Six dogs found abandoned on Bodmin Moor

ITV News reports on a group of dogs abandoned in Cornwall

Six dogs have been abandoned on moorland in Cornwall.

The dogs were found in two groups of three on Bodmin Moor - one group near St Neot and the other around seven miles away near Altarnun.

They were found on Monday 14 October and are thought to be Labradors and springer spaniels.

Cornwall Council is appealing for information about the dogs, which do not have microchips or ID tags.

It is thought they could all have the same owner.

Cornwall Council's dog welfare officer, Adrian Fitzgerald., said: "They were in reasonable condition, they were all bitches which obviously raises suspicions, clearly from some sort of working background.

"They were a little bit underweight but then working dogs do struggle to put on weight.

"Although they are two separate groups, it is our belief that they are part and parcel of the same owner, they've come from the same area."

The dogs do not have identity tags or up to date microchips, so it's not yet clear where they came from. They will be kept under the council's care for seven days and then re-homed.

Sarah-Jane Brown, the council's community protection leader, said: "Unfortunately more and more we are getting some dogs that have are coming to us that we think have been abandoned as strays.

"But this case is particularly unusual, to find six in one area of the county.

"We're pretty sure they are not stolen dogs, I think it's quite likely that they are from a working background, possibly being used for breeding.

"We have got some lines of enquiry that we are following but we can't really say any more at this time, we are still investigating."

Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder responsible for public protection at Cornwall Council, said: "I’m saddened to hear that these animals have been found in this way.

"I’d like to remind all dog owners that they are legally required to microchip their pets and ensure their details are kept up to date on the register. All dogs should also be wearing an identification tag.

"While the team are yet to establish the circumstances of how these dogs came to be on the moor, I’d like to remind people that to abandon a pet in circumstances such as these is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act."

The dogs will be cared for by the council for seven days before the process of rehoming them begins.

Anyone with information should contact Cornwall Council on 0300 1234 212 or via the email publicprotection@cornwall.gov.uk.