A CUTE and cuddly dog called Dobby is living the good life in Bangor after being rescued from an abusive home in Newtownards.
Dobby, a Shitzu, is living with Ian Ford and his wife Dorothy, the latest in their collection of rescue dogs they have adopted.
The beautiful dog was rescued by Ian’s friend, Emma Russell, and Ian and Dorothy had no difficulty deciding they would give Dobby a new home with their three other rescued dogs.
But Dobby was in a terrible state.
A trip to the vet revealed he had a fractured skull and pelvis, had difficulties with one eye and had stones in his bladder. He was malnourished, dangerously thin, covered in faeces, his eye was crusted closed and his fur was outgrown and matted.
Emma took Dobby for a groom and it took an hour-and-a-half of patient work before his eye was clean and he could open it.
Emma then put Dobby’s story on social media and Ian saw the post as they already had three rescue dogs, they thought ‘what’s a fourth dog’.
The Ford family got Dobby on Sunday, February 25 and described him as being ‘in bad shape’.
Ian and his family were happy to pay for Dobby’s care but his daughter Louise and rescuer Emma thought they’d set up a Go Fund Me last Monday.
“My daughter and Emma got the idea for the Go Fund Me page, which they started last Monday and by Wednesday it was sitting at £2,910.
“People have been so generous. We want to thank everyone for being so kind, and let everyone know where the money’s going.
“He’s been offered two free grooms when he’s due them. People are so worried about him and have been so kind.
Although Dobby was looking better within a few days, it was only when the vet carried out scans earlier this week that the full extent of his injuries became apparent. The vet had planned to neuter Dobby but after discovering the fractures and the problems with his bladder and eye it was decided to postpone the operation.
With specialist care now needed for Dobby it was decided to reopen the Go Fund Me page to help pay for Dobby’s further medications and surgeries, with any money left over going towards his future care.
“We got Dobby back on Monday afternoon,” said Ian.
“He’s on more medication and he’s going to see an eye specialist on Wednesday evening about the pressure on his eye. He’s a wee sick boy.
“We’ve opened up again the Go Fund Me to help raise funds as it’s going to cost a lot of money to get Dobby back to health.”
Dobby is on a range of medications, including pain relief, one to dissolve the stones in his bladder, eye drops, and a special diet to help with his bladder issues.
Despite this, Ian says he is the ‘sweetest, most loveable wee dog’ and is settling into his new home with his new fur-siblings Bindi, Reba and Rosie.
“He’s doing really well, his wee bed is on my side of the bedroom and the past couple of nights he’s just skipped in on his own,” said Ian.
“He’s come on leaps and bounds and he’s getting on with our other three dogs great.
“He’s quite the internet sensation. Dobby has his own Facebook page as so many people have been asking about him.”
Updates on Dobby can be found on his Facebook page, Dobby’s Page and if anyone would like to donate go to, https://gofund.me/5583dabf.
