How we saved a traumatised dog
CONGRATULATIONS to Jane Harper for her swift action and compassion in saving Bella the Belgian shepherd, who had been tied to a rock and thrown in the River Trent (Mail). This story broke my heart. Thank you for highlighting the plight of what happened to a dog that was microchipped and had once been loved her owners. If ever a case showed the need for far stiffer sentencing for animal cruelty, this is it. We must all press our MPs to get a change of law on the statute books. I am committed to this cause because of what happened to my beloved Newfoundland, Bonnie, a breeding bitch rescued from an abandoned puppy farm. After I lost my male Newfoundland, Leo, I was bereft, but I knew my other dog, 11-year-old Lollie, needed a companion. I heard about a large number of dogs, four of which were Newfoundlands, that had been abandoned near a village in Norfolk and outside Grantham, Lincolnshire. The RSPCA took in all these dogs and the Newfoundlands were rehomed through a rescue charity. When I collected Bonnie, she was underweight, shaved, traumatised and had sore feet because she had been living on urine-soaked flooring. She lay on her bed in a corner of the hall for weeks. She was not housetrained and was terrified of doors and men. Fortunately, she would eat, but the only way I could get her to drink was to cup water in my hands or use a syringe. Lollie and our four cats were kind and gentle with her, which seemed to help. The vet’s advice was to just give her time. We gradually managed to coax her into the garden with treats and a lot of patience. Her fur began to grow back, but she still had a dreadful look of sadness and fear in her eyes. I would sit beside her, talk to her and brush her gently. After three months, she started howling at night, having never made a sound before. I ended up sleeping on a sofa where she could see me, which seemed to settle her. After months of care and reassurance, Bonnie now goes on two walks a day. When we took her to the dog groomer, she came out looking like the beauty I knew she would become. She finally looks and behaves like a ‘Newfie’. It has been a labour of love, but worth every moment. Bonnie is the dearest of dogs, incredibly gentle despite her fear. We love her to bits and despite her terror of men when she arrived, she now loves my husband Roger and our son Tom. Thankfully, there will be a happy future for her.
LADY (SUZY) GALE, Canterbury, Kent.