A dog who cruel hare coursers left to die after using her for the illegal blood sport is now looking for a new home inYorkshire.
The lurcher collapsed from exhaustion while under the control of a group of men who were coursing in the Nuddock Wood Lakes area near Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire on Thursday, January 27.
The men drove off and left her for dead in ditch in a field where she was picked up by a local resident who had been watching the group.
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Police were called and the dog was taken to theRSPCA’s York and Harrogate district branch, where staff named her Nyah.
She was underweight on arrival and has been on a special diet to build her back up to a healthy weight and they report she has been progressing nicely since she was found.
Now they are seeking a suitable owner who can rehome Nyah, who is between three and four years old.
The RSPCA says that while she has a calm and friendly personality, she may require guidance and training after the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her previous owners. She would not be suited to sharing a home with cats or smaller animals due to her prey drive.
Animal welfare supervisor Mandy Broadhead said: "Nyah was exhausted when we got her here and she just sat in her kennel. She’s now come out of herself and she’s a very loving and calm dog.
"Her temperament with people is great and we have taken her out with a group of other dogs and she has been fine.
"But her prey drive still shows up when she is near other animals and anyone adopting her would have to have her on a lead at all times when outside."
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An investigation has been launched by RSPCA inspector Tom Hutton, who said hare coursing in the area of North Lincolnshire in which Nyah was found is a persistent problem.
He said coursing gangs often trespass on land where they typically use greyhound and lurcher dogs to pursue hares.
"There were anti-poaching barriers in place but they just drove past them into a stubble field. There were two or three men in a vehicle and the member of the public who called us said he managed to take down a registration, but it wasn’t able to be traced," said inspector Hutton.
"He didn’t approach them and he rang the police as well which is the right thing to do.
"Often if the dogs involved in hare coursing get injured they just leave them behind."
Farm worker Richard Anderson, who spotted the hare coursers in a silver Audi, recovered Nyah from a ditch where she had been abandoned.
He recalled: "She was totally exhausted and they ran off and left her. She would have died, but we carried her back home.
"I’ve reported 20 of these incidents in the last year."
The Government has announced plans this year to strengthen the penalties available to tackle hare coursing, including increasing the maximum fine as well as the possibility of imposing up to six months’ imprisonment for trespass in pursuit of game.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 1234 8018.
Find out more about adopting Nyah byclicking here.
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