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 > 0:00:17Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people trying to protect
0:00:17 > 0:00:19and care for them right around the clock.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22This is Animal 24:7.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Today on Animal 24:7 -
0:00:46 > 0:00:50We just want her to be healthy again, boisterous, like she usually is. And she's not.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54..Has Cleo bitten off more than she can chew?
0:00:54 > 0:00:57- She eats toys.- That's what I mean. - She is a chewer.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01- Is there anything missing? - No. Not that we know of.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05The trap is set to catch a runaway dog...
0:01:05 > 0:01:08The main reason I want to get it sooner than later is because of the main road.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13The A17, the main road from north to south, essentially, up the coast,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16is a very busy road. Lots of lorries.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21..And tickets, please! The furry squatters causing travel chaos.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I just imagine someone saying to the guard, "I couldn't buy a ticket
0:01:25 > 0:01:28"because there was a mouse living in the machine!" Will that wash?!
0:01:28 > 0:01:32It will for the moment, yes! But hopefully not beyond today.
0:01:36 > 0:01:41Cats are incredibly independent pets, and they do like to wander.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44But this wandering can lead to problems.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Every year, around a quarter of a million cats
0:01:47 > 0:01:50are hit by cars on our roads. And in the north of England,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54the latest road casualty has just come to the vets.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04It's 8am.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07The waiting room at Manchester's RSPCA hospital is packed.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Dozens of sick and injured pets and their anxious owners all wanting to see the vet.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Director David Yates is holding the morning's consultations.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Thompson?
0:02:23 > 0:02:28- His next patient is a young cat. - Hiya. So what's happened with Taffy?
0:02:28 > 0:02:33- He went out about half past 11 last night...- Yeah.- ..as normal.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Came back this morning just swinging his leg.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I'm assuming he's been hit by something, I don't know.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42OK.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45So he walked back in, but was carrying that right back leg?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Yeah, was swinging it a bit.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51He just kept yelping out, every now and again, in pain.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58It doesn't take David long to realise this is a serious injury.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02He's broken his leg in this place here.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06It's quite a nasty fracture, that, because it's so close to the joint.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08I'll listen to his chest for other injuries.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12David sees a lot of pets that have been hit by cars.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15He knows the obvious injury isn't always the most life-threatening.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Quite often you focus on the fractured leg,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21whereas there are other injuries we need to rule out.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25The way Taffy is breathing could be a sign of internal injuries.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29His breathing is quite rapid at the moment, so we will X-ray his chest
0:03:29 > 0:03:33to make sure there's no bruising of his lungs, for example,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35or no rupture of his diaphragm.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Taffy will have to be admitted.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- All right? - Thanks very much.- No problem.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The cat is rushed straight through for X-rays.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50The priority is to check his chest.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54X-rays.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Now, the results are through.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00So the diaphragm is intact.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04And we can see the liver behind it and part of the spleen.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08In front of the diaphragm, the heart and the lungs.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10That seems reasonable.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So I am less concerned about any chest damage with that.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Taffy's vital organs have not been damaged.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Now David must decide what treatment his leg needs,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and that means more X-rays.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26This is an X-ray of Taffy's back leg.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31This is the tibia and this is his hock joint.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34What we've got is a fracture, just at this level,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and the dislocation of the hock.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39That's quite a serious injury that we've got.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42What you can't see on X-ray is the fact that this bone
0:04:42 > 0:04:45is poking up through the skin and is exposed and contaminated.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48So that makes us less able to fix this kind of fracture.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55Taffy's chest is clear, so his life isn't in danger.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58However, the wounds on his back leg and the severity
0:04:58 > 0:05:01of the fracture mean that we'll have to amputate his leg.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07Amputation is a drastic measure, but a necessary one.
0:05:10 > 0:05:17The injury's so severe, Taffy's leg cannot be saved, and infection in the bone can be deadly.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The waiting area is often filled with nervous owners and their sick pets.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Sheila Saxon has brought her dog, Cleo. She's extremely worried.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39She won't eat, she won't drink. She's just sleeping.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I've had to force-feed her with a syringe, just liquid.
0:05:42 > 0:05:48We just want her to be healthy again and playing and boisterous, like she usually is. And she's not.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Cleo Saxon?
