A Border Collie found by the public in terrible condition, has been rescued by a charity who say they were shocked to discover he was an adult dog.
He was discovered by a member of the public who contacted Friends of Rescue in Co Derry, and said they made the grim discovery on a walk "in the middle of nowhere".
Despite dealing with unprecedented levels of demand, the charity swung into action and what they found was shocking.
The stray who weighed about as much as a four month old pup, was in fact an adult dog of about four years old.
He was infested with maggots, lice and fleas, he was bald in some places, and the hair he did have was so matted and soaked it was pulling on his skin, causing it to bruise and break.
A spokesperson for the charity said: "He was emaciated, filthy and just a sad, sorry looking sight. He was a lost soul looking for someone to help him.
"It’s not often our vets use the word ‘skeletal’ so that gives you some indication of just how thin and malnourished this poor boy is. What appeared to be a 4-5 month old pup is actually a two to four year old adult with a full set of well used adult teeth.
"He weighs the same as a pup of four to five months, his head and body have all fallen in because of lack of muscle mass due to his poor diet. His ears and face have next to no hair on them at all.
"He had maggots, lice and fleas all over his his wee body. So first things first was to get rid of that coat, he had to be sedated as the coat was so heavy. It had been dragging his skin and causing it to break and bruise.
"Once shaved, his poor wee body told the story of how he had been living and it's soul destroying. Such a sweet gentle boy and so trusting, it’s heartbreaking. He was just waiting for the right person and we are so glad someone cared enough to stop by him."
After being cared for by the team at Friends of Rescue, the vets named him Mango after the fragrance of shampoo they used to "wash that old life away."
The spokesperson for Friends of Rescue added: "So this is your brand new beginning Mango, you are so very welcome. This is where you can forget all the old bad stuff, forget it ever happened and it’s all up from here.
"We are just glad that we can help and we are so grateful to everyone who sent Mango positive wishes and to those who donated to help Mango and the rest of our motley crew."
Just before Christmas, Friends of Rescue said they had been left heartbroken after revealing their doors are now closed. The charity said it was caring for almost 50 animals, while its waiting list was full.
They added: "Leaving animals behind or telling people we can’t help is soul destroying. Neither one is any more important than the other. It keeps us awake at night. There are too many and we are drowning."
"Every rescue is full, most have already closed their doors and unfortunately we have to follow suit. We just can’t take in anymore.
"We have a huge medical bill with animals still receiving treatment so if you can help please do as that is another huge problem we face."
To help them continue to do their vital work, Friends of Rescue are asking for anyone who can spare some funds - even £1 - to donate to their vet costs to help animals like Mango.
Donations can be made by contacting their vets Vets4Pets Crescent Link in person or via phone on 02871314420, or through their PayPal link by clicking here.
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