Dog with one eye saved after being severely mistreated by owner
A dog with one eye who was ‘terrified of people’ has finally ‘come to life’ after being rescued.
Maddie the French bulldog had completely ‘shut down’ following neglect at the hands of her previous owner.
She was underweight, had chronic eye conditions and a whole host of other medical issues.
Maddie had been removed from her previous owner as part of a prosecution case by the local council.
The dog was put into the care of Bristol Animal Rescue Centre (Bristol ARC) while she went through complex treatment for her painful eye conditions and rehabilitation.
Her carer, Rachel, said: ‘Maddie was very scared and confused when she first arrived here and it took a long time for her to be able to trust people.
‘Once she had received treatment for her medical issues and started to feel safe around us, she came out of her shell.
‘She didn’t cope very well in kennels, so she started spending quite a lot of time with our reception team in the office during the day, and that’s when we started seeing her quirky personality come to life. She is now very playful and can be quite the diva when she wants to be!
‘She particularly enjoys climbing in and out of recycling boxes and throwing things around, which the team find funny. She just loves being the centre of attention!’
Maddie is just one of many animals staff see who arrive at Bristol ARC with significant medical issues.
‘Many pets are going without urgent medical care, particularly during the cost of living crisis and unfortunately we are picking up the pieces,’ explained Jodie Hayward, animal home manager at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre.
‘More animals are coming into our care with complex needs, and fewer people want to adopt them. We need support to give more of them a second chance at a happy life.’
The charity exists to make sure that no animal gets left behind, but they’re up against a challenge. Nationally, animal intake is up 8.4% as pet owners struggle to afford their pets’ care during the cost of living crisis.
Staff and volunteers are seeing an increase in pets arriving with untreated medical conditions, which means they’re staying longer too – the average stay for a dog is up from 85 days to 93 days.
Not only that, but there are fewer people willing to adopt, particularly dogs like Maddie with complex needs.
You can donate to Bristol ARC’s Spring Appeal, to help more vulnerable animals like Maddie, by clicking here.
A home for Maddie
As well as seeking donations to our Spring Appeal, Bristol ARC will also soon be looking for a new home for Maddie.
She would like a home with a loving, patient owner who has a lot of time to spend with her – ideally someone who has a predictable routine.
Preferably she needs to live with someone who has no intention of moving, so Maddie can get to know her surroundings and get used to the home she will live in for the rest of her life.
Once she’s settled in, she will eventually need her other eye removed, but our behaviourists and vets have agreed that this shouldn’t impact her quality of life too much, provided she is settled in a routine and knows her new house well by then. Enquiries can be made via the charity’s website.
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