Duty calls for unwanted present pup

A pup who had a very sorry start is now set for life as a canine hero, thanks to Blue Cross.

Belgian shepherd youngster Suzie had been bought online as a gift, but she was not wanted and was given to a friend. When that friend realised they too were unable to give Suzie the care a young puppy needs, they turned to Blue Cross for help.

When Suzie arrived at our Victoria animal hospital in central London, she was skinny and was suffering from diarrhoea. We gave her fluids via a drip to get her strength back up and our vets gave her a health check. 

Amanda Marrington, Animal Welfare Officer at Blue Cross Victoria, said: “Sadly it is all too common to see sickly puppies coming through our doors having been bought online. We believe Suzie was likely born in a puppy farm before being sold at the click of a button. 

“The dire conditions in these places mean disease spreads quickly there, and young puppies like Suzie at more at risk because of their immature immune systems.”

Suzie was microchipped but her breeder had not registered any details on it or told her first owner that they needed to update the chip. Selling a puppy without registered microchip details is against the law and as responsible breeders will ensure they comply with regulations, the fact that Suzie’s chip wasn’t up to date is another sign that she spent her very early life with someone who prioritised profit over pet welfare.

Amanda added: “Buying a puppy online can be very risky as internet pet sales are not regulated. We always recommend that wherever you buy a puppy, you do lots of research first to make sure the breeder or rescue is responsible and has the pups’ and their parents’ welfare at heart.”

We tested Suzie for several diseases which are common in puppies brought up in squalid conditions, and she was found to have a bacterial infection that can make a puppy very weak very quickly. Luckily for Suzie, she had ended up in Blue Cross care and was surrounded by our kind and compassionate team who worked hard to help her get better as speedily as possible.

Treating diseases like the one Suzie suffered from needs careful management to prevent it from spreading to other animals. Suzie needed barrier nursing; where our team wears special protective gowns while treating an infected pet to control contamination. 

Amanda added: “At Suzie’s young age socialisation is vital to ensure puppies grow into happy and confident young dogs, so we had to make sure she also enjoyed cuddles without the threat of passing her illness on to other pets in our care. Being stuck in a hospital kennel isn’t much fun for a youngster.”

After a couple of days, Suzie was given the all-clear to travel to our Bromsgrove rehoming centre in the West Midlands, where she continued to grow in strength.

Suzie still needed barrier nursing once at Bromsgrove, but she had much more freedom to get outside, sniff exciting things, and tear about the puppy play pen, which she thoroughly enjoyed. In just a couple of days, Suzie had mastered sitting and learning to target.

Amy Howard, Veterinary Supervisor at Blue Cross Bromsgrove, said: “We have been doing lots to keep Suzie’s mind active while she’s here. She is a beautiful girl, but she’s so much more than a pretty face. Her mind is keen, she’s highly intelligent and she needs a job to do, so she is booked in for a job interview with the police!”

Suzie is a dog that is no ordinary once-around-the-block-before-a-snooze-on-the-sofa kind of breed. She’s a Malinois, a type of Belgian shepherd famed for their appetite to work and high intellect. Even at just a couple of months old, Suzie’s curious, watchful and steady character showed us that a working home would give this gorgeous girl the active and mentally challenging lifestyle she needed to reach her full potential.

Last month, having impressed the top brass of a police dog training school, Suzie left Blue Cross to join the force’s newest recruit. There she will undergo many months of training to get her ready for life protecting the public. Everyone at Blue Cross is so excited to see what the future holds for Suzie, and we’ll be following her journey through training academy and hopefully one day soon, on to the beat.