A dog mutilated with a serrated knife, shot and left for dead, is making a steady recovery thanks to four Northern Ireland pet charities and volunteers.
A medical examination found the hound, now called Hou - for Houdini - also had his microchip hacked out of his flesh before he was dumped.
Now the young dog learning to trust the humans caring for him despite his suffering which included and is being lavished with TLC by vets and carers.
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It is hoped in time he will be settled enough to be fostered and later adopted but for now, his team are taking his recovery one day at a time.
Initial medical treatment gave him life preserving antibiotics to tackle the festering wound on the back of his neck, but it soon became clear he would need multiple surgeries to ensure he could make a full physical recovery.
After being looked after by the team at Next Steps Dog Rehoming Inc. Rottweiler Rescue - IRL, Hou was transported to the Ards Peninsula where a safe and comfortable rehab space had been secured.
A spokesperson for NSDRI-RRI said: “We were made aware of this lovely lad roaming the local area by Pets Reunited Newry and Mourne. He had been sighted only at night but one night we were told by locals he had appeared and we managed to catch him. He was taken to the safety of our kennels and we were given great backup by two registered charities, Lost Paws NI, and The Barn, who secured a specialist rehab space for him.
“Until this space was available we were caring for him. This poor boy had an awful open wound on his neck which was no accident. We believe he was attacked, most likely by humans and possibly had his chip cut out. Our local vet examined the wound and prescribed antibiotics and cleansing for a number of days and before further assessment.
“After a couple of days Hou started to settle and the antibiotics started to work, partially helping heal his open wound.”
Despite his pain and distress, he showed he was starting to trust his carers at NSDRI-RRI, coming out of his kennel to quietly greet them when he heard them approach.
A spokesperson for the group said: “If only we knew what happened to him - and if only we could tell him it will never happen again. His rehab space at The Barn became available and they will be fully supported by us at next steps. We are so grateful that Hou has had the chance here and has responded well.”
After being transferred to The Barn and having had a night’s sleep, the dog was taken to Stormont Veterinary Clinic in Belfast to have his wound examined, cleaned and stitched and he underwent a general health check which showed he was underweight.
But what vets found during their assessment was even more shocking than the obvious wounds. Hou’s microchip had been cut out, and he had several gunshot injuries and needed to have several pellets removed from his flesh.
Glenn Ford from the Barn, said: “No one was expecting the news we received. It has turned out not only had Houdini had his microchip cut out but he had been shot too.
“The vets extracted multiple pellets from this poor boy’s wound and then stitched him up. He is now back at The Barn Animal Rescue to recover and receive some much needed TLC. “Our hearts are broken hearing how cruel people can be.”
A spokesperson for Lost Paws NI said: “Houdini has been doing relatively well given his background and he has been receiving regular veterinary care for his wound which was huge and riddled with infection. He has had to go back in recently for his second surgery to have his wound restitched in order to continue healing.
“His bill is now up to £1,100 and The Barn Animal Rescue Newtownards could do with some much needed support. If you’d like to donate directly to Hou’s care, you can do so by clicking The Barn’s link directly below with the reference ‘Hou’s Care’
He is a wee fighter and has been hanging in there, we can’t wait until he finds his forever home. Houdini’s story is a horrific one. Houdini had been savaged with a suspected bread knife and had the microchip hacked out of him, but that was not his only wound and he was left for dead.
"We will be assisting financially as much as we can with this boy, but this is not the first time that The Barn has helped us with a dog in need. They are likely going to need additional support for his ongoing care and treatment."
If you would like to support the groups who have helped Hou you can follow any of the links below.
- Pets Reunited Newry & Mourne: Click here to contact the team
- Next Steps Dog Rehoming Inc. Rottweiler Rescue - IRL - Click here to donate via paypal
- Lost Paws NI - Donate via Paypal using admin@lostpawsni.com
- The Barn Animal Rescue Newtownards : click here to donate directly to The Barn vet.
Hou's journey from stray to safety
- Public spot him straying in Whitecross, County Armagh
- Pets Reunited Newry & Mourne alert volunteers at Next Steps Dog Rehoming Inc. Rottweiler Rescue - IRL and Lost Paws NI
- Dog is tempted by food left by volunteers and his injuries are seen
- Brought to safety by NSDRI-RRI and taken to a vet for initial assessment and care.
- Barn Animal Rescue Newtownards offer to help with some of the medical care and rehab costs
- Transferred to Newtownards for rehab kennel
- Taken to Belfast for emergency surgery and back to The Barn for recuperation
- Physical and mental rehabilitation continue
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