- Eight-week-old mongrel Ronnie was bought online by his owner’s former partner
- But Ronnie has now been left at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in south London
- Pup becomes the first unwanted pet at the south London rescue so far this year
- Do you know Ronnie’s former owner? Email to alex.robertson@mailonline.co.uk
An adorable pup has become the first Christmas dog to be dumped after its owner bought him online and then became homeless.
Eight-week-old mongrel Ronnie was left at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in south London on January 2 after he was given as a Christmas present.
The poor pup became the first unwanted pet to be dropped off at the rescue so far this year, after his owner lost their home and was unable to look after him.
Home intake manager Steven Craddock said: ‘It doesn’t shock any of us that the first dog through our doors in 2018 was bought online.
Ronnie was left at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in south London on January 2 after his owner became homeless
The adorable pup has now become the first unwanted pet at the south London rescue so far this year
‘Ronnie is just one of many thousands of dogs who will be bought off an unregulated website in the coming months and end up in a home where the owner is unprepared and unable to take proper care of them.
‘His new owner did the right thing by bringing him into us where we can look after him and find him a loving new home, which we doubt will take long as he’s such a lovely boy.
‘However, this doesn’t change the fact that he never should have been sold online in the first place.
‘We believe he may have been taken from his mother far too young and likely sold by a breeder with absolutely no regard for his welfare.
‘It’s so easy to sell a dog online and this is one of the biggest challenges that Battersea faces today.’
It comes as Battersea launched their In From The Cold fundraising campaign in order to help stray pets this winter.
Over 20,000 pets in the UK will be abandoned over the course of this winter, with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home looking after 550 dogs at any given time.
Mr Craddock added: ‘I’d encourage anyone thinking of welcoming a new pet into their lives to consider rescue over shopping online.’
Ronnie is now undergoing assessment at Battersea and will be vaccinated and microchipped before he is ready to go to a loving new home.
Ronnie is now undergoing assessment at Battersea and will be vaccinated and microchipped before he is ready to go to a loving new home