Seriously ill Rottweiler dumped on doorstep of Chatteris woman


16:00 - 10 December 2009




Story by: MAGGIE GIBSON

A SERIOUSLY ill dog needing urgent veterinary treatment was dumped by a family on the doorstep of a Chatteris woman.

Owners
of the dog, a Rottweiler bitch, knocked on the door of Claire Lerigo's
home and left her with the sick animal and mounting bills in her bid to
bring it back to good health.

Claire, of West Street, is
appealing for donations to help her pay for Betsy Boo-boo's treatment.
She is suffering from an undiagnosed condition which has left her eyes
closed and swollen, and painful lumps on her head.

She said:
"This family turned up with the dog and asked if I could help. People
know I won't turn a dog away. When the dog turned around I could see it
had the most horrific eye problem. They said they had tried some eye
drops.

"I went to get a spare collar and lead for her and when I
got back they had gone and left the dog. I rushed her to the vets and
he gave her painkillers and antibiotics. He thought it could be a
chronic allergy or some kind of mange."

Claire has scraped enough money together to pay the first bill for more than £300 but Boo-boo needs on-going treatment.

Claire
said: "This just highlights the terrible problem there is with so many
dogs being dumped. I am sick of hearing the excuses that it is because
of the recession and people can't afford vet's bills.

"There are
too many dogs being bred and it is too easy for people to make
£500 a puppy. Staffies in particular are victims of their own
success because they have become very popular dogs with the young lads."

With
Christmas approaching, Claire said: "I know people say it every year
but it really is true that people should not go out and buy dogs as
presents."

awww bless her

• If you can help by giving a donation or a home to an abandoned dog contact Claire on 07853 235843.

Poor poor girl