RSPCA: Investigation launched after 'painfully skinny' dog found curled up behind bush

An animal welfare charity is trying to track down the owners of an emaciated mastiff found curled up behind a bush, on an Essex driveway.

Roxy, believed to be a three-year-old Dogue de Bordeaux cross, was found by Boxted resident Emma Fowler, last Sunday morning (21 April). RSPCA inspector Nicky Thorne, who has now launched an investigation, said the concerned resident had been very worried about the cowering dog, who seemed very frightened.

“Emma approached her but she growled, so she got some neighbours to help and they took her some treats. As soon as she’d munched on a few biscuits, Roxy decided Emma was her best friend,” she said. Ms Fowler took Roxy to a local veterinary surgery, and staff alerted the RSPCA - as the dog was so thin, they were concerned she had been neglected for some time.

Ms Fowler added: “I was shocked to see Roxy curled up on our drive, but I’m glad she found a sunny spot on our drive to await rescue, and I’m very grateful to the vets for taking her in on a Sunday. She looked starving and shockingly thin, but she was so sweet once she realised we were friends and we were there to help her. She was grateful for the attention and it was such a relief to get her to safety.”

Roxy was found to weigh just 29kg, when a healthy female Dogue de Bordeaux should weigh as much as 25kg more than that. Inspector Thorne said the dog was “painfully skinny”. “You can see all of her bones and every single rib. She’s just skin and bone. It’s clearly taken a significant amount of time for her to get into this state so I suspect she’s been seriously neglected.”

Three-year-old Roxy was microchipped to a property in Halstead, Essex, and the RSPCA has has been following up with her previous owners - who say she was rehomed in September 2023. “The people Roxy was chipped to said she’d had to rehome her last year and she’d been taken on by a man called Rob,” the Inspector added.

“I’d like to hear from anyone who might recognise Roxy from the local areas of Halstead and Boxted, or anyone who knows someone who previously owned a dog that looks like Roxy,” she continued. “She’s such a sweet and friendly dog, we’ve all completely fallen in love with her, and I want to get some answers about what’s happened to her.”

Anyone with any information can call the RSPCA’s appeal line on 0300 123 8018.