A terrified terrier puppy found abandoned in a park has been re-homed by the Riverside Animal Centre.

The six-week old Jack Russell puppy was found shivering and starving earlier this week in Carshalton Park by an early morning dog walker.

Despite its ordeal the youngster was soon back to full fitness thanks to staff at the Riverside Animal Centre’s hospital and rescue centre in Beddington Park, who named the plucky pup Treacle.

“She was very lucky that somebody came along when they did,” explained Riverside’s Jackie Beer. “It goes without saying that dumping a puppy is incredibly cruel and unnecessary. Unfortunately we are seeing more and more family pets literally being abandoned by the roadside as families struggle to cope with the cost of looking after them.”

Riverside Animal Centre – part of the London Wildcare Trust – currently treats up to 4,000 sick, injured and orphaned wild animals and birds every year. It also recently opened a separate ward for cats and small pets and a small number of short stay dog kennels.

“We are using the experience we’ve gained over more than 10-years of providing 24-hour rescue assistance to wildlife in need to offer a specific range of services for pet animals,” explained the charity’s founder Ted Burden.

Working closely with the emergency services, local authorities and vets, the charity’s rescue team now attends urgent situations involving abandoned animals or those in life-threatening and dangerous situations, responds to incidents involving injured animals where the owner is not present and assists the emergency services in the event of a major incident or disaster.

If you would like to find out more or make a donation go to www.riversideanimalcentre.org or call in to the Riverside Animal Centre, Beddington Park.