The Dog Rescuers

Join us at the Dog Rescuers house as host Alan Davies throws the ultimate Christmas party for his doggy friends. This year’s Dog Rescuers Christmas Special follows Inspector Lauren Bailey as she journeys to Lapland on an arctic adventure to discover how one winter wonderland dog sled organisation is blazing a trail for the welfare of working Husky Dogs. In this special episode, we join the RSPCA volunteers, staff and vets at animal shelters across the country as they care for the 3000 dogs in their care over the Christmas period. And, for the first time on Dog Rescuers, we get an insight into the RSPCA national call centre at Christmas, responding to around 11,000 calls from the concerned public over between Christmas and New Year. One such call that comes in live to the National Call Centre is tasked out to Inspector Emily Collins, who races to rescue unloved Pomeranian Freddie, living in disgusting conditions. We meet a true survivor, pug puppy Ruby, whose jaw was broken by her callous owner. Ruby prepares for her first proper Christmas with new owner vet nurse, Lauren, while Inspector Anthony Joynes fights to get the result he wants from the Magistrates court.

Underweight, and heavily pregnant; Lilly the Staffy urgently needs Inspector Lyndsey Taylor help. It’s a race against time to rescue Lilly and her pups. In December 2015, the floods hit Cumbria again. But chief Inspector Mark Gent and his flood rescue team came to help. Trapped in a school and with the water rising - how will Mark manage to rescue 60 kilograms of Dogue-de-Bordeaux, and his owners? Inspector Herchy Boal is on a detective mission after she finds a heavily matted Lhasa Apso that is wandering the busy roads of Coventry. Beaten, burnt and buried alive; Chunky, the Chihuahua defies all the odds and makes a remarkable recovery. Do you have a hound-shaped hole in your life? We’ll meet the lovely Kappa. She’s looking for her forever home this week.

Alan Davies returns for a brand-new series of The Dog Rescuers and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever. On this week’s show, German Shepherd puppies covered in their own mess and eating raw meat off a filthy floor. They need Inspector Herchy Boal’s help to get them out of their concrete cage. A man about to be made homeless puts his dog’s needs before his own and tries to find Dude a roof over his head so he doesn’t have to live with him on the streets. Inspector Lauren Bailey finds a Jack Russel called Poppy who’s lost so much of her coat it hurts to sit down. William the Whippet - so skinny he’s described as a ‘bag of bones’. But will he survive?

Baxter is a Shih-Tzu that was discovered abandoned in an empty house on the outskirts of Manchester; thin and with extremely matted fur. Inspector Lyndsey Taylor comes to the rescue, but until all that fur is removed, nobody knows what lies beneath. Inspector Anthony Pulfer responds to a call in Bromley, after the local council have been in touch about two Staffordshire Bull Terrier crosses named Shaz and Tigger; and their owner with a health condition that makes it difficult to look after them. Remember Flint the Lurcher cross? Last summer Inspector Anthony Joynes rescued him from a playing field in North Wales, after he had been brutally forced to fight against badgers. Well, you can witness his incredible transformation and happy ending, as the gentle giant enjoys his new forever-home. Riley the loving Labrador has a special job. He’s an Assistance Dog for his owner Ella Wilson, who suffers from multiple conditions, including osteoarthritis. You can see the amazing talents that he and his fellow four-legged colleagues are taught by the Dogs For Good charity in Oxfordshire, to support the people that they care for. Do you have a hound-shaped hole in your life? We’ll meet the boisterous Brindle named Max who loves to play. He’s looking for his forever home this week.

At an address in the Wirral, Inspector Anthony Joynes finds two collie crosses, Patch and Socks. Both dogs are in very poor condition and Anthony needs to get them out. Inspector Herchy Boal is called to Scooby’s rescue. She’s collapsed with puncture wounds after fighting with two other dogs. Scooby is in shock so she needs urgent medical care. In Somerset, we encounter an unusual breed of puppies – Japanese Chins. These super cute little ones have been brought in with their and behavioural trainer Andy Cook has the task of turning these tear-away toddlers in to well mannered, respectable dogs. We catch up with Dino, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier that was left abandoned inside a property in Bristol. It took him 18 months to find a new forever home but now he’s settled we find out how he’s getting on. And we meet Rosie the little Staffie that almost didn’t make it…The good news is now she’s happy in the arms of her new owner. Do you have a hound-shaped hole in your life? This week we’ll meet Frasier, the intelligent one-year-old Brindle cross who is looking for somebody to teach him even more tricks in a new forever home!

In Dagenham a terrified Jack Russell called Phoebe is found abandoned in a travellers’ site full of rubbish. Surrounded by danger and left with a badly broken leg she must undergo a three hour operation but will she ever be able to walk again? When Inspector Lauren Bailey knocks on the door of a property in Brackley, she finds a dog that is particularly suffering. Sam the collie cross has an itchy and painful skin condition. Up in Yorkshire, a very lucky collie gets the chance to do what collies do best after a bleak start in life at a puppy farm in Bury. We catch up with John and Hilary Tyson-Herd as they train Ben up with their flock of sheep. Earlier this year Inspector Anthony Pulfer received a call about a dog left for dead in a suburban garden. Faced with the emaciated body of a black German Shepherd, he thought the worst until he moved. Straight onto a drip at Putney Animal Hospital, Max fights for survival. Remember Socks? After treatment for chronic fleas and a nasty ear infection, Socks has made a miraculous recovery and we join him in his new forever home with Wendy Walters. If these beauties have got you tempted to adopt then watch out for gentle giant Bella, an American Bulldog who is desperately waiting for love at Leybourne Animal Centre.