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Straight away, David comes up with a potential diagnosis.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Does she scavenge in any bits of rubbish?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Cleo has all the signs of a dog that has swallowed something.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- She eats toys. She is a chewer. - That's what I mean.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07- Is there anything missing? - No. Not that we know of.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12David's first job is to check if he can feel anything strange in Cleo's stomach.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- If you offered her food, is she interested in it?- No. - She just walks away?- Yes.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Initial examinations are inconclusive.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21More tests are going to be needed.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24You're not aware of anything she's eaten?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26I'm not aware of anything, but I can't say she hasn't.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34It means Sheila is going to have to leave her beloved Cleo behind,
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and it's going to be a wrench.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39We'll have to take her in and have a better feel and maybe X-ray.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- What you mean, take her in? - Take her into the hospital.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- She'll be coming home, won't she? - Not immediately, no.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- I don't think she'd stay. - Well, we don't know what...
0:06:49 > 0:06:52No, no, I want her to be better, I'm just a bit bothered.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- I don't think she'll settle.- Unless you can fit in a kennel with her!
0:06:55 > 0:06:57I would!
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Let's pop her down and we'll take her through.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- Are you all right?- Yeah.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02OK. All right.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Sheila's emotion sets off Cleo, too.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- She's crying.- See you later on.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14DOG WHINES
0:07:17 > 0:07:22After a shot of sedation, Cleo's rushed straight through for X-rays.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26David's hoping they'll show if anything is stuck in her stomach.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32These pieces can get locked inside. That can cause damage to the lining of the tummy,
0:07:32 > 0:07:38or the intestine, which will make a dog vomit and refuse its food.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41In this case, we've got a problem that's been going on for a week.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44If the dog swallowed something a week ago, it may have serious damage to the gut.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46In some situations, animals can die.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52After several minutes, the results are back.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55And they clearly show a foreign body.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59It's rare that an X-ray is so clear.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Looking at the X-ray, it shows up as a white, dense structure.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06It's quite a size.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09David can see a hexagonal shape.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11He has no idea what it is.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17In front of the foreign material, we can see some gas shadows,
0:08:17 > 0:08:22that's where the normal passage of food along the intestine's been blocked.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25I'm quite concerned.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29We don't know what the bowel is going to be like, what damage that will be.
0:08:29 > 0:08:35So we need to take Cleo in surgery, remove the foreign material, and see how she recovers.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Only a delicate and complicated operation will give David the answers.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48Coming up:
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Could this be the cause of Cleo's problems?
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I would imagine that Cleo enjoyed the texture of this.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56You can see why a dog would swallow something like this.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01..And catching the invaders squatting in a ticket machine...
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I've got one! I've got one.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06See, look, they're cute as anything.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09But you don't want them in your ticket machine, do you?!
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Most owners keep their pets in the comfort of their own homes.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Some people, however, choose to keep their animals in rather more unusual places.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26When these bizarre homes can affect an animal's welfare, though,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28the RSPCA is on hand to investigate.
0:09:35 > 0:09:40In Spalding, Lincolnshire, there's a report that a pet is living in an unusual home.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45RSPCA officer Justin Stubbs has been told
0:09:45 > 0:09:47that a dog is being kept in a rabbit hutch.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52It may seem unlikely that such a large pet
0:09:52 > 0:09:56could be kept in such a small house, but in the back garden...
0:09:59 > 0:10:05I've just turned up and found a Jack Russell in a completely inappropriate, small rabbit run.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Which, although it's probably not quite illegal as such, it's wrong and it's inappropriate.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15I'm determined to get the owner to take it out of there and keep it out of there, hopefully.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's 3 o'clock, and Justin thinks the owner may be on the school run.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25His theory is right.
0:10:25 > 0:10:2920 minutes later, the owner comes home.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Hiya. I've had a call about the Jack Russell...
0:10:32 > 0:10:36The owner, Sarah, explains that Candy is only kept in the cage
0:10:36 > 0:10:39for short periods of time, when they go out.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42So basically, she's 14, and she's very incontinent.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46And if you leave her in the house, she goes in every room.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50What I'd like to see, if you could find a way of doing it, is getting something bigger.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56That's a rabbit run, and you've got a Jack Russell in there, which is, to be honest, just too big for that run.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I'd really love to come back in a couple of weeks or so,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and I find her in something a bit bigger.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- That's no problem.- Yeah? Can you find a way of doing that?
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- Yes, that's no problem. - OK. Is she friendly?
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Yes.- Can I just get my hands on her?
