RSPCA finds 250 ‘frightened’ dogs crammed into ONE house in ‘shocking’ discovery

Fintan Starkey
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:44:54 +0000

The RSPCA has rescued more than 250 dogs living in a single home after conditions in the home are thought to have "spiralled out of control".

The charity has not confirmed the location where the poodle-cross dogs were found.

They said the numbers and living conditions of the dogs "had rapidly grown out of control amid extenuating family circumstances".

An image taken by the rescuer had originally been slated as AI by social media users online, but the animal welfare charity has debunked claims the image is fake.

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Upon release of the image, one social media user said: "I hope this is not AI, sure looks like it.

Another added: "I immediately thought this was AI!"

The animal charity confirmed the "shocking" image was taken by a rescuer, which showed a large number of dogs crammed into a living room, illustrating the "staggering reality" of multi-animal incidents dealt with by the charity.

The RSPCA also confirmed they have responded to 4,200 similar incidents, which have involved at least 10 animals at an address, in the last year.

RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said: "This shocking image is the reality of many multi-animal cases, and the situation our frontline officers seem to be confronting more and more - with reports of cases involving 10, 20 and even 100 animals on the rise.

"We understand that people are so aghast they don't believe what they are seeing. But this photo is not AI - it's real.

"This is the staggering reality of what can happen when even well-meaning owners become overwhelmed - over-breeding can take over, and conditions can spiral out of control."

The RSPCA said it could not add additional information about the owners’ circumstances, but added they were contacted due to being "overwhelmed".

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It said it would not have been appropriate to take forward a prosecution due to the circumstances and "extremely vulnerable nature" of the owners.

Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottingham took in some of the dogs, and said the dogs arrived with "severely matted" coats and sore skin.

"Some were so frightened we had to carry them from their kennels to the grass," it said in a social media post.

The RSPCA said cases of substantial numbers of animals being kept at one address could be linked with the cost of living crisis, mental health struggles, or breeders with poor practices.

In November, the animal charity reported rescuing 80 dogs, a mix of chihuahuas, pomeranians, and cross-breeds, from a house in Bedfordshire.

The poodle-cross dogs, commonly referred to as "doodles", have seen a sharp rise in popularity in recent years, making them one of the top three cross-breed dog types owned by people, according to a Dogs Trust survey.

The RSPCA confirmed that of the 250 dogs rescued from the property, 87 have been taken in by the charity, with the rest being sent to Dogs Trust.

They said the dogs have been taken into shelters in areas across Hertfordshire, Surrey, Norfolk and Nottinghamshire for rehoming.

Two of the dogs, Stevie and Sandy, are awaiting adoption from the RSPCA's Southridge Animal Centre.

Stevie is a blind dog who needs to be rehomed alongside Sandy, as she is now her guide.