer, muntjac.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10He's just going to be too dangerous when he gets up here,
0:19:10 > 0:19:15so we've got to find him a home. We've got a couple lined up.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Somebody with a private deer park to keep an eye on him
0:19:19 > 0:19:25or a place that does animals for television and films. So he might go there and get on the telly.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30'To help him become a big stag, Arthur is given lots of bottles.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34'He's averaging around four a day and I'm privileged to have a go.'
0:19:34 > 0:19:40Amazing. You can really feel him tugging away at the milk. He really wants it.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Very powerful jaws.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46There he goes.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Cor! Down in one, Les! I don't know who he learnt that from(!)
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Is it real ale, though?
0:19:54 > 0:19:58That must have taken about 20 seconds, I think.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03What else, apart from food, does he need for rehabilitation and growth?
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Just exercise, really. Build him up, his strength.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09And then find him a home.
0:20:09 > 0:20:16'As Arthur frolics outside, it's been a rare pleasure to see such a beautiful animal close up.
0:20:16 > 0:20:22'And being the first red deer to ever be brought to Tiggywinkles, he gets lots of attention.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31'But Les and his staff never discriminate. Even the most common creatures here get the same care.'
0:20:31 > 0:20:35- Hello, Abby.- Hiya. - That looks like quite an injury.
0:20:35 > 0:20:42Yeah, this little guy came in. He's broken both legs in different places. He broke his femur.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46You can see here. And he's broken his metatarsals on both legs.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50- So we've put Hexalite on. - Hexalite?
0:20:50 > 0:20:55Yeah, it starts off quite malleable, so you can wrap it round the leg. And it stiffens up
0:20:55 > 0:21:02- and just holds them in place so the bones fix.- Like a plaster for a human on a broken arm.- Yes.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- And how did he do this? - We think he might have crash landed.
0:21:06 > 0:21:12He's only a youngster, so he was maybe having problems with flight, crash landed and broke his legs.
0:21:12 > 0:21:18- That happens to pigeons. - Unfortunately, yeah. Especially young ones.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23'Putting such effort into caring for a familiar bird with two broken legs may seem extraordinary,
0:21:23 > 0:21:30'but not to Les and his team. They've invented a unique device to give this pigeon a second chance.'
0:21:30 > 0:21:35Now he's got the casts on, so that's holding the fractures in place, but he still can't stand,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38so what Les has designed is a cradle.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43He sits in the little harness in this, Les's contraption.
0:21:43 > 0:21:49He sits in there and he doesn't have to weight-bear on his legs and injure himself.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- Wow. It seems like incredible innovation!- Yeah!
0:21:53 > 0:21:57- The bird will sit in this?- Yep. - And hang under the cradle here?
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So there's no pressure on the legs.
0:22:00 > 0:22:07Like the perfect couch potato's arrangement - sit there, or lie there, and drink and eat
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- without having to move! - Exactly. No effort.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16'Time to get him back into his harness, but which part of our pigeon pokes out where?'
0:22:16 > 0:22:22Just put one leg through there. And one leg through the other one.
0:22:22 > 0:22:28- Squeeze that one through.- Lovely. - 'That's his feet into position. Now where does his head go?'
0:22:28 > 0:22:32His head comes out that bit. That's great.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- The back bits hook on there.- Right. - And one under.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38- Over like that?- Yep.
0:22:38 > 0:22:46- That's it.- 'Safely in his cradle, this pigeon is now within pecking distance of everything he needs.'
0:22:46 > 0:22:52- How long will he be in this cradle? - Until his legs fix. The Hexalite can be on for a couple of weeks.
0:22:52 > 0:22:58Obviously, we'll keep checking him. Once we remove that, we'll see how stable the fracture is.
0:22:58 > 0:23:05- If he can walk on those legs, he won't need the cradle.- How long before he's flying somewhat better?
0:23:05 > 0:23:13- Hopefully it won't be too long! A couple of weeks.- That's amazing. Incredible ingenuity.- It is.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17'From a bird in a brace to bottle-feeding an adorable red deer.
0:23:17 > 0:23:24'I'm always amazed at the effort staff make here to give every single animal a second chance,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27'however bizarre it might be.'
