View this email online Dear Jerry, When we found Bailey, he was just inches from his empty bowl. He never gave up hope that his owner might feed him, even when he could no longer stand. I am writing to you today with an amazing story of survival. I thought I knew what the phrase ‘just skin and bone’ meant, until I met gentle Bailey. Never before had I seen a living animal so thin or frail. I didn’t know it was possible. And when I learned that the woman who did this to him had two well cared-for dogs and an immaculate home, I was left speechless. Bailey entered our lives after a tipoff to AWL Inspectors. My colleague, Inspector Ian Hughes, drove straight over to investigate. Bailey was found lying motionless next to an empty bowl on the concrete down the side of the house. Bailey was desperately emaciated. His ribs were coming out of his body. He was so weak he couldn’t stand, or even lift his head. Bailey was so frail, he could have died right there in his arms. Inspector Hughes seized Bailey and drove him as fast as he could back to our Veterinary Hospital. The situation looked hopeless for Bailey. But we weren’t about to give up on him. Bailey was immediately placed on a drip to stabilise and rehydrate him. After a few days in care, my team decided to call on Specialist Veterinarian Dr Rob Zammit as a long-time friend of AWL. Dr Zammit told us, “I was in tears when Bailey came in. Bailey couldn’t walk and had to be carried in. He couldn’t even hold his head up to have a drink or to have some food. And yet Bailey just looked at me as I gently placed him on the floor. And he gave me a little lick, as if to say, ‘It’s okay. It’s not your fault’. He tore my heart out. I was expecting to find out that he had a disease, but there was no pathology with Bailey. The only thing wrong was that he had been starved within an inch of his life.” Bailey weighed 15 kilos – less than half the healthy weight of a Labrador. The next couple of weeks were touch and go for Bailey. His skin was so thin, the bone at the tip of his tail broke through. Dr Zammit had no choice but to amputate the tip of his tail. Then, weeks after, Bailey was finally strong enough to leave the clinic and come back to the shelter. I’m overjoyed to tell you that Bailey’s health has improved since then. After months of treatment, rehabilitation, love and most importantly food, Bailey now weighs 33 kilos. Despite the heartless, unthinkable cruelty he has endured, his spirits are high and he is truly one of the most beautiful and happiest dogs I have ever come across. Bailey would not be alive without donations from people like you. So please make a donation today and help us rescue and protect more animals like Bailey from cruelty. If you have already sent a gift - thank you. If you would like to know more about Bailey and how you can help make a better New Year for other animals like him this Christmas, visit our website today for more details. Thank you so much for kind support. Warm regards, Wendy Cohen CEO – Animal Welfare League NSW P.S. I understand that its very difficult to read Baileys story - my only hope is that his bravery encourages you to help others like him. So please, make a donation today and help us keep fighting for animals like Bailey - protecting them from cruelty and giving them love and comfort over the holidays.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 09:20:43 +0000