One of the worst cases of pet neglect and cruelty seen by the Mayhew Animal Home in Kensal Green

An animal charity is appealing for help to find the heartless owner of a dying dog found dumped in Roundwood Park.

The elderly German Shepherd called ‘Prince’ was found collapsed, surrounded by dumped rubbish, litter and a filthy mattress and was initially assumed dead when he was discovered last Friday (12).

He was taken to the Mayhew Animal Home in Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, where he was found to be covered in his own faeces, his coat was matted into hard rocks of hair and he was too weak to lift his head.

The 13-year-old dog was wearing a collar with his name but not microchipped.

Due to the severity of his condition he sadly had to be put to sleep.

Price’s plight is one of the worse cases of cruelty and neglect of a pet seen by the charity in its 126-year history.

Gen Wilkinson, a vet at the Mayhew, said: “This is an absolutely horrifying case of cruelty and neglect.

“Prince was severely dehydrated and had irreparable neurological damage, meaning that he was unable to move his back legs or tail and was doubly incontinent. He was suffering immensely and this had been going on some time. He was also very underweight and tried to eat when we offered him food despite being so weak.

“After shaving his matted hair we discovered maggots burrowing into the pressure sores on his body, which had been caused by his low weight.

“The only decision we were left with was to bring his life to a peaceful end but he should not be forgotten. Someone must know who Prince belonged to”

The Mayhew is urging anyone with information about Prince’s owner to come forward.

They are also asking people horrified by this case to sign their petition, calling for compulsory microchipping for all dogs and for the government to push ahead with this in response to the DEFRA consultation.

Zoe Edwards, the Mayhew’s animal welfare officer, said: “When I initially saw Prince I thought he was dead. He was lifeless, filthy and the smell coming from him was like sewage.”

She added: “I really don’t understand the mentality of some people. This was obviously someone’s pet who loved them enough to once get him a decent collar and have his name engraved on it. It is hard to believe that someone owned this dog for this long only to discard him alongside some old rubbish in a park. The condition of the dog indicated to me that this would have taken several months, if not years, for him to get into this mess. “I always give people the benefit of the doubt in my job and always try to be non-judgmental but in this case there is no excuse for the way this dog had been left. Someone must have seen the state that Prince was in and you would have had to have been blind to not see how this dog was suffering.”

The Mayhew Petition can be signed at www.themayhew.org/petition.

If you have any information on the identity of Prince’s owner you cal call the Mayhew on 020 8969 0178 or email info@mayhewanimalhome.org