Rescued and now found a new home, this gorgeous shih tzu mix is counting his lucky stars that an electrician with a keen eye and warm heart sighted him before it was all too late.

On a bitterly cold and wet day, electrician and CFA volunteer Darren Rodgers was working at a new estate in the south-east of Melbourne when something in the distance caught his attention,

“While I was checking out a job at the estate I noticed a head bobbing up and down in a not too distant dam.  I went to check it out and to my amazement it was a dog!”

Almost fully submerged in the murky water, Darren pulled out the small dog and discovered the full extent of the helpless animal’s condition,

 “I reached over and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him out and immediately noticed how poor his physical condition was. He was very wet, had tangled hair and was shivering from the cold. He was very scared of human contact but was not aggressive towards me in any way.”

“I wrapped him in a drop sheet I had in my work vehicle and sat him between my legs to warm him up as I drove to the nearest vet.”

There he received treatment for exposure and was collected by council officers and taken to the Cranbourne Shelter of The Lost Dogs’ Home.

With no ID tag or microchip, the owners of the approximately 8-month-old puppy could not be contacted and was held at the Shelter for a mandatory 8-day wait period to be claimed.

General Manager of Shelter Operations at The Lost Dogs’ Home, Sue Conroy said he arrived at the Shelter in a “seriously dishevelled state” recovering from hypothermia and neglect,

“He had a heavily matted, tangled and greasy coat restricting his movement and ultimately causing a great deal of discomfort and possibly pain. He was also suffering from hypothermia due the cold temperature of the water he was found in.”

She said the Home had seen many similar cases of neglect, “it is common for little dogs with long hair to be dumped.  People just don’t realise the upkeep needed to look after these dogs and often dump them when they realise they cannot look after them.”

Responding well to the treament and now fully recovered, the shih tzu was named “Rodger” in appreciation of Darren’s selfless act,

 “There is no two ways about it- we are forever grateful that Rodger was rescued by a true dog lover who in our eyes is a real hero. Rodger quite simply would not have survived otherwise,” Sue said.

“Rodger deserves a loving home that will appreciate his love and energy,” she added.

Currently waiting on hearing good news about Rodger’s future, Darren and his wife Karren both hope a caring family will open their home to him and ensure he never suffers again,

“As dog lovers we were appalled at how this dog was left in such a condition. We hope Rodger finds a loving family who will look after him and involve him in family events. He deserves a better life.”

UPDATE: Rodger has found a wonderful new home!

Check out The Lost Dogs’ Home website for information on what to do if you have lost or found a pet. If you have a microchip or ID number handy go the National Pet Register for further details.