Neglected dog found living under a bed for TWO YEARS finds new owner after ‘Cinderella’ makeover
A NEGLECTED dog forced to live under a bed for TWO YEARS has finally found a loving home after being given an amazing “Cinderella” makeover. The matted poodle-cross was handed into a shelter run by Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Richmond, Virginia, shocking workers. They soon learned the severely neglected pet […]
A NEGLECTED dog forced to live under a bed for TWO YEARS has finally found a loving home after being given an amazing “Cinderella” makeover.
The matted poodle-cross was handed into a shelter run by Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Richmond, Virginia, shocking workers.
They soon learned the severely neglected pet – which was covered in its own urine and faeces – had been living a life of total misery.
Those working at the shelter described Lionheart’s background as “one of the most shocking cases of neglect” they had ever encountered.
They revealed when he first arrived at the animal care centre he could not eat or drink properly and was hardly recognisable as a dog.
He was in such a mess the shelter realised there would be no chance of finding him a new home unless he was given a new lease of life.
“I saw him when he first arrived, and I could not tell which was the front end and which was the back end,” said Robin Starr, CEO of the Richmond SPCA.
“You couldn’t see anything. I am sure he was in great discomfort.”
Little Lionheart even had to be sedated to be shaved so that his care team could see just how badly he had been treated, reports Fox News.
“Normally, we do bloodwork and everything on them, but you couldn’t even get through the mats to find a vein,” revealed the organisation’s vet Dr Angela Ivey.
“He needed his teeth cleaned – they were horrible – and he needed to be neutered.”
Despite the many medical complications, after waking up from the anaesthesia the mutt was described as acting “like a different dog” full of happiness, energy and curiosity.
“It’s a miracle that he was trusting people to begin with,” the vet said.
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After three months of care and rehab at the shelter, the pup was recently adopted by a “compassionate and very loving” family, an SPCA blog post reports.
Renamed ‘Cody’ by his new owners, Mrs Starr said the poodle and his new family are living happily ever after.
“Cody goes everywhere with them, and they just adore him. It’s the ultimate Cinderella story,” she said
