Posted online: Jan 26th, 2010

By Marianne Craig
Reporter
These pictures show the horrific injuries suffered by greyhound believed to have been pulled behind a moving vehicle.
The dog, who was discovered wandering alone between Claudy and Feeney last week, has been wounded so badly that its rear hip bones are exposed.
She is now being cared for by the Rainbow Animal Shelter in Eglinton and treated by their vet.
Joanne Mullan of the Rainbow Shelter said the dog’s injuries are some of the worst she ever seen.
“The poor dog was severely under fed and she had deep open wounds on her hind legs.
“The man who found her took her to the vet and he thought she was suffering from severe bedsores that were exacerbated by the cold , but we had her re-examined by our own vet and they said it was more likely that she had been dragged at speed, possibly by a moving vehicle.
“She is now on strong medication and her wounds are being treated daily but it’s horrific to think how she got in this condition.
“We have her under a heat lamp with her own duvet and she seems much happier.
“Hopefully when she is fully healed we will be able to find her a loving home.”
The shelter is also attempting to trace the animal’s owner as she has been tattooed behind the ear.
“The problem is it is possible that she has changed ownership since she was registered so sometimes the owner can be difficult to trace,” explained Ms Mullan.
“This isn’t the first case of animal cruelty we have come across involving greyhounds and the concern we would have is what happens to some of these dogs when their racing days are over .
“Where do they go and what measures are in place to look after their welfare?
“Luckily this dog was found, but what happens to the other dogs that aren’t found?”