Welsh animal charity left to care for puppy after breeder could not ‘provide the support he needed’

Ella Groves

A Welsh animal charity has shared on their social media the story of a 9 week old puppy who came into their care after his breeder felt they could not give the support he needed.

Stuart Little, pictured above, is a 9 week old Chihuahua who is suffering from a condition called ‘Puppy Strangles.’

The condition causes swelling around the muzzle and uncomfortable skin lesions.

Fortunately, he had received initial treatment before coming into the care of Hope Rescue Wales where he can continue his recovery.

As ‘Puppy Strangles’ is not a contagious illness, Stuart has been able to be placed into one of the charities foster homes where he can rest and recover.

Hope Rescue Wales is the leading dog welfare charity in south Wales and works to give stray, abandoned, and unwanted dogs a second chance at safe and happy lives.

Since opening in 2005 they have helped thousands of dogs in need from their dedicated facilities in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

On their website, Hope Rescue Wales share that they “commit to take all the stray dogs from six Local Authorities in South Wales – Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend and the western half of the Vale of Glamorgan – irrespective of their age, breed, or medical condition.”

They also actively campaign for improvements to animal welfare legislation and provide support to the public on responsible dog ownership.

In their social media post sharing Stuart Little’s story, they noted how Stuart is just one example of the life-saving work they do.

They said: “No dog left behind, not even the little ones. If you would like to help us keep our doors open to dogs in need, please consider making a once-off or monthly donation.”

Hope Rescue emphasised that Stuart Little is “already feeling much brighter” and is a “star patient” for his ongoing treatment.

While grateful for the ongoing work of Hope Rescue, commenters on the social media post expressed their frustration about breeders continuing to produce more puppies while others wait in shelters adding to the ongoing abandonment crisis.

One commenter said: “Oh bless his little heart what an awful start to life he’s had, and from another GREEDER. Why do they continue to inflict this on these helpless babies, just stop the breeding. Hope this poor baby makes a full recovery. Thank you once again for rescuing him, and to his Fosters for taking such good care of him”

Another exhibited significant anger at the situation saying: “Hope the scumbag breeder gets a real job and stops exploiting innocent animals!!”

In November 2025 the RSPCA shared they had recorded a 12.5% rise in abandonment cases in the first ten months of the year with 1,396 incidents reported.

Charities such as Hope Rescue Wales are working to combat the abandonment crisis and help save dogs and puppies such as Stuart Little.

You can find out more about the work done by Hope Rescue Wales and the animals they care for on their website.

View some of the dogs in search of a forever home at Hope Rescue here.