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Coming up: a worrying discovery for the swan with the lump.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44We have a fishing hook, which is in the soft tissues.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Very unpleasant
0:23:49 > 0:23:56Now back to the story of Tara and Tiny, two German Shepherds whose owner has repeatedly ignored
0:23:56 > 0:23:59RSPCA advice about their treatment.
0:23:59 > 0:24:06Tara has a nasty ear infection and her son, Tiny, is allergic to being bitten by fleas.
0:24:06 > 0:24:13On her last visit, RSPCA inspector Vicky McDonald failed to see the dogs, but she's tracked them down.
0:24:18 > 0:24:25'In the last three months, over ten visits have been made by the RSPCA to Steve and his Alsatians.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29'There's been little progress. Today is the day of reckoning.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:36I've spoken to him since my last visit. He's agreed to meet me today.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I'm just going to give him a call.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Hiya. It's the RSPCA.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Yeah, I'm here now. Yeah.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Okey doke. Thank you.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Bye.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52'After a few minutes, Steve arrives with Tara, the mum, in tow.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:57- Just the one you've got with you? - No, he's...
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- He's a bit slower than her. - Come on, you.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05'Tiny is very lethargic. Incredibly, he's the younger of the two.'
0:25:05 > 0:25:07In your own time. The door's shut.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13'Steve has taken the dogs to the vet this morning, but for Vicky it's too little, too late.'
0:25:13 > 0:25:18This morning? Is that the first time you've been back to the vet's?
0:25:18 > 0:25:24- No, I went back a fortnight ago. - We checked. They said you hadn't been back.- No, I've been in.
0:25:24 > 0:25:30You got that warning notice and I said the stipulation on that warning notice
0:25:30 > 0:25:34was to do your return visits to the vet's.
0:25:34 > 0:25:41And your appointment this morning is the first time you've had them back for treatment since then.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Yeah.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48'Tara's ear is still badly infected and causing a lot of discomfort.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52'Tiny seems to have lost more weight and appears downbeat.'
0:25:52 > 0:25:57I'm going to have to go and get some advice on this, Steve.
0:25:58 > 0:26:04Things just aren't getting better and it feels like I'm constantly having to chase you.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06And I can't do that to them.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13- OK? I'm going to go and make a phone call.- I know.- All right.
0:26:14 > 0:26:21'This is a difficult job. Vicky calls head office for a second opinion.'
0:26:21 > 0:26:27He's certainly not meeting the needs of them because he is not following the advice the vet has given him.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Good. Right. That's all I need to know.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35OK, thank you very much. Yes, thank you.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Bye.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41The dogs are coming with me.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47'This situation has dragged on for more than four months. Now Steve has run out of time.'
0:26:47 > 0:26:52Right, Steve, I'm going to caution you again now. OK?
0:26:52 > 0:26:55You do not have to say anything...
0:26:55 > 0:26:59'Despite his failings, Steve does love Tara and Tiny.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03'This is the first time he's been separated from his dogs in 7 years.
0:27:03 > 0:27:09'It's going to be a wrench for both him and his pets, but this can't continue.'
0:27:12 > 0:27:16- Right. I'll be in touch, Steve. OK?- Yeah.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21'Steve goes back to an empty flat.
0:27:21 > 0:27:28'His dogs are now going to the vet's but they are clearly distressed to be leaving their home.'
0:27:28 > 0:27:30DOGS WHIMPER
0:27:30 > 0:27:33'For Vicky, it all becomes too much.'
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Because he hasn't done what they needed,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40I've now had to uproot them
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and take them to a strange place.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48And the chances are they'll have to remain in our care for some time.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53And it's... it's just really upsetting.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59It's not fair on them, at the end of the day.
0:28:00 > 0:28:07'Vicky's now keen to see the vet to reassure herself that taking Tara and Tiny away from their owner
0:28:07 > 0:28:10'was the right thing to do.'
0:28:14 > 0:28:20Still to come: under the spotlight, the consequences of months of neglect.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24- Is that going to be seriously painful? Absolutely.- That's nasty.
0:28:29 > 0:28:36Earlier in the programme, we saw the RSPCA's Leanne Honess rescuing a mother swan
0:28:36 > 0:28:43with what she thought was an injured wing. She hoped to treat her quickly and have her returned to her family,
0:28:43 > 0:28:50but all hopes of a quick reunion were dashed when Leanne found a lump in her neck.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57'It's the second trip to the vet in as many days for this unlucky mother swan.
