A woman who has been rescuing animals for 15 years is asking for her dogs back after they were seized by the RSPCA while she was in hospital.

Cambs Times: Tara's Refuge, Manea. Picture: Steve Williams.Tara's Refuge, Manea. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

Kay Mitchell, 82, of Tara’s Refuge in Manea, said she came out of Addenbrooke’s to find the dogs gone, her cats pen left open for them to roam and two days after returning home a pony was taken.

“I had five or six dogs. One has been put to sleep by them,” she said.

“While I was in hospital I got Rob Phipps of the Pet Shop in March to feed the animals and let them out.

“My neighbour called police because she hadn’t seen me for a few days and the police came who then called the RSPCA.

“The RSPCA have been heavy handed. I want the animals back.”

An emaciated spaniel that somebody had thrown over her gate a month before has been put down, she said.

“I was feeding it up,” she said.

“Cats are all running loose.

There was no note. No warning.”

Ms Mitchell said she began rescuing after caring for a sick friend.

“My friend, who I cared for for 32 years, was paralysed, deaf and partially sighted.

“She wanted something to cuddle as she was in bed most of the time.

“I heard about a dachshund and when I went to get it there was another yelping in the shed that the people wanted to dump so I took them both on.

“The dogs used to hop in her bed for a cuddle. It’s how the rescuing started.”

A spokesman for the RSPCA said: “We can confirm that the RSPCA, police officers and vets visited an address in Manea after receiving calls of concern about animals being kept there.

“Some animals kept there were taken by police and placed into RSPCA care. As this is an ongoing investigation we cannot go into details at this stage.”