Two five-week-old terrier brothers were brought into a London rescue centre after they were cruelly dumped in a box and left for dead in Gladstone Park in North London.
The little puppies, now named Rascal and Toby, were discovered abandoned and freezing by a member of the public who called The Mayhew Animal Home. An officer from the rescue went straight to the park to find them and rushed them to the rescue’s veterinary team to receive urgent care.
The puppies fought for their lives and the rescue’s head vet, Dr. Ursula Goetz says, “It was clear that Rascal and Toby were very sick and they had to be kept in isolation and away from other dogs. They were both suffering from mange, a parasite living inside a dog’s skin, which usually affects dogs with a weakened immune system.
“We also suspected that they could have Parvovirus, a highly contagious viral disease that often affects unvaccinated dogs and can be deadly, which is why it is always highly recommended to keep your dog’s vaccination up to date. Thankfully, in this case, Parvo was not confirmed.”
Despite best efforts, Toby sadly didn’t survive the night but his brother, Rascal did.
Dr. Goetz continued: “Young animals are like babies and need warmth, care and regular food otherwise they will deteriorate quickly and in Toby’s case, unfortunately all help came too late. Because they had been taken from their mum at such an early age, they didn’t have the chance to thrive and grow healthily. That is why it is so important to seek veterinary care straight away, especially with young animals.”
Thankfully, after receiving further treatment and plenty more TLC, Rascal (pictured now below, right) started showing signs of improvement and after ten days of intensive care he was able to leave the isolation unit. Soon the little puppy was living up to his name and started showing off his personality. He has also now found a home.
The rescue centre say, “It is most likely that Rascal and Toby were bred in order to sell, but when they showed signs of ill health were callously dumped in the park to fend for themselves. The Mayhew is a member of The Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG), which raises public awareness of the responsibilities to be taken into consideration when purchasing pets online or via advertising, and encourages thorough research before taking on a pet.”
As well as promoting preventative veterinary care and the Animal Welfare Act’s Five Welfare Needs, The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers discourage the selling of animals in pet shops, and educate pet shop owners on the issues that animal welfare organisations like ours see on a daily basis.
If you would like to find out more about Rascal or the rescue’s campaign to fundraise for his care, visit www.themayhew.org
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