Dogs left to starve in narrowboat

Published: Wednesday, 22 December 2010

IT WAS the police that had to rescue two dogs and a puppy left to starve in a freezing narrowboat at Mill Stream at the bottom of the Oxford Canal.

Neighbouring boaters alerted the police having hearing the dogs whining for days, worried the owner had had an accident inside the boat.

Eating trees and snow

But there was no one in the boat, and it was discovered the dogs had eventually crawled through an open window and were eating bits of trees and snow to keep alive.

PC Ward explained:

"I was told they have been on their own for up to five days, at least since the snow has been here. We do not know where the owner is. There is a window where they can get in and out, but no food out for them.

"They were shivering with cold, and the puppy is very thin. They were eating snow and bits of tree when I was with them."

The dogs were identified by boaters, and were taken to St Aldate's Police Station, where RSCPA officers collected them yesterday.