A neglected Jack Russell Terrier suffering from severe fur loss has made a heartwarming recovery in the care of the RSPCA in Warrington and now has a new home.
Eight-year-old Rosy was in a sorry state when she arrived at the charity’s Warrington, Halton & St Helens rehoming centre in March after she was discovered at a house in Middlesbrough and removed by police.
The little dog had overgrown nails and was suffering from advanced skin disease that had left her with notable fur loss and sore patches which were red and inflamed.
The vet who examined Rosy after she was taken for treatment by the RSPCA said she had suffered unnecessarily for at least six weeks because her former owners had failed to treat her skin condition.
The vet said: “The most likely initiating cause of the skin problem was flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) which is one of the commonest skin diseases in dogs and fleas are one of the most common parasites.
“Flea bites initially cause minor irritation. However, with exposure over time, many animals become allergic to the bites and even one or two bites can cause major histamine release leading to severe itching.
“Left untreated the skin becomes disrupted, the hair falls out, the skin becomes thickened and infected. This leads to further distress for the dog.”
After receiving initial veterinary treatment Rosy was transferred to the Warrington branch’s rehoming centre in Sluthers Lane to continue her recovery.
The team there specialise in caring for animals who have been subjected to some of the worst cases of cruelty and neglect.
Animal Care Manager, Katie Buckley, said Rosy needed daily medicated baths and it took them six weeks to fully get her skin condition under control.
Katie said: “She’d suffered weeks of neglect because she hadn’t been provided with the most basic of care. Providing flea treatment is part and parcel of being a responsible owner and treating pets regularly stops infestations before they harm the animal or spread in the home.
“The before and after images of Rosy are striking and they demonstrate how important it is to seek timely veterinary intervention to stop entirely preventable conditions from getting out of control.
“We were over the moon when Rosy’s fosterer decided to adopt her permanently. We still see her regularly and it’s lovely to hear about how she’s getting on and enjoying her new life.”
A woman, her partner and her son, all from Middlesbrough, were given suspended prison sentences and animal bans of between ten and 15 years for their neglect of Rosy, and two other Jack Russell Terriers, at a hearing at Teesside Magistrates Court on 3 September following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.
The RSPCA’s Warrington Branch is a separate, self-funding charity which specialises in looking after cruelly- treated and neglected cats and dogs which have been rescued by the charity’s inspectors. It costs around £30,000 a month to run the rehoming centre, which provides a safe and loving environment for hundreds of animals every year.
Details of all the animals currently waiting to be adopted are on the centre’s website.
