'Looked like a burns victim': Neglected dog rescued from Sydney home
An extremely neglected dog was found bloodied, covered in raw blisters and "close to death" after being rescued from a home in Western Sydney.
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Tilly was saved by a NSW RSPCA inspector who found her in an emaciated state after being subjected to extreme neglect.
The dog looked "like a burns victim" and was so weak that she couldn’t even lift up her head, a veterinarian said.
It's owner, Paige Pamela-Ruth Dean, was fined after being found guilty on five charges of animal cruelty and is not allowed to own another animal for five years.
NSW Inspector James Arentz visited the home in Tregear, Sydney, following a cruelty complaint on May 27 this year.
He found the tan Staffordshire starving, shaking and dehydrated and immediately seized her.
"The dog's legs were blistered, her toe nails extremely long and was unable to walk and had to be carried by one of the residents of the house so the inspector could look at her closely," the RSPCA said.
Tilly had almost no fur, 90 per cent of her body was covered in bleeding scabby wounds, she had a strong odour and her eyes were full of discharge.
"She was covered in scabs, no hair, dried blood and she was so skinny,” Insp Arentz said. “I could see all of her bones, I could see all of her skull."
Ms Dean surrendered the dog to the RSPCA and the pooch was rushed to the Yagoona shelter and seen immediately by a Veterinarian Dr Laura Taylor.
Dr Taylor said Tilly was suffering from demodex, a parasitic mite, and was in so much pain that the simple act of shifting her weight was excruciating.
“She looked like a burns victim," Dr Taylor said. “She wouldn’t have been able to keep going much longer in the position she was in.”
Ms Dean admitted Tilly had been in that state for more than two months and hadn’t seen a vet in at least a year.
She also said the dog hadn't been treated for intestinal parasites for four months and fleas since January.
The Sydney woman said she hadn't taken the dog to the vet because she had been busy as her partner had been in hospital.
Tilly was in the Intensive Care Ward for three weeks before being moved to a general ward for ongoing veterinary care.
She stayed under care for several months and received ongoing socialisation, diet and veterinary care.
In less than seven weeks of being seized, Tilly regained 46% of her body weight.
Insp Arentz, who temporarily took Tilly in, said he hopes she will be adopted out to a new family soon.