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- Yeah.- Justin is keen to give Candy a quick health check.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Hello, darling. There you go. The man wants to see you.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- Hey, Candy. Hello, darling. Hello. - She's ever so friendly.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Ah, she's in lovely nick. Good teeth.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28And despite being an old girl at 14, she's in great shape.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32It's not illegal to keep a dog outside, but they do need room
0:11:32 > 0:11:37- to exercise, and a warm, dry bed. - Does it have the right environment to express its normal behaviour?
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- No, it's in a tiny cage.- Right.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42But you know that you're going to go with something bigger. So...
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And that's that, basically.
0:11:44 > 0:11:50But apart from her living arrangements, Candy is healthy and clearly well loved.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53'Everything was clean...'
0:11:53 > 0:11:55shelter and water and so on. She has accepted that
0:11:55 > 0:11:58something bigger would be a lot better for the dog.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02And hopefully within a couple of weeks or so, she's promised
0:12:02 > 0:12:05she'll get a nice big shed for her and the dog will be a lot happier.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07So, yeah, I'm sure she will.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Nice people, nice pets, obviously well-loved family pets.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15So they're just now on board and they're going to do that bit extra for her, hopefully.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Justin will return here in two weeks to make sure things have improved.
0:12:26 > 0:12:33For 11 days, a dog has been fending for herself and living rough in the sparse Lincolnshire countryside.
0:12:37 > 0:12:43Sally, a rescue dog, escaped after being picked up from a local animal centre by her new owners.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48When they first got it home, and opened their car boot,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52the first thing it did was to jump out and run off.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57Partly because of the situation that the dog's come from, it's very, very nervous.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00And at the minute, nobody can get within 100 yards of it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Sally has had a really rough start in life.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08She was rescued by the RSPCA eight months ago.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14She was skinny, bedraggled, and had been a victim of severe neglect.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Now that she's lost in the wild, she needs the RSPCA's help again.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Justin has been trying to catch Sally in an animal trap for over a week, but to no avail.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30As it stands at the minute, it's not going anywhere near the trap.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33But it is setting up a feeding pattern at another house nearby,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37so I'm just going to go over there to see if we can't...
0:13:37 > 0:13:42organise a better way of catching it, move the trap to a different place, or something.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46In the vain hope that we can - hopefully not the vain hope - that we can catch this dog.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50As time has passed, Justin has become more and more worried about Sally.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56He's hoping this new lead will help him find this missing pet.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Hello. RSPCA. I've come about the dog.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Sally has been visiting Ken and Rita's home for three days.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14They've been leaving food for the hungry wanderer ever since.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17The first day we saw him was Saturday.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20And then all day Sunday, he was...
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- SHE was round here nearly all the time.- Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25And during the evening, the night,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27been jumping up the door.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31OK. So all these muddy marks are from the dog jumping up?
0:14:31 > 0:14:32That's from last night, yes.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36It's meant to be nervous. The fact it's jumping up at just your door...
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- Yes, yeah. Open the door, she's gone.- Right.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Justin decides to set a trap.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Just a couple of these clips.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49This is the closest anyone has ever got to Sally.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50Spring loaded door...
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It could be his best chance of catching her.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55As soon as he touches it...
0:14:55 > 0:14:57it closes behind him.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02As every day passes, Sally will be growing weaker and more nervous,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04but there's also an added danger.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08The main reason I want to get it sooner than later is because of the main roads.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11The A17, the main road from north to south,
0:15:11 > 0:15:17is a very busy road, lots of lorries and we're only 200 yards off the A17.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21That's the main reason I want to get it caught as soon as possible.
0:15:22 > 0:15:23The trap is set,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28but will this frightened and elusive dog take the bait?
0:15:34 > 0:15:39Coming up, Taffy the tabby facing a life with just three legs.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Because it's quite a young cat they usually do very well
0:15:43 > 0:15:47with three legs, they feel very comfortable.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Commuters have become used to their plans
0:15:54 > 0:15:56occasionally being disrupted by nature,
0:15:56 > 0:16:01maybe the wrong kind of snow or leaves on the line.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03But here, at Little Kimble,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07it's some pesky wildlife causing a little trouble.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12'The next train at platform one is the 11:18 service...'
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Les Stocker from Tiggywinkles treats more than 10,000 animals every year.
0:16:19 > 0:16:25But today's call near Aylesbury is one of the most unusual he's ever had to deal with.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Les, there's a list of ingredients here.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30We have two sets of gauntlets, a massive net, a big stick,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32a cute little box - what's this all about?
