Hundreds of dogs found crammed in living room 'doing really well', says RSPCA

Around 250 dogs rescued from an overcrowded property are "doing really well", the RSPCA told the BBC.

The animal welfare charity previously said the numbers and living conditions of the poodle crossbreeds - discovered in January at an undisclosed location in the UK - "had rapidly grown out of control amid extenuating family circumstances".

Lee Hopgood, the RSPCA's operational superintendent for the North of England, told BBC Breakfast in an update that "surprisingly... the dogs are fine and doing really, really well".

However, he added that many were found in a poor condition with "matted and crusted coats" that required treatment.

Of the animals rescued, 87 were taken in by the RSPCA, while the remainder were taken to Dogs Trust.

After being given care and behavioural support, "many of the dogs have now been successfully rehomed and are enjoying life in their forever homes," a spokesperson for Dogs Trust said.

A number of dogs still remain in the Dogs Trust care, "including those who have given birth while with us", they added.

One of the recently rescued poodle-cross dogs, Boone, was adopted by a former RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy and appeared on BBC Breakfast on Thursday morning.

The RSPCA said cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address could be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis, or breeders operating with poor practices.

In this instance, the charity said in a statement on Wednesday it would not pursue prosecution due to "extremely vulnerable nature" of the owners.

The RSPCA said a "shocking" image taken by a rescuer - showing dozens of the dogs crammed into a living room - was not generated by AI, in response to dozens of comments on social media suggesting it was fake.

The photo illustrates the "staggering reality" of the multi-animal incidents dealt with by the RSPCA, which have increased by 70% in England and Wales since 2021, the animal welfare charity said.

The dogs were all poodle-cross, also known as "doodles". These types of dogs have risen in popularity in recent years, making up the top three types of crossbreeds owned by dog owners, according to a 2025 survey by the Dogs Trust.

In November, the RSPCA reported rescuing 80 dogs, mostly chihuahuas, pomeranians and cross-breeds, from a house in Bedfordshire.