Police and the RSPCA rescued neglected animals in Halesowen after finding them living in extreme conditions on 4 September. Dogs, cats, waterfowl and birds of prey were taken into the RSPCA's care.
Ben Dolan, a sergeant on West Midlands Police's wildlife, rural and heritage crime team, said the animals were alive, safe, and in the RSPCA's care. He described the incident as distressing and complex, and thanked the officers and the RSPCA who stepped in to protect the public and the wildlife.
Halesowen rescue operation
Officers from across Dudley supported the specialist team during the large-scale operation on land in Halesowen in the West Midlands. A member of the public made the initial report, which led police and the RSPCA to the site.
The rescue covered puppies, kittens, ducks, geese and barn and snowy owls. That mix of animals shows the scale of the response: this was not a single-animal case, but a search that had to move several groups of animals out of one site and into care at once.
West Midlands Police search
West Midlands Police also seized nine non-viable firearms and a ninja throwing star weapon during the search. The seizure sat alongside the animal rescue, making the operation both a welfare response and a policing search at the same location.
Police said an investigation has now begun. The immediate change for anyone connected to the site is that the animals have been removed and are now in care, while the police inquiry continues around what was found on the land.
Ben Dolan statement
Dolan said, "This was a distressing and complex incident." He also said, "I want to thank all the officers and the RSPCA who stepped in to protect the public and the wildlife and move these animals so they could receive proper care and attention,"
What caused the neglect at the Halesowen sanctuary is still the question that matters most. The animals have already been moved, the weapons have already been taken, and the investigation now carries the weight of explaining how the site reached that state.