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Well, it's an animal that's really quite dangerous
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and can do you quite a lot of damage, so hence the gauntlets.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42So these are genuinely for our own protection?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Yes, very much so, and the cute little box is to put them in.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Right, so it's not that big if it's going to fit in this box.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50What are we talking about here, Les?
0:16:50 > 0:16:52We're talking about what we call glis glis up here,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54which is an edible dormouse.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56I've heard of them, but I've never seen one.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59They're lovely little characters,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01they could bite the living daylights out of you.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03We get a lot of them around here.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07They're like little squirrels and they get into things
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and they can gnaw away like any rodent can.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12How can a mouse be possibly interfering
0:17:12 > 0:17:14with the workings of a train?
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Well, it's quite a big mouse, it must be this long,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20and for some reason they're moving in here,
0:17:20 > 0:17:25and we don't know where they're coming from, how they're getting
0:17:25 > 0:17:28in there, but they just go in to this ticket machine.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- For the station manager, finding these uninvited guests... - Hello, Mark.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36..came as a bit of a shock.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39They've taken refuge in there and the seem to want to stay.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43And it seems these squatters are causing travel chaos for commuters.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47At the moment the machine doesn't work so people can't buy a ticket?
0:17:47 > 0:17:51That's right. We've got people travelling for free from Little Kimble just at the moment.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54I just imagine someone saying to the guard, "I couldn't buy a ticket
0:17:54 > 0:17:58because there was a mouse living in the machine". Is that going to wash?
0:17:58 > 0:18:02It will for the moment, yes, but hopefully not beyond today.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05'As Les prepares to do battle with the rogue rodents,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08'there's a tell-tale noise coming from the machine.'
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Is it my imagination or can I actually hear something from here?
0:18:12 > 0:18:13SQUEAKING
0:18:13 > 0:18:15There's a definite squeak.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Ah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22We'll have a look first to see what the enemy's like.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25So, Mark, if you want to just open up the door for us.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27- No worries.- OK.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30This feels absurd, I can feel the adrenalin pumping
0:18:30 > 0:18:32and we're just about to get a mouse.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Alright, ready to have a look?
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Here we go.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41There, look, look at that face. Look at it.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Finally, we're face to face with the enemy.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46I think he's stealing the ticket.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49I'll go in this way. No, I can't get in that way. Not easy, is it?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Now he's gone down a hole down there.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54'The next battle is getting hold of them.'
0:18:54 > 0:18:56He's gone down here. I've got one.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59They're cute as anything,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03but you don't want them in your ticket machine, do you?
0:19:03 > 0:19:08'And they may be small, but these little blighters certainly mean business.'
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Got a nasty little bite, doesn't it?
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I can see the determination in his eyes, look at that.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17What is the story behind these?
0:19:17 > 0:19:22At the beginning of the 20th century, Rothschild brought them over from Middle Europe and they escaped,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and they like here around the Chilterns,
0:19:25 > 0:19:26so they do very, very well.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29So they've become pretty widespread around here?
0:19:29 > 0:19:34I think they're part of the natural population now, because they've been here over 100 years.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36And they're called edible dormice.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37Yeah, the Romans used to eat them.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42Not the Romans in Britain, but in middle Europe. That's why they're called edible dormice.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44They're also called fat dormice,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46because you can see they're quite fat.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49'But these invaders are not native to Britain.'
0:19:49 > 0:19:51They're amazing creatures, just look at the tail.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54'Which means Les faces a problem.'
0:19:54 > 0:19:59We can't release them because the powers to be don't like them,
0:19:59 > 0:20:03I don't think, so we've got to take them back and we've got a glis glis
0:20:03 > 0:20:07colony back at Tiggywinkles and they'll live in the glis glis colony, I'm afraid.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09So rather than going on their away-day
0:20:09 > 0:20:13on the train they'll be having a long retirement with you, will they?
0:20:13 > 0:20:17They will, unless British Airways give us a plane to fly them to Romania.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20- They can live with us. - They'll have a good life, though?
0:20:20 > 0:20:21- Oh yes.- OK, let's go.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23- Thanks Mark.- Thank you very much.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Thanks, Mark, we'll see you soon.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33It's time to get the creature's back to Tiggy's,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35but no sooner are we on the road
0:20:35 > 0:20:38than we're called to another rescue.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43This time it's to a pair of Canada geese stuck behind a fence.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49OK, this looks like it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- Quite a tight spot in there, isn't it?- It is, isn't it?