0:28:59 > 0:29:06'Vet Andy Forsyth needs to find out if the lump Leanne discovered is blocking her throat.'
0:29:06 > 0:29:11- We've definitely got a swelling down there.- Anything we can do?
0:29:11 > 0:29:17- I think probably the first thing to do is anaesthetise this swan and then have a look further.- OK.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21- Maybe pop a wee endoscope down. - Fabulous.
0:29:21 > 0:29:26And we'll put a wee towel over this one's head to make it less stressed.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31'Suffering from a slight loss of dignity and a mystery swelling,
0:29:31 > 0:29:38- 'the swan is anaesthetised so Andy can put a camera down her throat.'- The endoscope.
0:29:39 > 0:29:47And we're travelling down the oesophagus. The top part over the back of the tongue is fine.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51There's no obvious wire trapped in there as there sometimes is,
0:29:51 > 0:29:57where we get wires or fishing lines that have been discarded, hooked around the base of the tongue.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03And so far... we haven't found anything at all.
0:30:03 > 0:30:09Well, what we can say from that is that our foreign body, this lump we're talking about,
0:30:09 > 0:30:15is not, in fact, in the oesophagus. It's in the tissues off to the side.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20'Andy's worried it is something that has worked its way through the feathers and into its skin
0:30:20 > 0:30:25'near the spine. The X-ray confirms his suspicions.'
0:30:25 > 0:30:32We have a fishing hook, which is in the soft tissues above the windpipe
0:30:32 > 0:30:38and not in the oesophagus. So it will have gone in through the side of the neck.
0:30:38 > 0:30:44And then the wound's closed over. This will have been in there for a wee while.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47We'll clip up just over that and take the thing out.
0:30:47 > 0:30:54'Removing the hook will require delicate surgery. First, the area around it needs to be prepared.'
0:30:54 > 0:30:58Now our next job is to pluck our swan.
0:31:01 > 0:31:07Which is always a good method for making one sneeze.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14'The swan's been under for two hours.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19'Speed is of the essence. And as Andy begins the operation
0:31:19 > 0:31:24'he realises the hook has worked into an area thick with nerves and blood vessels.'
0:31:24 > 0:31:31It's a very vascular area that we're dealing with here. We need to do a minimal amount of damage.
0:31:33 > 0:31:39Of course, with wildlife, the whole aim of the process is to get them back
0:31:39 > 0:31:43fit to compete with their peers as soon as possible.
0:31:43 > 0:31:50Your other consideration is whether there are any dependent youngsters. We know this rather lovely swan
0:31:50 > 0:31:57has got three cygnets. So I'm sure when she recovers she'll be very happy to be back with them.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02There we go. That's the object of our desire. Good.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07- So that's that done. - 'The operation has been a success.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12'After the swan is stitched up, Andy takes a closer look at what caused the trouble.'
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Ah. There - one hook.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20- Very unpleasant. - Something we see far too often.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Och, yeah, a very common occurrence.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27'Gradually, the swan begins to come round from the anaesthetic.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:31Whoa! We have a lively swan.
0:32:31 > 0:32:36'Her wing mended and minus a rusty hook, she should be in good shape,
0:32:36 > 0:32:42'but what she really needs is to be back with her family. After a night of rehabilitation,
0:32:42 > 0:32:48- 'mother swan will be returned to her babies.'- It's all right, Sausage. Stressful process.
0:32:55 > 0:33:02'The next morning, the swan's had a good night's rest and appears to be in fine fettle.'
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I don't want to see you again.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07I think she'll be all right.
0:33:07 > 0:33:13'She appears strong enough to look after herself and Leanne escorts her back to the riverbank.
0:33:13 > 0:33:19'Last time the swan was here, she was swimming with her young family.'
0:33:19 > 0:33:24- Good girl.- 'Today her mate and three cygnets are nowhere to be seen.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27'Now she's in a hurry to find them.'
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Good girl. You calling your friends?
0:33:29 > 0:33:35'Her family will be looking for her and Leanne is confident she will soon find them.'
