Staff at the Home have seen some very distressing and sad sights in their days but none had ever seen a dog in Astro Boy’s condition.
With no back paw, just protruding bone, Astro Boy would have suffered extreme and unthinkable pain.
“This was an old injury he’d had sustained, most likely from being hit by a car,” said Dr Alan Bolton.
“His leg had been broken and there had been a loss of blood supply to the paw. The paw either turned gangrenous and the flesh rotted away, or he may have chewed it off. There was three centimetres of exposed bone. The injury had healed, suggesting he’d been in this state for weeks.”
He endured unbelievable pain. What’s even worse is that his owner didn’t seek treatment for him – just left him with a horrible injury and no back paw. Responsible owners seek treatment for an injured or sick pet, not dump them in a paddock to fend for themselves.”
Found in a paddock in Greenvale, the seven-year-old terrier was brought into the Home by Animal Ambulance where he was admitted to the hospital and placed on an IV drip.
“The only option in this case was to amputate the hind leg.”
Weeks on, Astro Boy has recovered and is now ready for a new home.
“He’s a sweet, happy and friendly fellow and deserves only the best home – he does have special needs so his new owner will need to be mindful of these.”
Astro Boy appeared in today’s Herald Sun and as a result, ten potential owners have been shortlisted. Keep an eye on dogshome.com to see Astro Boy with his new owner!
