Sunday People

A change of Hobbit

- By Karen Rockett

A TERRIFIED dog who was so matted and filthy she had to be sedated and completely shaved is now a prize-winner.

Hobbit and 21 other eurasiers were f ound cowering in s t i nking overcrowde­d pens following a raid on a house of horrors last year.

RSPCA inspector Miranda Albison said: “The dogs were living in makeshift kennels and runs in the garden and inside the house.

“There were lots of dogs crammed into rooms and pens. They were all filthy with matted coats.

“The conditions were absolutely hellish. I can’t begin to describe how awful the smell was.”

Traumatise­d two-year-old Hobbit was taken from her living hell to an RSPCA shelter in Bath.

Rachel Jones, head of fundraisin­g, said: “When she arrived she was matted and covered in faeces.

“We tried to brush and clip her coat but on our first attempt she got so stressed that we had to stop.

“We eventually had to sedate her and shave a lot of her coat as it was in such a terrible state.”

Staff had to shave off so much fur it filled a bin bag. They then spent three months teaching her to trust people.

One person was given a caution over her conditions at the grimy house on the Hampshire-wiltshire border.

Champ

Hobbit is putting her horror start behind her, settling into a loving home with Anna Abram, 55, and husband Mark, 51, in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

And her beautiful new coat saw her crowned champ at the Great British Food Festival dog show.

Anna said: “Hobbit is so adorable and loving – she’s learned so much in the few months we’ve had her. She loves the beach and paddling.

“She has lots of doggy and human friends now. Everywhere we go, people want pictures and ask about her.”

OUR vet Brian I THINK Faulkner, from Petplan, my gerbil has 22 years of experience may have and is a freelancer working all caught my cold over the country. Send your because he has questions to Brian at: Petplan, started sniffling. Great West House, Great Am I right? West Road, Brentford, Could it be Middlesex, TW8 9DX

serious and or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ what should I be

Petplanuk. doing for him?

If you have a story about wildlife email us at pets@people.co.uk

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A NEW BALL GAME: Happy Hobbit playing LIVING HELL: Stinking pen
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