A young dog dumped cowering and terrified by the roadside now has a second chance of happiness – all thanks for her doggy pal.
Peggy was found in June this year by a member of the public after she was dumped by the A38 near the village Alrewas, in Lichfield Staffordshire.
She had been found shaking in the grass absolutely terrified – she smelt strongly of urine and was so matted her rescuer thought she was an elderly dog.
The member of the public took the little dog – thought to be a Tibetan terrier crossbreed – straight to the RSPCA Hillfield Animal Centre in Burton on Trent.
Staff there found Peggy had no collar and no microchip and after examinations by a vet it was found she was just a year old.
Public engagement manager at the branch Susie O’Neill said: “Peggy was petrified, literally frozen to the spot when she was brought into us. It took a few hours of coaxing to even get her to a point that she would move her feet. The only thing that perked her up was her interest in my dog – 10-year-old Frank. Her love for Frank is what earned her the name Peggy, after the Eastenders duo.
“Peggy began to follow Frank around and he was so patient and calm around her he really helped her to regain her confidence. They would go for walks together, and each day her confidence grew and grew.”
Soon after this breakthrough kennel staff monitoring Peggy noticed she had urine dripping almost constantly from her back end.
Sadly, Peggy was suffering from an eptopic ureter, a rare condition that puppies can be born with where the ureter does not terminate in the bladder but elsewhere in the body. She was unable to urinate naturally – it is thought this could have been one of the reasons she was dumped.
The RSPCA branch then contacted West Midlands Referrals in Lichfield and they agreed to perform an urgent operation to reposition the ureter for a heavily reduced price.
Susie then fostered Peggy during her recuperation in her home alongside her beloved Frank. She added: “Against all the odds the operation was a success and Peggy began the painful process of house training. Frank was with her all the way, he’s such a gentle soul, he was perfect to help rebuild her confidence, she would follow him outside and it was like he could show her what to do.”
In September, after her successful foster, Peggy was met by Charlotte and Russell from Lichfield who have continued to care for Peggy and she now has the life she deserves.
