How a subtle tail wag saved neglected dog moments from death
A dreadlocked dog who was so neglected he was almost put down saved his own life by giving a Tasmanian animal carer a small sign.
Brightside Farm Sanctuaryâs Emma Haswell told Yahoo News Australia Tyloâs matted hair was the worst she had seen in a small dog breed.
She estimated his dreadlocks were eight to nine inches long and wide, and âcovered his whole body and basically dragged along behind himâ.
Tyloâs owner had threatened to put him down, so Ms Haswell knew she was his last chance.
âI looked at him and said, âChrist I donât know how Iâm going to fix this dogâ,â Ms Haswell said.
âHis demeanour was shocking â growling, barking, cowering [but then] he wagged his tail at me.â
A second chance at life
To prevent further stress, Tylo was quickly given an anaesthetic by a vet before he was shaved, desexed and vaccinated.
âItâs just hard to comprehend, I donât understand how you donât feel ashamed having a dog in that condition,â Ms Haswell said.
She was dismayed the dog had not left his ownerâs property in seven years.
âThere was one gate where he could peek out into the backyard and that was his only view to the outside world,â Ms Haswell said.
Tylo is now seeing out the freezing Tasmanian winter in a warm jacket and when his temperament improves he will be adopted into a loving family.
The concerning âtrendâ in pets being surrendered
Dr Andrew Byrne, from RSPCA Tasmania, told Yahoo News Australia a lot of people surrendered their dogs because it was difficult to find a rental home allowing pets.
âIf we cold get landlords and real estate agencies to accept animals in rental properties weâd see a major difference to the number of animals being surrendered to us,â he said.
âPeople are really, really sad. They donât want to give them up, but theyâre forced to because they have to move.â
More disturbingly though, Ms Haswell has witnessed what she sees as a âtrendâ in people surrendering their dogs when they move house.
âItâs almost like they see a new start for themselves and it doesnât include their own dog,â she said.
Dr Byrne said when Tasmanians leave the state they often surrender their dogs saying: âWeâre going to the mainland, bye.â
âTailsâ of hope at Haswellâs sanctuary
Ms Haswell received about four calls a day from people desperate for her to take their dogs.
But she only says yes to the worst of the worst â dogs that will be put down if she doesnât intervene.
âWe had someone recently surrender six puppies and seven adults, and he said if we didnât take them he would poison them,â Ms Haswell said.
Her work has left her spending at least $100 a day on dog food for 28 rescues as she prepares them for rehoming.
But it is making a difference in both human and animal lives that motivates her to continue this emotionally exhausting work.
She also revealed the story of a dog who had been adopted by a couple before they split up 18 months later.
The husband âtook custody of the dog and gave her away a year later, but told his ex-wife and child it had diedâ.
It wasnât until they saw their dog on Ms Haswellâs website that they knew any different.
âThe mother and daughter have adopted the dog back after thinking he was dead for five years,â Ms Haswell said.
Donations to Brightside Farm Sanctuary can be made at http://brightside.org.au/support/donations_and_bequests.
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