An animal rescue has highlighted the dangers and ‘suffering’ of backyard breeding after a deformed puppy was found alone.

The New York City Animal Care Centers (NYCACC) has issued a plea and warning after a small puppy was found abandoned on the street “alone and unable to walk.”

The cub, which they named Eeyore, was found in the middle of New York City and turned over to the NYCACC, which shared a video on Oct. 22 to Instagram page @nycacc.

Eeyore is only eight weeks old, but as a product of backyard breeding, he “already faces several health challenges,” they wrote in the video.

“It’s not just the puppies that suffer, the females are over-sanitized and often dumped after they can no longer have children,” said rescuer Katy Hansen. Newsweek. “Growing in the yard it creates a cycle of suffering – more animals, less care and no accountability”.

The video, which has almost 3,000 likes, shows Eeyore lying on a warm blanket and looking up at his rescuers before trying to walk and falling several times.

“His front legs are bowed, leaving him unable to walk properly,” NYCACC wrote. Eeyore also suffers from a non-contagious form of scabies, “which gives his skin a raw appearance”.

They added: ‘He is underweight but has a disproportionately large pot belly from an intestinal parasite infestation. All signs of irresponsible growthprobably by a backyard breeder.”

A backyard breeder is the term for someone who raises animals irresponsibly, often without the knowledge or experience of how to breed safely, such as failing to spot genetic problems, according to Paws.org.

Chickens from a backyard breeder may appear healthy at first, but later develop birth defects. And the mother dog can be continuously bred for years to produce puppies for profit, endangering the health of that animal.

“There are obvious signs of irresponsible ‘breeding’ including inadequate nutrition, infectious diseases (eg kennel cough, parvovirus), parasite infestations (eg fleas and worms), behavioral problems, health problems and genetic abnormalities” , Hansen said. Newsweek.

Eeyore is now in NYCACC’s care, receiving medical treatment for his multiple health issues, and a surgeon will decide “the best course of action for the leg deformities.”

“Unfortunately, Eeyore’s case is just one of many we are seeing due to backyard breeders,” NYCACC wrote on Instagram.

They then shared the story of another dog in their care, Pun, who has similar issues, as well as airway deformities and a bite, and said both dogs’ stories “highlight lasting pain and suffering“from irresponsible growth.

In more welcome news, Eeyore has a potential adopter lined up, but his road to recovery will be long and challenging.

The number of puppies entering NYCACC “has doubled in the last four years,” Hansen said. “In 2024 we expect to take in 250 puppies, the highest number in ten years.”

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