Public funds €3k surgery for puppy burned and tortured

Animal-lovers in Limerick have raised more than €3,000 to fund life-saving surgery for a puppy subjected to ‘horrific’ torture by former owners.

The five-month-old terrier was rescued by Limerick Animal Welfare (LAW) after he was thrown over a wall into a garden in the Southill area earlier this month.

Now named George, the pup showed signs of being tortured – the tips of both his ears and his tail had all been cut off, he had an eye injury, a broken leg, two broken hips, a broken pelvis, scalds on his stomach, cigarette burns on his face and his whiskers had been singed off.

Marie Quirke, sanctuary manager of LAW, said they were alerted by the person whose garden George was thrown into.

“We sent him straight to the vet. His injuries were about 10 days old so he had been in a lot of pain for a long time. He wasn’t even able to walk when he was found, he wasn’t able to move,” she said. “It was deliberate what was done to him, he was tortured.”

George’s injuries required two operations – the procedures alone cost in the region of €1,400.

But since LAW policy is to never turn away or put down a dog in need, the sanctuary brought George to the Noah Clinic in Dublin and started a fundraiser.

He underwent his first successful surgery on Monday, followed by another yesterday. He is due back in Limerick tomorrow.

“As you can imagine, he wasn’t a very happy boy when we came to us. He was in a lot of pain. But he’s doing much better now and has learned not everyone is cruel,” said Ms Quirke.

“We see so many acts of needless cruelty from flea infestation to mange and untreated broken legs. The hardest part of our job is dealing with cruelty cases.”

While the pup will need extensive aftercare before being re-homed, the sanctuary already has a new owner lined up – a woman who has already taken three dogs from the shelter, including a blind dog.

In the meantime, George’s story has struck a chord with people on social media, with hundreds leaving messages expressing anger at the abuser and well wishes towards the pup.

The shelter has been keeping the public updated on their Facebook page, uploading photos and “messages” from George. “Hi everyone, I have just had my bath and I feel a lot better. My coat is clean and all the grease is now gone. That shampoo smells really nice,” said George in one post.

Thanks to the generosity of the public, George’s medical bills are paid for. Any excess money raised will go towards helping similar cases.

The shelter holds more than 200 animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, goats, horses and donkeys. They also provide emergency shelter for wildlife until they are ready to return to their natural habitats.

Currently, the shelter is also caring for a greyhound knocked down in the Kilmallock area of Limerick.

The dog has to have surgery on its broken leg, which will cost around €600.

To donate to the Limerick Animal Welfare, click here, or for further information, or to volunteer, send an email to [e-mail]