THE dedication and life-saving work of a Wirral-based RSPCA Inspector is to be highlighted once again on national television.

Anthony Joynes, who works across Merseyside to crackdown on animal cruelty, will star in the new series of The Dog Rescuers.

The Channel 5 programme followed 350 inspectors for four months in a country-wide crusade to stop cruelty and neglect to man’s best friend.

With heart-wrenching rescues, heart-warming re-homings and amazing tales of dogs overcoming adversity, the 12 part series is sure to have you reaching for the tissue box.

The show – hosted by Alan Davies – has followed Anthony’s pursuits in the past, this time documenting his rescue of a Rottweiler and member of the public that had become trapped on a mud flat in Heswall last year.

The dog had only been in the country for two days, having been brought over from Romania after being rescued from a dog killing camp.

The third series of the Dog Rescuers starts on Tuesday, May 19.

Anthony said: “I can promise that the series will be well worth the watch. There will be tears – both happy and sad – and catch ups with some of the dogs from last series and how they’re getting on.

“It’s not just cruelty investigations, people will be surprised that we even have a swift rescue team highly trained to assist in the rescue of animals and people when required.”

Wirral Globe:
RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes helps to rescue the dog and woman from the mud flat. Pic courtesy of The Dog Rescuers with Alan Davies/Channel 5.

Anthony, who won a top award in 2013 for his tenacity and dedication to investigating animal cruelty, will also feature in a number of other episodes, which feature cases well documented in the Globe.

One is that of Birkenhead man Sean Cottrell, who was jailed for 14 months last August for beating his four-month-old puppy ‘Dexter’ so badly that it had to be put to sleep.

Cottrell hit the headlines again in January when he was jailed for a further 11 years after he was convicted of causing a catalogue of injuries to his six-week-old son.

With more 1.3 million reports of cruelty and mistreatment of animals made to the RSPCA every year, the charity is under increasing pressure to safeguard our nation’s pets from the constant threat of abusive owners and unscrupulous breeders.

Anthony said: “One thing which is clear is that these animals could never be rescued or their abusers brought to justice without the general public who will not stand for animal cruelty and report it to us.

“Last year, 78 people were jailed for animal cruelty nationally, with 10 of those people being cases I dealt with on Merseyside.

“This is an opportunity for those people to not only see what we do, but also see what happens to people who are cruel to animals and also see some of the fantastic happy endings where animals rescued have recovered and been re-homed which is of course the ultimate aim in any situation.”

Another story due to be featured on The Dog Rescuers is that of three-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier and lurcher cross ‘Sam’ who chewed through a brick wall and door in search of freedom after being left to starve in squalid conditions for “at least four days”.

His owner, Woodchurch man Sean Lawton, was given a 12 week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months, and banned from owning or keeping animals for 10 years.

Anthony, who has been an RSPCA Inspector for seven years, added: “For me and the other officers, not only involved in the series but just out there rescuing animals and investigating cruelty day in and day out, we feel it is important for people to realise just what we have to deal with on a daily basis.

“Many situations I can hand on heart tell you haunt us for years to come. It’s not a 9 to 5 job, it’s a way of life.

“But there is no feeling for me that will rival breaking into a house to rescue a neglected animal, bringing the person responsible to court and then seeing that animal happy, fully recovered and enjoying its second chance in its new home.”