Lucky to be alive: The two puppies saved after a 'cruel' gang of children as young as 10 were caught trying to roast them over a fire







Gang of children - some as young as TEN - caught slowly roasting puppies over bonfire

By Jaya Narain
04th February 2009

A gang of children aged as young as 10 were caught trying to roast a pair puppies over a bonfire.

Passerby Melanie Johnson spotted them kicking the pups and holding them over the fire on a canal bank.

The youngsters fled, abandoning the dogs, when she challenged them.

Ms Johnson, 32, took the puppies home, then passed them on to an RSPCA centre where staff treated the dogs and are now looking to find them new homes.

She said: 'I just could not believe the cruelty being shown by these kids. If I hadn't turned up, I think they would have burned the dogs alive.

'I heard yelping and saw a group of children standing around a small bonfire. I ran over the bridge to them and saw one of the pups being kicked and the other being held over the fire.

'Most of the kids were aged 12, 13 or older. But some were as young at 10.'

RSPCA animal shelter manager Jean Spencer said: 'The puppies are only seven weeks old. The fur on one of them was singed and the other has a small hernia. 

'Fortunately, they are going to be fine.

'The lady who brought them in was in quite a state when she got here. She walked here with a puppy under each arm and was clearly very distressed.

'To think that children could be so cruel is really disgusting.' 

She added: 'The puppies are absolutely gorgeous. Everyone here has fallen in love with them.

'They will stay here with us for just a few days before going to our RSPCA centre in Halifax, where staff will get them re-homed.'

Greater Manchester Police have not made any arrests in connection with the incident and a source said it would be extremely difficult to identify the culprits.









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