A LURCHER cruelly tied to a tree and left to die in a St Helens park has made an incredible recovery and found a loving forever home, thanks to the compassion and dedication of a veterinary team.
The black and white dog was discovered close to death by a member of the public, who rushed him to Rutland House Vets in St Helens.
On arrival, he was severely emaciated, dangerously weak and in urgent need of life-saving treatment. His condition was so critical that there were fears he would not survive the night.
The shocking state of the dog, pictured left on arrival, left even the most experienced vets and veterinary nurses deeply distressed. Members of the team were moved to tears by his condition, describing him as one of the worst cases of neglect they had ever seen.
Despite the odds, the team worked tirelessly to stabilise him, providing round-the-clock care, with fluids, pain relief and antibiotics. He had an open wound on his tail where the bone was protruding, and parts of his ear were missing.
Slowly but surely, the lurcher began to regain strength, showing remarkable resilience and a gentle nature that won over everyone involved in his care – and his story has now taken a heartwarming turn.
Now called Paddy, he has been adopted into a loving forever home by Janie Clare, Clinical Director and Practice Manager at Rutland House Vets, where he is thriving and enjoying the life he was so nearly denied.
Praise for veterinary team
Janie praised her colleagues at Rutland House Vets, which is part of VetPartners, a large group of veterinary practices and animal healthcare businesses across the UK and Europe.
Janie said: “As soon as I saw him, I immediately fell in love with him, and I think everyone knew I would adopt him if he pulled through because I adopted another dog found in similar circumstances.
“He was so weak and emaciated that he broke everyone’s hearts. He weighed only 12 kilos which is the same weight as a Jack Russell dog. He looked like he has been left to die, and we don’t know if he had been abused.
“It’s just awful that someone would leave him in that state. The whole practice team has been amazing as they have given him so much love and care.”
Paddy has made a remarkable recovery, has put on weight and loves people and Janie’s other rescue dog Hank.
Once he has put on more weight and is strong enough, he will return to St Helens Vets for further care as he needs an operation to remove part of his tail and to have a lump on his foreleg removed.
Janie said: “He loves a cuddle and is so gorgeous and gentle even with children. While he can get exhausted by strenuous activity, he loves playing with my Hank. He has started to answer to his name and has really settled into the family.
“He has put on weight and is now 21 kilos. It’s early days, but he doesn’t seem to have any mental scars from his ordeal, although he will need time to recover from physical injuries.”
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