When 58-year-old Paul Skinner was out cycling with a friend, something unexpected caught his eye and made him hit the brakes hard. It was just a glimpse at first — a flicker of movement in a ditch along the side of the road — but it was enough to stir his instincts. Paul knew something wasn’t right.
As he approached the ditch, he discovered a sight that would haunt him for a long time: a weary and almost lifeless cocker spaniel. The poor dog had clearly been abandoned, left to fend for herself in the cold and dirt. She was barely moving, her body worn out from exhaustion and grief. Yet, even in her frail state, she was clinging to something — a plastic bag in her mouth. Paul couldn’t quite make out what it was at first, but he could sense that whatever was inside wasn’t good.
He immediately dismounted his bike, his concern for the animal overriding everything else. “I was out cycling with my friend at the time,” Paul told the British newspaper Metro. “We spotted something on the verge that looked like a dead bird, but as we passed it, it moved.” That movement led them straight to the dog, who was discovered in a ditch in Lincolnshire, England.
What Paul saw was heartbreaking. The cocker spaniel was sitting all alone, gently licking the outside of what looked like a fish and chips takeout bag. Her sad, tired eyes betrayed a mix of despair and confusion. There was no sign of an owner nearby — no collar, no leash, no one searching for a lost pet. It was clear she had been deliberately left there.
Driven by compassion, Paul approached the dog slowly, careful not to scare her. He crouched down to inspect the bag she clung to so desperately. As he opened it, his heart sank. Inside the bag were four lifeless puppies. They were small, fragile, and tragically gone far too soon. Paul’s spine tingled, and a wave of sadness and anger swept over him. “It was heartbreaking,” he said. “She had tears in her eyes. I could not believe anybody could be so devoid of humanity to do something like this.”
Paul wasted no time. He quickly contacted an animal rescue organization and reached out to a local animal shelter for immediate help. Volunteers responded promptly, rushing to the scene in the hopes of saving any of the puppies. But by the time they arrived, it was already too late. The tiny pups, likely born that very day, couldn’t survive the harsh conditions. A veterinarian later examined them and confirmed that they had probably been alive when they were cruelly placed inside the bag and left to die in the ditch alongside their mother.
The local police issued a statement acknowledging the tragic event. “We don’t know whether the puppies were stillborn or whether they died because of the cold,” they said. “We would like to thank the cyclist who found the dog and raised the alarm, and to Fen Bank Greyhound Sanctuary who got her to the vets.”
Fortunately, there was a silver lining. The mother dog, now named Carly by the shelter staff, had a microchip. Unfortunately, the chip could only be traced back to her original breeder, offering no leads on the person responsible for abandoning her and her pups. Nonetheless, Carly was now in good hands. She was taken to a safe and caring shelter, where she was given proper food, medical attention, and, most importantly, love. After everything she had endured, Carly was finally safe.
Carly’s story is a powerful reminder of the resilience and depth of animals’ emotions. Despite her own suffering, she refused to leave her puppies behind, even though they were no longer alive. Her grief, her refusal to abandon them, speaks volumes about the capacity for love and loyalty in animals. In many ways, Carly showed more heart, more humanity, than the person who callously discarded her and her newborns.
It’s difficult to comprehend how anyone could commit such an act. To abandon a dog, especially one that has just given birth, reveals a staggering level of neglect and cruelty. Yet Carly, in the face of such betrayal, never gave up on her pups. Her maternal instinct, her commitment to her litter, even in death, is a testament to her character and strength.
Thanks to people like Paul Skinner and the compassionate volunteers at the Fen Bank Greyhound Sanctuary, Carly’s future now holds promise. She will never again suffer at the hands of an irresponsible owner. Instead, she will live out her days in comfort, surrounded by those who value her and recognize her worth. Her story serves as an example of why we must continue to stand up for animals, to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, and to ensure that cruelty does not go unpunished.
Carly’s strength and love deserve to be honored. Her refusal to leave her babies behind shows the immense emotional depth animals possess — a truth that anyone who has ever loved a pet already knows. Let’s hope Carly’s days ahead are filled with joy, healing, and perhaps even new puppies, raised in an environment where they are cherished and protected.
Her journey from abandonment to safety is a call to action. Let’s support the shelters, the rescuers, and the everyday heroes who make a difference in animals’ lives. And let’s share Carly’s story, so more people understand just how much animals feel — and why they deserve our compassion.
If you agree, take a moment to share Carly’s story and help raise awareness. Together, we can build a world where no dog has to go through what she did — a world where love always triumphs over neglect.
