One-and-a-half year old Sheba was being used as a breeding machine when our Animal Welfare Officers found and removed her. Her owner was selling the puppies to pet shops as a money-making scheme.

Sheba was forced to live in poor conditions: she lived outside in all weathers with only very basic shelter provided and received no veterinary care. Pregnant dogs should be fed 5 times a day and once the litter is born they require regular meals and nutrition while nursing their young. In reality, Sheba had to compete with other dogs to get food which was thrown on the ground. She has already given birth to two litters in her short life and if we hadn’t stepped in she would have been used to breed over and over again.

Sheba has never had the luxury of a loving family environment and the happy, carefree life a dog should have. When we found her she was scared of humans and destined for a life of misery, mistreatment, hunger and basic conditions. We are now showing Sheba a different side of life – the one she deserves – and we are helping her build up her courage and confidence before she goes to her new forever home.

Make a one-off donation now to help us rescue animals like Sheba.

The Mayhew is completely against the indiscriminate trade in puppies and other young animals on the internet and via other media channels, as well as puppy mills and farms of all types. We believe much tighter regulation of breeders and the trade in animals is needed.  

Such breeders have little or no concern for the welfare of the dogs or puppies and no regard for who buys them. Puppies which end up for sale in pet shops and on the internet are frequently passed around, given up or abandoned, thereby increasing the already huge pressure on animal welfare organisations and shelters.  They can also be subject to abuse and neglect or used as breeding machines to produce litter after litter for profit. Puppies from such farms generally suffer with poor health and welfare which can lead to a range of underlying medical conditions and behavioural issues.  The Mayhew promotes the adoption of animals from reputable shelters and animal welfare organisations, full of animals desperate for a loving home.

Watch the recent undercover documentary on BBC1 to see the scale of the problem. It is estimated that a third of all dogs bought today have come from puppy farms. If you’re interested in adopting a pet take a look at our dogs and cats who urgently need adoption.