In London, an underweight, heavily pregnant dog has been brought into the Blue Cross Animal hospital by its owner. The mum to be needs emergency surgery to deliver her pups and because of her poor condition Inspector Annie Simmonds has been called in to investigate. Will Bailey and her pups make it through the operation? Inspector Anthony Joynes discovers a Bull Mastiff named Junior that is living a lonely life inside a garden shed in Merseyside. She appears to have an unusual skin condition, but will Vet Becky McAlpine be able to get to the bottom of it? In Nuneaton, Inspector Herchy Boal meets an owner that’s made the difficult decision to sign her two dogs over after a marriage breakdown and having greater work commitments. It’s a heart wrenching decision for her but for two tiny terriers Alfie and Beau it’s the right one – now they’ll be able to find a new forever home. Inspector Anthony Pulfer recalls the story of a severely neglected American Bulldog named Gucci, who was reduced to eating her own mess. Anthony revisits Gucci to see her amazing transformation in a happy new home.

In Thornton Heath, South London, Inspector Nick Wheelhouse is called out to see three adult mastiffs and nine puppies who are all drastically underweight. Will Gaza, the mother and the skinniest of the dogs, be able to regain the weight she so desperately needs. Overweight whippet Blue had been spoiled by his elderly owner in Essex. With the help of a new diet and exercise regime from their vet, Blue must shed some pounds before there are any serious consequences. Nine poodles were found by the side of the road near Winchester. Their wet, matted coats accounted for over 2/5 of their body weight. We catch up with Mavis and her new owner Sally Firth as she takes her for a full grooming and pampering treatment at Pooch Dog Spa in Farnborough. Prince the sharpei was found with barely a hair on his body. Anthony Pulfer checks in on him to see whether with treatment he has started to look more like a dog again.

Inspector Anthony Joynes arranges a warrant to rescue four dogs from a dangerously overcrowded house. After an unfriendly welcome it becomes clear that at least one of the dogs will need medical attention but their diagnosis turns out much more serious than expected. One pensioner in Essex got more than they bargained for when they found a little puppy dumped in their back garden. With no owner forthcoming, will Willow find someone to love her and look after her? Mia the Medical Detection Dog has been trained to assist Emmie Clack with her hearing problems and her heart arrhythmia. But when Mia’s behaviour suddenly changed and she started signalling towards Emmie’s breast, Emmie knew this might a question of life or death. Clover the lurcher was found with duct tape would so tightly around her muzzle that it became badly infected. Luckily vet Tanya Crawley was on hand to nurse her through and fell for her in a big way.

In the heart of London, Inspector Callum Isitt teams up with the police to track down four dogs, including two St Bernard types that have allegedly been beaten by their owners. One trail leads Callum to bustling Parliament Square, where it’s believed the St Bernard types are being used to get passers-by to part with their cash. Will he manage to find the dogs that he is looking for? Inspector Anthony Joynes attends a property where he finds 7 underweight American Bulldog puppies that are struggling to get enough nutrition from their exhausted Mum. Anthony takes them in to the care of the RSPCA, where they transform in to bundles of fun! Meet Stella, the amazing rescue dog that became the first Staffordshire Bull Terrier to be taken on as a Police Sniffer Dog. Stella and her handler PC Claire Todd are attending an assessment centre where they will need to track down real guns, drugs, and cash. See Stella’s super nose in action! Inspector Nikki Cheetham tells the harrowing story of a Vet in Leeds that kept many animals prisoner underneath their own practice. We catch up with some of the rescued Husky siblings that were that are now enjoying their newfound freedom.

In The Wirral, Inspector Anthony Joynes is called out to a shocking case where nine year old German Shepherd Reo has been left with an awful skin condition. Despite scratching so much that her face is covered in open sores she is still able to muster a wag of the tail, but will she have the strength to overcome her painful condition? Inspector Lyndsey Taylor attends a property only to find a very hungry Husky cross named Reeko. Not only is he seven kilograms underweight, he also has conjunctivitis. Join him on his journey of recovery under the care of the RSPCA in Bradford. Stray crossbreed Peg was befriended by Private Conrad Lewis during his time in Afghanistan, whilst he was serving in the Parachute Regiment. After forming an intense bond with dog, Conrad was determined to bring him back to Warwickshire to live with his parents. Tragically, Conrad did not make it home, but Peg did thanks the help of Pen Farthing, founder of the Nowzad Sanctuary in Kabul. Inspector Justin Stubbs recalls an awful case in Peterborough that resulted in the rescue of Alfie, the Staffy cross that was suspected to have been dragged from a car. With wounds down to his bones, and risk of death from septicaemia, was Justin able to get help for Alfie in time?

