SHOCKING: Dog rescued after being dragged behind car and badly injured in Offaly

A small dog that was dragged behind a car and badly injured in Offaly has been placed in a foster home. 

The terrified, six-year-old, male terrier was tied to the back of a car and shockingly dragged along the road, sustaining horrific injuries to his little body. 

Fortunately, a member of the public who witnessed the horrifying event saw the dog break free and contacted Offaly County Council. 

The dog was subsequently found traumatised and cowering in a ditch, covered in extensive wounds and suffering from concussion. 

Offaly County Council took to social media to say its Dog Shelter received information from a member of the public after they witnessed a very distressing event where a dog was shockingly mistreated and sustained horrific injuries. 

It continued, "using authorised powers under Control of Dogs and Animal Health and Welfare legislation, our Dog Warden seized the dog from the owner to protect the dog and to prevent this activity from happening again.”

A local mammy's brilliant advice for people going to Electric Picnic

WEATHER WARNING: Dramatic change coming in the weather as Met Eireann issues Weather Warning for all of Ireland

Offaly mother who lost daughter to cancer hosts coffee morning for Hospice

“Our Dog Warden immediately arranged for veterinary assessment and appropriate medical support to address the significant injuries sustained by the dog.  Over the following weeks, our Dog Warden and Kennel Assistant named the dog Doodles and provided care to nurse him back to health and worked with Dogs Trust Ireland, as part of the Regional Rehoming Programme to secure a suitable environment for his recovery,” the council stated.  

This week Dogs Trust Ireland stated that Doodles was taken into their care. Through the charity’s Regional Rehoming Programme, he was able to receive the urgent veterinary treatment he needed and was placed with a local foster family where he could recover in the comfort of a loving home.

Commenting on the harrowing incident, Regional Rehoming Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland, Eimear Cassidy said: “What happened to Doodles is absolutely appalling, and something that should never happen to any sentient being. We are so grateful to the person who reported the incident and the family who fostered him and helped nurse him back to the fantastic condition he is in today.”

“Sadly, we are seeing upsetting cases like this more frequently. These poor dogs have been through so much, so to be able to be there for them, and help find a home locally where they will be treated with love is what gets us through the sadness of cases like this. We cannot do this without our incredible network of foster families, so we are urgently appealing for more families to open their heart and home for dogs across the country,” she said. 

“Thankfully for Doodles, his story ended happily as his foster family fell in love with him and decided to make his foster home, his forever home,” she added. 

Dogs like Doodles, all over Ireland need your help. Dogs Trust are urgently appealing for foster families so that they can continue to provide this life-saving service. Their Regional Rehoming Programme means more dogs can now be fostered close to where they were rescued, and then adopted straight from a foster home, meaning they will only ever experience what a loving home environment feels like. If anyone  can can open their home temporarily to a dog in need, Dogs Trust would love to hear from them via email to Fostering@DogsTrust.ie.