Bran laying down in his new garden

Injured puppy Bran finds loving home

Watching Bran as he happily bounds around his garden, it’s hard to believe that at just eight weeks old the fun-loving pup had been left in terrible pain and facing death.

The German shepherd’s right back leg was rotated at an agonising 180 degrees after he broke it in a fall down the stairs and the injury was left untreated for too long.

Vets at the private surgery he was initially taken to feared that he may need to be put to sleep due to the huge cost involved with treating his condition, which his owners could not afford.

But thankfully the vets got in touch with Blue Cross to ask if we could take him on; there was no way that we could let an otherwise healthy puppy be denied the chance to live, and picked him up right away.

Left: Bran when his leg was in plaster and rotated at a painful 180 degrees, centre: Bran following his operation at our Victoria animal hospital and right: Bran being looked after at our Hertfordshire rehoming centre.
Bran when his leg was in plaster and rotated at a painful 180 degrees (left); Bran following his operation at our Victoria animal hospital (centre) and Bran being looked after at our Hertfordshire rehoming centre (Bran).

Sadly, we discovered, this was the latest in a long line of health problems for Bran despite his young age.

He had been bought at only four to six weeks old and delivered to his first owner at work; they didn’t meet the mum or any of his siblings, and Bran was sick and weak – all sure signs of a dog bred by a puppy farm.

Bran adjusts to life on three legs at our Kimpton centre
Bran adjusts to life on three legs at our Kimpton centre.

Within hours the poorly puppy was at the vets. Thankfully, a potentially deadly infection called parvovirus – common among puppy-farmed pets – was ruled out, but he had passed a piece of cocktail stick. This was another indication of the likely squalid environment he had been raised in. Miraculously, it didn’t cause internal damage.

Two weeks later, and poor Bran was at our animal hospital in Victoria, central London, whimpering in pain and unable to stand due to his broken leg, which had set with his foot twisted and facing the wrong way.

Amanda Marrington, Animal Welfare Officer at Blue Cross Victoria, said: “Bran had been through so much in his eight weeks of life. He was sold without a microchip and aged less than eight weeks, both of which are against the law, and was very sick from likely living in squalor.

Bran on sofa with owner

“When he arrived in our care, Bran’s leg was facing the wrong way and was covered in painful pressure sores. He was crying loudly and he must have been in so much pain. Everyone in the animal hospital wanted to scoop him up to tell him he was in safe hands now and that he would be okay.”

On arrival, our vets gave Bran a full health check and carried out tests to see if his leg could be saved. An amputation is a big operation for an animal so small and young, but despite our best efforts, there was nothing we could do to fix his limb.

Amanda added: “Bran had suffered muscle wastage around his leg and the fracture was too old for Blue Cross vets to be able to repair. The amputation meant that he was free from pain and could look forward to a happy and healthy future as a much-loved pet.”

Bran playing with Sandor in his garden
Bran playing with Sandor in the garden of his new home.

The team of vets and nurses helped Bran as he learned how to walk again and built up his strength, until he was well enough to be transferred to our Hertfordshire rehoming centre in his search for a loving home.

While he struggled with kennel life, he started to adapt well to life on three legs and loved the company of people. The centre team gave him all the fuss he craved and worked hard to provide the vital socialisation that he had missed out on due to being so poorly, which included exposing him to plenty of different noises and sights.

Sarah Miller, Animal Welfare Assistant at Hertfordshire, said: “He was very stressed in kennels but coped really well on three legs, with a bit of sporadic hopping around. He was a little trooper, despite what he had been through.

“We knew he needed a home where people were around for the majority of the day, preferably with experience of the breed. He liked other dogs so we thought another dog that could act as a role model for him, given that he was so young, would be beneficial too.”

Bran hero slice

And so the centre could not have found a more perfect match for Bran than with Kasey Doyle and partner Joey Fekete in Stevenage, where he now lives alongside one-year-old German shepherd Sandor and two racoons called Polly and Tilly.

Bran in the park with Kasey
Bran in the park with Kasey.

Kasey, who grew up with German shepherds and so is experienced with the breed, saw Bran on the Blue Cross website and within a few days – just before Christmas last year – he had begun his new life with her and Joey.

Joey said: “We took Sandor up to the rehoming centre on the first day so we could see what they were like on a walk together, and then the next day they had a play in the garden together.”

“He came home with us the following day,” said Kasey. “The centre wanted to get him into a home as soon as possible as he was getting quite distressed in kennels.

“Even now he doesn’t like being shut in anywhere, even if it’s for a really short amount of time.”

Bran settled in quickly and soon bonded with his new ‘big brother’ Sandor. They love playing together, and Bran does his very best to keep up with Sandor despite his disadvantage.

Bran playing in garden with Sandor

Kasey said: “We try not to take them out separately now as they miss each other. But Bran keeps up really well. He’s doing great and is just a bit wobbly at times.”

Joey said: “We have a Frisbee for Sandor and Bran is quite good at keeping up with him – he’s not as fast but he’s very good at guessing where he’s going and cutting him off.”

When he’s not playing with Sandor, six-month-old Bran can be found happily curled up on the sofa with Kasey and Joey, vying with his new family for space. “We’ve had to get an extra footstall to make the sofa bigger, as there wasn’t enough room for us!” laughed Kasey.

Bran with new owners Kasey and Joey
Bran with new owners Kasey and Joey.

Sweet-natured Bran is also making up for lost time on the training front – he has already passed puppy school with flying colours and is now attending ‘puppy university’.

No pet should have to suffer the sad start to life that Bran did, but he is now thriving, all thanks to Kasey and Joey, those that cared for him at Blue Cross and our generous supporters.

Kasey added: “Bran has brought us lots of happiness, and calm to Sandor. He’s just completed our family.

“It was horrible what he had been through. But considering what happened, he’s such a happy boy and I’m so happy that he has a home with us, he loves us so much and we love him.

“He belongs with us. He is a little diamond.”

Bran out on a walk with Kasey, Joey and new best friend Sandor
— Page last updated 03/05/2019