THE SOS Romanian Rescue South West charity, based on the outskirts of Wellington, has found homes for 500 dogs over the past five-and-a-half-years.

Not all dogs are in a healthy state when they are brought over from Romania, as the charity’s chairperson Carol Winter, a full-time volunteer, reveals in this harrowing case.

She said: “Goldie was found when one of our rescuers was walking her dog in Romania. She heard screaming and found a puppy had been thrown in a field – both its back legs had been badly broken by someone.

“Goldie was rushed to a vet and ended up at a specialist trauma unit in Romania. She had her legs rebuilt with rods and pins. Sadly, they don’t use pain killer medication, just anti-inflammatories. Goldie had her legs fixed and we heard about her story three years on.

“Two months before we brought her over they decided to take the pins out of her back legs. We were told she was a bit wobbly but just needed to build up her muscles.

“When she arrived with us we were shocked at the state of one of her legs. It was hanging and tripping her up, so the other back leg could not move forward. 

“After a call to the vet she was admitted. Our vets are Deane Vets in Taunton/Wiveliscombe and they are fantastic – they support us in many ways. 

“Goldie’s leg was so bad it was immediately amputated. We raised more than £2,000 to help Goldie. We have amazing members on our Facebook group and many are local.

“Win clinic at Willowbrook answered our plea for physio after our vet suggested it would be best for Goldie. Win clinic offered us free treatment as she was a special case. 

“Goldie is doing so well but she will need ongoing treatment for some time with her physio that Win clinic will provide for her. 

“Goldie is still looking for that special loving home that can give her the care she needs to live a long, happy life. This little dog has been to hell and back at the hands of humans but is still the sweetest, loving dog you could meet once she knows you.”

SOS Romanian Rescue South West holds fundraising events, and has seven trustees and a home-check team.

Nicky Grant, from the Win clinic, said dogs can do very well on three legs, especially when it is a back leg they lose.

But she added: “It is vital that we teach them to optimise their body once they lose a limb. Their map of their body is completely changed and they need to learn appropriate balance, co-ordinated movement patterns and a way of moving that doesn’t cause them secondary musculoskeletal problems.

“Goldie’s back left leg isn’t optimal, it has a pin in the top and her muscle bulk and strength is quite reduced. For that reason we need to slowly help her strengthen that left leg, help her learn to move efficiently and not cause herself any further discomfort, she has been through enough.

“We aim to help Goldie through this initial rehabilitation process and then support her with regular check-ups if her new home is local to the Win Clinic.”

The team of four physiotherapists at the Win clinic, a custom-built physiotherapy facility, sees human and animal clients.

The physios see a huge variety of dogs from all over the country, including elite sporting dogs for fitness programming and injury prevention; dogs for osteoarthritis, a common and often debilitating condition that can be managed better with the help of physiotherapy; and dogs following all kinds of surgery to help with their rehabilitation.