Seventeen canaries have been found in a sealed cardboard box and left to ‘die a horrible slow death’ by a Nottinghamshire road.
A passerby chanced upon the birds huddled up together in a sodden cardboard box on the side of Blidworth Waye in Papplewick on March 1.
The birds had been left on one of the coldest nights of the year with no air-holes, food or water and were fast deteriorating.
Karen Brannan, RSPCA animal welfare officer, said: “We don’t know for sure how long they were there for, but they were in a bad way as they had been left with no food, water or perch. The box had been sealed shut and there were no air-holes to give the birds oxygen.
“They were very cold and were all huddled up together, standing in their own faeces. It was so sad to see and I am so glad that they were found when they were.
“There is a good chance that whoever abandoned them did so with the thought that they would not be found, as they were in a rural area which does not attract a lot of people. Additionally, no food, water or air-holes could have left them to die a horrible slow death.”
She added that if the passer-by had not found them when they did all the birds would have died.
The birds have been taken to South Yorkshire to be cared for in an RSPCA branch with specialist facilities.
The organisation is appealing for anyone with any information to contact them on 0300 123 8018.
