PREVIEW

WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain

A disturbing discovery was made in a Salford flat where four tarantulas were found clinging to life after being heartlessly abandoned by a former tenant.

The RSPCA swooped in on the grim scene at Bramall Court, Cannon Street, after a tip-off from a concerned individual who had access to the flat. Inside, they were met with chaos - overturned plastic tubs and vivariums scattered across the floor, many without lids, and several containing the lifeless remains of other exotic spiders.

Animal Rescue Officer David Cottingham, who led the rescue mission, described the conditions as "very upsetting", saying: "These exotic animals had clearly been left behind without proper care or concern. Tarantulas require specific housing, temperature, and humidity levels to survive – conditions that had clearly not been met. It’s lucky we were able to save the four that we did."

The tenant, who has since been placed in emergency accommodation, confessed during a phone call that she had indeed left the spiders behind. She couldn’t even confirm how many she’d owned - hazarding a guess at around 22. She later signed over ownership of the surviving tarantulas via a third party.

The four surviving spiders are now safe in the care of a reptile specialist.

David, who carried out the rescue on June 23, added: "This case highlights why exotic pets, including invertebrates like tarantulas, should only ever be kept by individuals who fully understand and are prepared for the commitment and responsibility involved. These spiders suffered needlessly due to abandonment and neglect, and it could have been much worse if they had gone unnoticed."