A little puppy who weighs less than a bag of sugar is fighting for her life after being rescued from a horrific breeding farm. A total of 96 shih tzu dogs, between the ages of one week and 12 years, were discovered living in "terrible conditions" at a house in Torquay.
A huge RSPCA rescue mission saw all the animals taken to numerous shelters across Devon and Cornwall. Many of the dogs were suffering from flea and worm infestations, having been surrounded by their own urine and faeces. Gables Cats and Dogs Home in Plymouth took in 23 dogs from the farm, including the tiny puppy who is now struggling to survive.
The fluffy puppy weighed just 150kg when she first arrived at the centre and has since been fed every three to four hours.
Animal carers at Gables say they are "feeling slightly more hopeful" and are pleading for help to continue saving the little dog's life.
A Facebook post shared by the charity reads: "Please donate a little to help us save our puppy, still fighting for her life after being born in the squalor of the puppy farm.
"She remained the same tiny weight of 150g even after a week of additional feeding with puppy milk by our deputy manager Ruth every 3 to 4 hours. We are feeling slightly more hopeful now, as today she weighs 164g!
"At Gables every life matters, please support our fight to save them all. We do not receive any government funding and have felt the financial strain from the Coronavirus pandemic, but we are determined to help all these poor dogs.
"If you can help to ease our financial burden by making a contribution to our 'Puppy Farm Palaver Vet Appeal' we will be very grateful."
Gables has since provided an update to thank all contributors for their support, letting them know the tiny puppy now weighs 184g with round-the-clock care.
But they are still desperate for funds to continue their incredible work and keep the young pup alive.
A spokesperson for Gables added: "On arrival with us most of the dogs were extremely matted and covered in their own faeces as well as suffering from ammonia burns on their skin from living in their own urine.
"The tight mats have made it difficult for the dogs to move about and go to the toilet as well as causing incredibly sore spots on their skin.
"The huge flea burden has resulted in some of the dogs constantly scratching, leaving them with open sores from the self-inflicted wounds.
"The mothers of the puppies have been struggling to keep up with the demand of having to continually nurse litter after litter in these conditions.
"It is feared that it may already be too late for the weakest of the little puppies, but we are doing everything we possibly can to keep the puppy alive."
To donate to Gables Cats and Dogs Home, you can call 01752 331602 or visit the JustGiving campaign or PayPal to donate online.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
