LOCHIE THE DOG GETS A MUCH NEEDED MAKE-OVER

RSPCA ACT saves his life


Article heading image for LOCHIE THE DOG GETS A MUCH NEEDED MAKE-OVER

By Renee Bogatko

If you’re an animal lover, this story about Lochie the dog will make your heart ache and sing at the same time.

RSPCA inspectors found the little trooper in an unkempt and overgrown yard in Canberra’s north in January. Lochie was badly matted.

“Lochie was essentially discarded – an apparent inconvenience and an embarrassment for his owner,” RSPCA vet, Sarah Pilbeam, said.

Before staff saw Lochie, they could smell him.

“His giant mop of dirty hair oozed a strong repugnant smell. He was a small defensive ball – frightened and hiding from the world,” Sarah said.

“He hung his head and looked at his small paws. He looked exactly how you would expect. Like the weight of his sadness was so heavy he could barely move.”

Lochie’s matted fur was some of the worst Sarah had seen. So severe, the fur around his eyes caused him severe pain and to lose vision in his left eye, which had to be removed.

It took staff nearly an hour to untangle and shave Lochie from the build-up of years of dirt, grass seeds and faeces embedded in his coat.

And the eye removal surgery took about an hour and a half.

Eventually, after a massive make-over and some much needed love and care, Lochie started to look and feel like a dog again!

“During his recovery I could instantly tell he was slowly becoming the dog he was always meant to be,” Sarah said.

“Without the pain of his eye and the weight of his fur, this once cowering dog was coming out of his shell. His exuberance and smile was utterly infectious.”

Lochie’s condition would have deteriorated and he would’ve died if the RSPCA hadn’t stepped in.

You can help the RSPCA continue to treat severely neglected animals in the ACT like Lochie, by making a donation. Every dollar counts. Check out their website for more information.

A loving family welcomed Lochie into their home earlier this month.

Images – rspca-act.org.au

22 February 2017




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