Chief Inspector Cathy Hyde is on a warrant to access a property in Leigh, suspected of being involved in puppy trafficking. Cathy discovers two Jack Russell types and two Yorkshire Terriers. Tragically, they were too late one for one dog that had passed away and another has badly fractured leg. Will Cathy be able to provide the escape that these dogs desperately need? Candy the chocolate Labrador has been left to suffer with a chronic ear infection and a skin condition that has left her with large patches of fur loss. Not only that, but she’s overweight and walking on uncomfortably overgrown nails. Inspector Claire Little has been called out to the property in Hull where she lives, but will she be able to get Candy on the road to a sweeter life? In the Wirral, Louie the American Bulldog was left to fend for himself in a locked house surrounded by his own mess. He had kept one room clean as his own private sanctuary, but Louie clearly had not been outside for a very long time. Fortunately, Inspector Anthony Joynes is called out to rescue him. Inspector Lauren Bailey is called out to a Community Centre in Luton, where a confused and pongy Pomeranian named Trudy has been left tied to a railing with a very matted rear end. It’s unclear why she’s been left – Lauren investigates.

Inspector Herchy Boal teams up with the police to attend a property near Birmingham suspected of puppy farming. Tragically, for one puppy it was already too late, but she manages to rescue another 37 including 8 expectant mothers. Herchy discovers a range of breeds including Shih-Tzu’s, West Highland Terriers and Cavashons, but with many pups still yet to be born, how will they all get on? Frodo and Smeagol are Patterdale Terriers that have had a very cruel start to life. In Merseyside, Inspector Anthony Joynes finds them covered in deep wounds that are apparently due to their use in badger-baiting. And it’s not just injuries that they’ve sustained – they’re infested with ticks and ear mites too. These two might have had a rough start in life but Harry McKnight the Animal Behaviourist work with them to offer a precious new lease of life.

In Birkenhead, Inspector Anthony Joynes is accompanied by the police to attend an unlocked and empty property. Inside he finds Teddy, the terrified Terrier cross that has a flea infestation so bad that he's missing half his fur. One-year-old Teddy is incredibly nervous, but will he be able to overcome his fears and allow the RSPCA to offer him help? Inspector Herchy Boal is called out to a property in Birmingham where she discovers Molly, a Terrier cross with a skin condition so painful that she has scratched herself raw and her ears are swollen shut by a chronic infection. We’ll see how Molly gets on with her recovery and if she will ever be able to return to normal. Gypsy and Duchess are two one-year-old lively Labradors, but unfortunately their owner cannot keep up with them and has had to leave them both in training cages all day. Inspector Graeme Petty is concerned that this is no life for two young dogs, so he travels to Scunthorpe to offer them a new lease of life. Remember Bailey, the Staffy-cross that gave birth via an emergency caesarean? We catch up with Alfie, one of her adorable puppies as he is collected from Southridge Animal Centre to go to his new forever home. We follow Alfie's development over the next three episodes as he settles in to his new home and learns some important puppy basics. Inspector Kate Fletcher is called out to a petrified Chihuahua named Travis that was found shaking in a doorway after he'd gone stray. Find out if Kate will be able to reunite Travis with his owners. Are you looking for a new best friend? Meet Titch! She’s an English Bull Terrier cross that is wonderfully affectionate, and looking for a forever home at Block Fen Animal Centre.

Lucy the Staffie cross has been kept inside a dark house for so long that it’s affected her eyes and she is extremely overweight. She is taken into the RSPCA’s care but will Lucy be able to shed some pounds and adapt to life in the great outdoors? Eddie, a Yorkshire terrier with heavily matted fur, gets a much needed haircut and Inspector Jason Bowles gives out some stern words of advice about the necessity of grooming. Born by dramatic caesarean section, little Alfie continues his life lessons with owners Chris and Bev. This week we see him learn how to play nice with his new sister Dolly at home and a whole bunch of new friends at a local puppy party! Lilly, a pregnant dog left hungry and alone, her five little puppies are now big, bouncy bundles of fun and today they get together for a reunion in North Yorkshire.

It’s that time of year again as Alan Davies returns for another Dog Rescuers Christmas special. As well as rescues and rehomes, this year we spend 48 hours with two RSPCA centres, following the work they do over the festive season. At Harmsworth Animal Hospital in North London, it’s a busy time of year. Three-year-old Bully, an English Bull terrier, comes in with a suspicious lump, and there’s an emergency for Lucky, the not so lucky Yorkshire Terrier that arrives with a badly broken leg. Over at South Godstone Animal Centre in Surrey, staff have their hands full too. With over 40 dogs to look after there’s plenty to be done. Puppy Obi is hoping to get a new home in time for Christmas but will he get on with his potential new housemate Dottie the Rottie? On the road, RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes rescues an abandoned Spaniel cross from a freezing empty house. And Pudding the elderly Shih-Tzu is left for dead on Christmas Eve – but will he pull through?