0:20:53 > 0:20:55I can see...
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Hello. Ooh, easy, easy.
0:20:58 > 0:21:05'They're clearly distressed, and geese can deliver a powerful peck at the best of times.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:08How do you get hold of a goose without it getting hold of you?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11We should be able to get it by the neck, and grab its wings as quick as you can.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15If I go down this way I can pass them up.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17You've got to get their wings under, Tom,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19or else they will flap you with them.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Grab him round the shoulder, that's the baby.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- I haven't quite got it.- OK.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29I've got it, I've got it.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31Got him? We'll get him packed.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35'That's one down...'
0:21:35 > 0:21:36We have a goose.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39'Time to get his friend.'
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I can see you. I might be able to get him through here.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Come this way. Gotcha.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52There's a science to this - grab anything you can get hold of.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58That was a bit of a struggle getting them out of that little tight spot they were in.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It shows the contrast of animal rescues, doesn't it?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04These Canada geese this afternoon,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and those mice in a ticket machine that this morning.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12Canada geese are also not native to Britain, so can't be released.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15They will have to live Tiggywinkles.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So, with our unusual foreign cargo we hit the road.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26First to disembark at Tiggy's are the Canada geese.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28So what's the plan here, Les, how does this work?
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Just open the bags and let them out.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35And you're allowed to let them out here because this is your own land?
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's my pond, yeah. They can't take off here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Right, we'll put them in here, Tom,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54this is perfect for glis glis.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Right, you little terrors.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'Now time to settle in the glis glis.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'They've swapped their ticket machine
0:23:02 > 0:23:04'for a purpose-built dormouse enclosure.'
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Right, one big shake, here we go, 1, 2, 3.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10What do you think of this now they're in there?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I think it's perfect for them.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16They can get up in the roof, that's where they like to be, up the top.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21They're quite settled and they'll just find their way around.
0:23:23 > 0:23:29Amazing little creatures, it just shows the variety of what Les and the team have to get up to here.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32They're very well-behaved up there,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35I'd go as far as to say they were well trained.
0:23:41 > 0:23:47Later, Candy the Jack Russell is evicted from her unusual home.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49That's what a rabbit run's for.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- Yeah, a rabbit! - That's absolutely perfect.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54It's meant to have a rabbit in there.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Young dogs love to chew things, especially when they're teething,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06so owners will often buy them toys to keep them happy.
0:24:06 > 0:24:12And while this might keep them off the furniture for a bit, it can lead to other problems.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Cleo came into hospital after a week of being unable to eat and drink properly.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31She's a dog that loves to chew.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35David suspected she'd swallowed something she shouldn't have.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Does she scavenge and eat bits of rubbish or anything?- No.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40And he was right.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Looking at the X-ray it's showing up as a white, dense structure.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45It's quite a size.
0:24:45 > 0:24:51X-rays clearly showed a hexagonal object stuck in her gut.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54This needed to be removed.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Only a little inflation on that the cuff. No.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Could you chuck us the rat toothed forceps?
0:25:05 > 0:25:12After just a few minutes, David finds that hexagonal object he spotted on the X-rays.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14But he still doesn't know what it is.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16It's something rubbery.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Cleo chews everything and anything, so David wants
0:25:24 > 0:25:29to check there's nothing else inside that shouldn't be there.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32We passed the stomach tube to check there was nothing blocking the
0:25:32 > 0:25:35oesophagus and to make sure that food could pass into the stomach.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38The stomach and feels OK, and we've checked everything
0:25:38 > 0:25:42beyond stomach all the way to the rectum. There doesn't appear to be another foreign body.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45What we're going to do now is put a little patch
0:25:45 > 0:25:48over the top of where we've stitched the intestine,
0:25:48 > 0:25:49and then close up.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52The operation is now over.
