A dog discovered in Finglas had such shocking injuries that staff at a local shelter said "it was difficult to look at them."
A member of the public recently discovered an abandoned young lurcher near Dogs Trust rehoming centre in Finglas. The pup, known as Carmel, was extremely dehydrated and had sustained shocking injuries to her two back legs.
Dogs Trust Ireland are appealing for people not to buy pups as Christmas presents after caring for the traumatised dog at their centre. The animal charity has received a shocking 2,612 requests from the public to have their dogs surrendered, resulting in a sharp spike in dogs presenting at their shelters.
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Dogs Trust workers are now urging people to consider the full implications of dog ownership prior to introducing a pet into the home. Niamh Curran-Kelly, veterinary and welfare manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, said the state of Carmel had left her in total shock.
She said: “ Carmel’s condition was shocking; it’s so upsetting to think of what she went through and the pain she was in before she arrived into our care. Her injuries were so bad, it was difficult to look at them.”
The extent of the pup’s injuries meant she risked losing her leg, but vets were miraculously able to nurse her back to health. A number of Carmel’s toes were amputated off her right foot but she continues to walk on all fours.
While Carmel will eventually need a loving home, her continued recovery means she will remain within the Finglas facility for the next while. Staff members believe she had been straying for some time before she was eventually found by a kind member of the public.
Other animal welfare groups have also reiterated the importance of not bringing pets into the home during the festive season. The DSPCA is currently running its ‘Adopt don’t Shop’ campaign and is urging those who do buy a puppy to ensure they are fully vaccinated ahead of time.
Many pups purchased online are not fully vaccinated, meaning they risk deadly infections such as parvovirus. The demand for dogs has spiked since Covid-19, although the cost of dogs has reportedly fallen from high prices witnessed during the pandemic.
Research previously found that lurchers were the most abandoned and abused dog breed in Ireland. They typically make up a large percentage of dogs found in rescue shelters or pounds.
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