0:33:38 > 0:33:40She's taken to the water quite well.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44The operation she's had hasn't caused her any concern.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49The calling she's actually doing is to get her cygnets and mate back.
0:33:49 > 0:33:54It might take a few hours, it might even take a day or so.
0:33:54 > 0:34:00The river is quite long and she'll have to trek up and down until she finds them,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04but they do mate for life and they will be waiting for her.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08When they hear her call, they'll be a family unit again.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12'After a few moments, she heads up river after her brood.'
0:34:18 > 0:34:24Finally, let's catch up with Tara and Tiny, the two dogs whose owner ignored his vet's advice
0:34:24 > 0:34:31by not returning for follow-up treatment. RSPCA inspector Vicky McDonald has given several warnings
0:34:31 > 0:34:37over a number of weeks. Now, as a last resort, she's taken Tara and her son, Tiny,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40for much-needed medical help.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Carefully does it. There we go.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51'This is Tara and Tiny's first visit to vet Gus McKenzie.
0:34:51 > 0:34:57'Vicky's big concern about Tiny is his skin allergy, but the fact that he's so lethargic means
0:34:57 > 0:35:01'he might have an even more serious underlying problem.'
0:35:01 > 0:35:06- What have you got for me today? - Two dogs, two German Shepherd types.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11Both from the same household. It's mum and son. This is son.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14This one has a skin condition and fur loss.
0:35:14 > 0:35:19- You can smell the skin. You can smell it from here.- Yeah.
0:35:19 > 0:35:25'Tiny has no records here, so Vicky has to rely on what his owner has told her.'
0:35:25 > 0:35:28He's meant to be six years old.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33From his teeth, it looks to me as if he's significantly older than that.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Let's have a look down your ears.
0:35:38 > 0:35:43- Good boy. All right.- There is an infection. I haven't seen any mites.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- There is?- There is an infection.
0:35:45 > 0:35:53- Probably more irritating than severe. - 'Vicky thought it was only Tara with the ear infection.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57'Next, Gus turns his attention to Tiny's skin allergy.'
0:35:57 > 0:36:02There's two very obvious things. First of all, the smell.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07As soon as this dog walked in, you could smell his skin.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12It's a typical smell of what we call a seborrhoeic dermatitis,
0:36:12 > 0:36:19which is dermatitis which is often affected with bacterial infections and yeasts and fungi.
0:36:22 > 0:36:29But also the actual position of it and the loss of hair and the presentation of it is classic
0:36:29 > 0:36:31of allergy to flea bites.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36'Tiny's fleas and resulting skin allergy can be easily treated.'
0:36:36 > 0:36:3922.2.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41'But one problem is more worrying.'
0:36:41 > 0:36:47I'm concerned about the dog's weight. He's significantly underweight.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51And I'm just concerned about how lethargic he is.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56This is not the normal behaviour I'd expect of a six-year-old dog,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00although I suspect that he is quite a lot older than six.
0:37:00 > 0:37:06So what I think we need to do is take a blood sample from him and run a proper routine profile
0:37:06 > 0:37:10- and see if there's anything else going on with him.- OK.
0:37:10 > 0:37:17'Blood tests will tell Gus if there's any hidden condition making Tiny lose weight and be lethargic.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22'Meanwhile, it's now Tara's turn to be examined.'
0:37:22 > 0:37:28This is a really, really nasty infection. The ear is completely red raw.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32I want to take swabs. It needs to be syringed.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37I think we need to do that tonight. I'll get my night staff to do that.
0:37:37 > 0:37:43But...I think we'll have to knock her out. This is a really, really nasty ear.
0:37:43 > 0:37:49- Is that going to be seriously painful for her? - Absolutely. That's nasty.
0:37:49 > 0:37:54'Tara's ears are in a much poorer state than Vicky originally thought.
0:37:54 > 0:38:00'What makes this worse is that the dog has lived with this for months.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03'And it's not just an infected ear.'
0:38:03 > 0:38:06She's crawling with fleas.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Oh, she is, isn't she? Mutant fleas - they're huge!
0:38:11 > 0:38:15- There's one.- 'The size of these fleas is shocking.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19'On paper it's easy to see how big they are.'