0:25:52 > 0:25:58After being stitched up David can turn his attention to the object that's caused all the problems.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Now that we've rinsed the foreign body off, it looks like
0:26:05 > 0:26:08some piece of rubber, I don't know where it's come from.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11You could see when we were opening up the dog
0:26:11 > 0:26:14the intestine has a size something similar to that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16It can stretch a bit, obviously, because it's muscular,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19so something like this can be swallowed,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21but will block the intestines further down.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25This is just the kind of critical size that will cause problems for a dog.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I would imagine that Cleo quite enjoyed the texture of this,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31so you can see why a dog would swallow something like this,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35it probably enjoyed the sensation of chewing that.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Cleo will be left to come round from her surgery.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42The operation went well, but before she can go home
0:26:42 > 0:26:46she's going to have to prove she can eat and drink on her own.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03Taffy the cat was brought into Manchester after being hit by a car.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07His leg was so badly damaged it couldn't be saved.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11The wounds on the back leg and the severity of the fracture mean we have to amputate.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18Taffy's anaesthetised and prepared for this big operation.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25Now Russian surgeon, Sergei, begins the procedure.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36All the time, Nurse Laura Gorton, must ensure Taffy remains stable.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39The cat's doing OK. I'm monitoring his heartbeat
0:27:39 > 0:27:46and respiration to make sure he's deep enough under the anaesthetic.
0:27:46 > 0:27:53This is major surgery, but although drastic, Sergei thinks Taffy will soon go on to have a good life.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Because it's a very nasty fracture it's not repairable.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00There's just one option for this cat because it's quite a young cat, and
0:28:00 > 0:28:05they usually do very well with three legs, they feel very comfortable.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09It's a long procedure.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11All the major blood vessels need to be clamped
0:28:11 > 0:28:14before the leg can be removed.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18And I reach the bone and we avoided major bleeding,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21so it's not bleeding that much,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23so it looks very well.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Finally, the damaged leg is removed and he can be stitched up.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31So now we're closing the wound.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35As you see, the wound is quite large.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40But even with the operation complete,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Taffy's going to have to stay in hospital for some time.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48It is actually quite painful, er, after this kind of surgery,
0:28:48 > 0:28:54so we're going to keep Taffy in the hospital for 12 or 24 hours
0:28:54 > 0:29:00for painkillers and antibiotic injections.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04And then, we're going to reassess.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10This young cat has had a traumatic 24 hours.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14He's been hit by a car and just had major surgery.
0:29:15 > 0:29:20When he wakes up, he must learn to walk and live with just three legs.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Coming up, extra help is needed
0:29:30 > 0:29:33to get this huge cat into the treatment room.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37Thank you. I just want his life to be normal again.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Obviously, nobody wants their animal to be suffering.
0:29:43 > 0:29:49Now we're back with RSPCA inspector Justin Stubbs and the hunt for a missing dog.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54Sally is a rescue dog and was saved from a life of neglect nine months ago,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57but, on the very day she was due to go to a new home,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01she escaped and has been roaming free for weeks.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06A number of traps have been set, but so far, they've failed to catch the elusive Sally.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10Will Justin's latest attempt be a success?
0:30:15 > 0:30:18It's now almost two weeks since Sally went missing.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24She's been living all alone in the sparse Lincolnshire countryside.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Local sightings have confirmed she's frightened and losing weight.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35Now Justin is on his way back to check the animal trap to see if Sally has taken the bait.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42- And, this time, Justin's trap isn't empty.- Hey, Sally.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49Sally has finally been caught.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54She looks absolutely fine. I can't believe we caught her so quickly. It's really, really...
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Yeah, just really pleased with myself for that.
0:30:59 > 0:31:04Ken and Rita are also delighted to have helped Justin catch this nervous dog.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Any idea what time she got in there?
0:31:06 > 0:31:08No idea at all.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13We looked out here at about 11 o'clock last night and she wasn't here then.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17- She's quite calm. I think she's just pleased to be caught.- Yeah.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Lovely. I'll wait for the owner, then we'll get her out carefully. I don't want her to get off again.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26Sally is scared and a little bedraggled.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30But at least she's now safe and will soon be heading to her new home.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32I've come straight over to get her out.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Rung the owner on the way over as well.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38She'll be down in a moment to double check it is Sally. I'm sure it is.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43I haven't met her before, but there can't be many white alsatians about in traps.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48I was probably more pessimistic than I made out to everybody yesterday.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51I didn't think we'd catch her within a week or so,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55let alone overnight. This couldn't have worked out any better, really.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Sally's new owner Lisa and daughter Rebecca arrive...
0:32:03 > 0:32:07- Hello.- Hello.- ..to be reunited with their missing pet.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- Right, I'm guessing that's Sally. - Yes.- Yeah?
0:32:10 > 0:32:15How does she look compared to when she got off?
