A charity that devotes itself solely to the care of dogs says more legislative action is needed on behalf of the animals as it cited the island’s animal welfare laws as being “behind the times”.

Forget Me Not Canine Centre also called for more awareness in the rearing of dogs, as it sees a “lack of education” as playing a major role in the persistence of animals suffering from neglect.

It came as the charity announced it had rescued 20 dogs over the past 18 months — two as recent as a month ago.

Many of the rescued dogs originated from “unethical and illegal litters”, Kelly Glazebrook, a cofounder of the charity, said.

She said: “Many arrived with serious behavioural and health challenges.

“A large portion of these issues stem from inadequate maternal care; the mothers are often unvaccinated, undernourished and not dewormed.

“As a result, their puppies are born with heavy parasite burdens and weakened immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to illness and developmental problems from the very start.”

Ms Glazebrook and Esther Douglas launched the charity last December in response to calls for support amid growing dog issues.

Recounting the charity’s experiences in the rescue last month, it said it was contacted by the Government’s animal wardens after two newborn puppies were discovered in a trash bin.

The pups, which were estimated to be less than two days old, still had their umbilical cords attached and required immediate, around-the-clock care.

The charity said: “We named them Reef and Surf.

“Both were weak and struggling to survive, but our team stepped in without hesitation and began bottle feeding every two to three hours in hopes of saving their lives.”

It suspected that when Surf, the male pup, was dumped in the trash, he injured his leg on something sharp, leaving him with a deep laceration on one of his back paws.

“The wound was already infected, so he was immediately treated with thorough wound cleaning and started on antibiotics,” the charity said.

For several days, the pup showed signs of improvement. However, the infection worsened and required more intensive treatment.

Despite his care, the infection spread and reached the pup’s lungs and his condition declined rapidly as breathing became very difficult, until he had to be put down.

Reef, the female pup, continues to fight, the charity said, and at four weeks old is doing well — feeding several times a day and weaning onto more solid food.

“She’s strong, curious and a beautiful reminder of why FMNCC exists,” the charity said.

Ms Glazebrook said Reef, most likely a pitbull, was battling pyoderma, a bacterial skin infection.

While the ailment is not life-threatening and fully treatable, it likely developed due to her “weakened immune system and rough start in life”.

She added: “All things considered, Reef is thriving.

“Her house training has begun and she’s doing remarkably well so far.”

She said poor breeding practices and unsuitable care had led to long-term complications such as early-onset joint disease, chronic allergies and behavioural difficulties that can persist throughout many dogs’ lives.

“Many of the inbred or poorly bred puppies suffer from atopy or allergic dermatitis — heritable conditions that cause persistent itching, discomfort and skin infections,” she added.

If one or both parents have skin issues, their puppies are likely to inherit the same problems, perpetuating a cycle of preventable disease, she noted.

Ms Glazebrook added: “The hard truth is that Reef and Surf’s story is not rare.

“It’s the result of over-breeding, a lack of legal homes and a deep absence of education around animal welfare.

“Too many people take in dogs without understanding what that truly means. Responsible ownership is not just about providing food and a place to sleep — it’s about creating a life worth living.”

She said locking a dog in a kennel for 23 of 24 hours might be convenient for the owner, but the practice denied the animal its basic needs — social interaction, exercise, stimulation and freedom from distress.

She added: “We need change on two fronts: education and legislation.

“Education must reach every age and demographic, helping people understand what humane care truly looks like and why prevention is always kinder than rescue.

“And at the same time, our laws must evolve to reflect the values of a compassionate, modern society — one that recognises dogs as sentient beings deserving of dignity and protection.

“Until both advance together, we will continue to see suffering that could have been prevented.”