"This isn't AI" explained RSPCA Radcliffe, after much viewer speculation that the image couldn't possibly be real.
"This was real and it’s something we were part of. 💔 Here at Radcliffe Animal Centre, we took in some of these dogs, including Eva (4 years old) and Teddy (1 year old), who are both still looking for homes."
Heartbreaking conditions
The dogs were living in appalling conditions, with matted fur, sore skin and no experience of the outside world.
"Some were so frightened we had to carry them from their kennels to the grass. Some have started to play, while others would simply sit, leaning into us for reassurance" the team shared on social media.
The rise of multi-animal rescues
The case has shed light on a growing issue currently affecting rescues like the RSPCA.
Figures show the number of rescues involving 10 or more dogs has almost doubled over the last five years in South Yorkshire, with many dogs in emergency boarding because rescue centres are full.