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- She's filthy. But yeah, she looks OK.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23Sally's already escaped once. So Justin's careful to make sure
0:32:23 > 0:32:27this wily dog doesn't give him the slip, too.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Think you're going to fit out of there?
0:32:30 > 0:32:32You are... Oh, good girl!
0:32:32 > 0:32:38And Lisa and Rebecca can't wait to give Sally a great big welcome home hug.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43It was horrendous. Quite sad.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49You get a rescue dog and you think you're going to do great for them and then she disappears.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54We've been running around fields, in the car, everywhere for her.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58It's been quite sad, really. It's nice to get back.
0:32:58 > 0:33:03I was a bit sad, but now I'm happier than I was before to have her back.
0:33:03 > 0:33:10And for Justin, this reunion makes a 12-day hunt around the Lincolnshire countryside worthwhile.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14I couldn't be more pleased. Really, really unexpected.
0:33:14 > 0:33:19Then to find out that she's almost completely healthy as well, an absolute godsend.
0:33:19 > 0:33:26She's lost weight, but that's to be expected given she's been running everywhere, um, but she looks fine.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29No injuries, greasy and dirty, but nothing a good bath won't cure.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Just over a mile away is Sally's new home.
0:33:37 > 0:33:43The last time this dog was here, she ran away before even getting through the front door.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46No more running off.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Now, though, Justin keeps a tight hold.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58And Sally can now finally cross the threshold to meet her new friend Jed.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06- Don't even let her out of the house without a lead.- OK.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09When she goes in the car, on the lead. When she comes out of the car,
0:34:09 > 0:34:13before she comes out, on that lead, like when I put her in the van.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Sally has had a tough time.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22Nine months ago, she was rescued from a life of neglect.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Then, before she could be given her fresh start,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29she escaped, spending almost two weeks living rough.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Now, though, she's finally home.
0:34:33 > 0:34:38Sally at the minute is obviously quite happy to be somewhere warm and safe and secure.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41I think she's a pretty independent dog.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45You'll have a good time with her over the next few weeks, getting used to her, I think.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49She's calm, she's happy, she's walking around drinking, she's playing.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52A lot better here than out there in the fields.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Justin is on his way back to see Candy the Jack Russell.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06Earlier, he discovered that Candy was being kept in a rabbit run.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10It's wrong and it's inappropriate, and I'm pretty much determined to try
0:35:10 > 0:35:13and get the owner to take it out of there and keep it out of there.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18The owner, Sarah, promised she would buy Candy a larger shed to use as a shelter.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Now Justin's back to see if she's kept that promise.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24- Hi, Sarah.- Hiya, you all right?
0:35:24 > 0:35:26That's better.
0:35:28 > 0:35:35- That's what a rabbit run is for. That's absolutely perfect.- They're meant to have a rabbit in there.
0:35:35 > 0:35:40- What happened with the shed? - We decided not to, because she's getting really old.- Yeah.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42So we've decided to keep her in.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Candy is 14 years old.
0:35:46 > 0:35:53Justin is delighted that the family has now decided this elderly lady should live inside, not out.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57Brilliant. OK, that's it, then, really.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01She's indoors so I'm happy at that as she stands now. That's it, sorted.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Although a shed's perfectly appropriate and a good place to stick a dog,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09when it's getting to that age, it has those kind of health problems,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12sticking it indoors is even better. That's worked out perfectly.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16And then, to see the rabbit run being used again with something more
0:36:16 > 0:36:20realistically sized, that little baby rabbit in there, it's perfect.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23So no issues there at all any more. It's great. A really good ending.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Finally today, we're back at the Manchester Hospital.
0:36:32 > 0:36:38In a moment, we'll catch up with Cleo and Taffy, two pets who underwent emergency surgery.
0:36:38 > 0:36:45But each day, a new stream of patients arrive with a new set of problems for vets to deal with.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59Susan Harrison is worried about Jasper.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03- That's a good boy. - Jasper isn't any old cat.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05He's a prize-winning Maine Coon cat.
0:37:05 > 0:37:10- Mrs Harrison? - Pedigree breeding won't get Jasper special treatment here...
0:37:11 > 0:37:14You hold that stand and I'll hold this side.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16..except a bit of help to lift his cage.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23The Maine Coon is one of the largest breed of cats.
0:37:23 > 0:37:29They weigh up to 10 kilos, twice the weight for an average domestic cat.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32A lot of people just think he's a big fat cat.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35Oh, that's not fair, is it?