0:38:19 > 0:38:26See it hop over there? She does have an allergy to flea bites. There's hair loss here.
0:38:26 > 0:38:33It's not nearly as severe as his. They would be far more comfortable with ongoing skin treatment.
0:38:33 > 0:38:41- They could be completely cured. - 'Tara and Tiny will now stay with the RSPCA until they get better.'
0:38:41 > 0:38:47These dogs will not be getting into a situation where they get into this state again.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50This is the road back to health now.
0:38:50 > 0:38:56There's absolutely no way they are not going to receive the necessary treatment.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00'Vicky really didn't want to take the two dogs away from their owner,
0:39:00 > 0:39:05'but at least now she's confident it's been the right decision.
0:39:07 > 0:39:13'Three weeks have passed since Tara and Tiny came to the vet's.
0:39:13 > 0:39:19'They've undergone extensive treatment. Now Vicky's brought them for another health check.
0:39:19 > 0:39:25'They certainly look livelier and sound it, too, but will Gus agree?'
0:39:25 > 0:39:29- Make an entrance(!) - 'First to be examined is Tiny.'
0:39:29 > 0:39:34He's visibly gained weight. His fur and skin is much better.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38- Can you pop him on the scales? - Come on, then.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Oh, right. All four feet on.
0:39:43 > 0:39:4725 point...three.
0:39:47 > 0:39:52'Tiny's put on three-and-a-half kilos, but what about his skin?'
0:39:52 > 0:39:55This skin is just so much better.
0:39:55 > 0:40:01And we've really not given him a whole lot of treatment. We've treated him for his fleas
0:40:01 > 0:40:07and given him a short course of antibiotics. He's more comfortable and all that smell's gone.
0:40:07 > 0:40:13That may not ever grow in but it's a lot better than it was. Much less flaky.
0:40:13 > 0:40:19- And he seems really happy.- 'Tiny's blood tests showed he had anaemia, caused by the fleas.
0:40:19 > 0:40:26'This explains why he was so lethargic and why, now the fleas have gone, he's much brighter.'
0:40:27 > 0:40:31- Right. Now Tara had that really horrible ear, didn't she?- Yeah.
0:40:31 > 0:40:35How's she been getting on?
0:40:35 > 0:40:37She's been getting on much better.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40She's holding her head properly now,
0:40:40 > 0:40:47- whereas before she was always on the tilt with it. She's not shaking her head.- Come on, girl.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Much, much better, that.
0:40:50 > 0:40:55This has been such a long-standing condition, we won't cure it quickly.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00- It's just going to take time, but she's far more comfortable. - It was so bad.
0:41:00 > 0:41:06'It's amazing that just weeks of treatment has almost cured months of neglect.'
0:41:06 > 0:41:12They're both looking happier and more comfortable, with their different challenges.
0:41:12 > 0:41:18Both put weight on, both seemed a lot brighter than last time, happier.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22- Happier dogs altogether. - 'It's been difficult for Vicky.
0:41:22 > 0:41:30'Although Tiny and Tara's owner does love his dogs, by failing to take them to the vet he let them suffer.'
0:41:30 > 0:41:35It's not easy to take two older dogs away from a home they've been in since they were young.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40I really had no choice but to ensure they got treatment,
0:41:40 > 0:41:47but I'm glad they've got it now. Just in the three weeks they've improved so much already.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51They've just had basic treatment and care and are doing brilliantly.
0:41:51 > 0:41:58'Vicky will now spend time working with their owner to make sure they don't get in trouble again.'
0:42:04 > 0:42:10If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime or a creature that needs immediate protection,
0:42:10 > 0:42:17remember there are dedicated professionals out there who will answer your call around the clock.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21They are the people we meet on Animal 24:7.
0:42:24 > 0:42:31- Next time: 14 family pets. Too much for their owner? - That's a lot of stuff to look after.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36- Not for me. I'm used to it.- It is because none of them got any water.
0:42:36 > 0:42:41- The skunk in search of a new home: - Oh, dear me! That is strong.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Goodness me!
0:42:43 > 0:42:47And I'm in the waiting room of a unique dentist.
0:42:47 > 0:42:54Luckily, though, today it's not me that is going under the drill. It's the chap on my right.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Subtitles by for Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk