87 Puppies Found Alive And Stuffed Into Buckets

Police in Offerton, Greater Manchester recovered 80 puppies that had been stuffed into buckets and left for dead. The puppies were only a few weeks old during the discovery and their owners are being investigated for various animal cruelty vioaltions.

Police believe that the puppies were going to be sold as Christmas presents by black market dealers. The puppies were ripped away from their mothers at a very young age and could barely breath inside their buckets.

87 puppies were found alive and four were dead, including two puppies that were left in their own bucket and stowed in the wheel well of a car.

The puppies included various expensive breeds including French Bulldogs, West Highland Terriers and Pomeranians.

Criminals in Manchester steal and breed pedigree puppies and then sell them on the black market for hundreds of dollars less than legal breeders. The breed of puppies being offered often cost upwards of $1200 or more to purchase from reputable sources.

The puppies are often carried around in buckets where they are sold in car parks, online, and through unlicensed pet shops.

Speaking to the Daily Mail Sergeant Mike Cooper revealed:

“We witnessed some shocking scenes yesterday and we will do everything we can to assist the RSPCA in any future prosecution or operation.”

To charge the criminals with crimes police confiscated the puppies, computers, and mobile phones from the location of the puppy filled buckets.

The countries RSPCA (animal protections group) is urging customers to avoid buying dogs at Christmas time because many arrive from puppy mills or have been stuffed in buckets and are carried around until sold, never having been weened from their mother.