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Poor Jasper has become a regular visitor in the past few weeks.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43- He has a problem that won't clear up.- Put that on the floor, maybe.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45- Lovely.- There we go.
0:37:45 > 0:37:51Right, he's got a very sore ear and it's thickening up.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56He slept on my bed last night, and all he did was shake his head vigorously all night long.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01Final-year vet student, Amy Knapman, begins her checks.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04I just want his life to be normal again.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09Obviously, nobody wants their animal to be suffering, and he is suffering.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Amy thinks Jasper's ears need a good clean to ease the pain.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18- Good boy.- The huge cat is sedated to allow Amy to get to work.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24We've got some warm saline and it's a case of filling up
0:38:24 > 0:38:26the ear canal and giving it a massage down.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30It makes a bit of a mess, unfortunately.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33But you can see this water is coming up a bit grey.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37As well as cleaning his ear, Jasper will also be given
0:38:37 > 0:38:41a course of antibiotics to kill any infection.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44What can happen is, if the ear canal is as narrow as that one is,
0:38:44 > 0:38:50the drainage is impaired, so if there's any bacteria or anything getting down there,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54it's a vicious cycle. You get a narrowing and then it can't drain
0:38:54 > 0:39:00and there's a nice environment in there that's quite moist for bugs and things like that.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Ears cleaned, Jasper's time on the vet table is over.
0:39:04 > 0:39:09- Would you like to come back through, Mrs Harrison?- Thank you.- Lovely.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11- How is he?- He's absolutely fine.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16It's a great relief for Susan. Now she can take her big pet home.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Would you be able to just give me a hand?
0:39:19 > 0:39:23But once again, Susan needs a bit of extra assistance to get back through the door.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Earlier we saw Cleo, who had been refusing to eat or drink.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44David Yates suspected she'd swallowed something.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- She eats tyres.- That's what I was meaning.- She's a chewer.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Is there anything missing? - No, not that we know of.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54She had surgery and David removed a hexagonal-shaped object from her stomach.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58It looks like some piece of rubber. I don't know where it's come from.
0:39:58 > 0:40:05But with the blockage removed, vets need to wait and see whether Cleo's appetite would return to normal.
0:40:08 > 0:40:14It's two days later, and, on the recovery ward, there are some encouraging signs.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21Everything appears to be progressing well. She seems a lot brighter in herself
0:40:21 > 0:40:26and she's taken both food and fluids, so we're really pleased with the way things are working.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30This news means Cleo can now go home.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Her worried owner, Sheila, is waiting next door.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42Cleo is still drowsy and confused from the anaesthetic.
0:40:42 > 0:40:47But as soon as she hears her owner's voice...she cheers up.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50We're really pleased with how she's been doing.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54She's been eating small amounts with us in the hospital, so just
0:40:54 > 0:41:00keep that up when you're at home, just small amounts of a light diet, chicken and rice, little and often.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05With some essential advice on how to care for her pet,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09Sheila leaves, delighted with the transformation in her beloved dog.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16I can tell already that she's all right. It's a relief and everything.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I've really, really missed her. We all have.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24She's like a different dog. She really is. She were ill, you know.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26So yeah, it's great.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29It were one of her toys that they found inside her,
0:41:29 > 0:41:33one of her own toys that she's ripped to bits and swallowed a big chunk.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36So she'll not be doing that again!
0:41:40 > 0:41:44It's not just Sheila who's pleased with the results of surgery.
0:41:44 > 0:41:50Taffy the cat had a major operation to remove his hind leg after being hit by a car.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57Now he's back home, starting to get used to life on three legs.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02He's been back nearly two week, and it's as if nothing has ever happened to him.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03The first day when he came back,
0:42:03 > 0:42:07the other cats hissed at him and scared him off,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10because they didn't know what he was, cos he had a leg missing.
0:42:10 > 0:42:16- But yeah, he's fine.- And it seems there's no stopping this plucky cat.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19We can't keep him in. The vet said, when we picked him up,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23try and have him as a house cat, but it's like keeping a duck from water.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26He's running around the garden, climbing trees.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28He's fine.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32And sure enough, once outside,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Taffy sprints off at the first opportunity.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime or a creature that
0:42:45 > 0:42:50needs immediate protection, remember, there are dedicated professionals out there
0:42:50 > 0:42:53who will answer your call right around the clock.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56They're the people we meet on Animal 24:7.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
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