Dog severely neglected, emaciated
Northants, EN (UK)Incident Date: Friday, Aug 29, 2008
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Joy Battison
A dog that was given just days to live after suffering appalling neglect is now thriving in a new home.
This time last year, 12-year-old German Shepherd Hobo weighed just 40lb, was covered in mange and thought unlikely to survive.
But he was brought back from the brink of death and is now in a new home with animal-lover owners Peter and Val Butcher.
Hobo was taken into the PDSA Pet Aid Hospital in Northampton in a terrible condition in July last year. Vets there wanted to put him down straight away, but gave him three days to see if he improved.
Hobo was suffering from mange and malnutrition and his claws were so long he could not walk. He was in such bad condition, vets could only guess what breed he was.
Hobo was treated at the hospital for several weeks, until he came to the attention of the Butchers on the local news in July. German Shepherd-lover Mrs Butcher said: "I cried, his condition was so awful. For days I could only think of him. We both wanted him and knew we would have the time, patience and love to help him recover."
Hobo's new home on the couple's pleasure farm in Shillington, Bedfordshire, has seen him move in with an array of other animals including 10 dogs, 10 alpacas, seven goats, 17 ponies, and 240 parrots. He has been on courses of antibiotics, skin treatments and painkillers and is now up to his maximum weight of 66lbs.
Mr Butcher said Hobo still took medication for pain caused by arthritis and antibiotics for his skin but has made "wonderful" progress.
She said: "Hobo enjoys life. He is so bright, he loves to help us and he loves to play. Hobo is a special dog who has gone through hell but still loves and trusts people. We love him to bits and know without a doubt that we are so lucky to have him."
The couple have even funded a prosecution of Hobo's former owner who has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog. Joy Battison, of Orchard Hill, Little Billing, Northants, is due to be sentenced in January at Northampton Magistrates Court. References
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