Benji, a poodle mix, was "dumped by the road" with fur so severely matted, "one of his paws had rotted off.”
We rarely think about the suffering caused by severe fur matting, yet for stray and neglected dogs, this suffering can be a painful reality.
Rescuers said that Benji "didn't even resemble a dog" in this 2018 incident, in an article on BBC.
Benji had to be sedated while 4 people spent 2 hours shaving 2.6 pounds of matted fur that was “coated in faeces, urine, and fleas” from his body.
Veterinarians found that his right foot “had rotted off,” and skin had grown over the stump.
“It is likely the foot could have been missing for months, if not longer,” according to BBC.
The matting fur caused the blood circulation to stop, which is why the foot rotted away. “Without a blood supply his foot effectively died," said a spokesperson to BBC.
Benji’s neglectful guardian was never located.
Benji suffered horrifically, but thankfully, he was saved.
In another example, in 2022, Trixie was not as lucky. Her matted fur caused her so much pain, she was put to death.
When Trixie was brought to the veterinarian, the veterinarian was horrified to see that Trixie’s coat had become so matted, the blood supply to her lower leg was cut off, causing the skin on her foot to turn black.
According to the veterinarian in an article with Dogs Today Magazine: “I was able to see the skin had been ‘cheese wired’ by the bands of hair and matting and had cut into the flesh revealing her flexor tendons and underlying fascia, it was also possible to see bone when the limb was flexed.”
The veterinarian determined that the most humane thing to do was to euthanize Trixie to save her from further suffering.
Though Trixie was not a stray, she certainly suffered as if she had been abandoned. Trixie’s guardian pleaded guilty to the animal welfare offense and was sentenced to prison for 8 weeks.
These stories highlight the pain that dogs can go through due to humans breeding dogs with complex grooming requirements.
1) Do not buy purebred dogs! Instead, rescue and adopt!
2) Do not support the breeding of dogs, especially those with complex grooming requirements!
The way that humans have bred dogs has created a complex and tragic reality.
Dogs who are abandoned or born into the streets try desperately to fend for themselves.
Since they have been made to be reliant on humans for food and care, these strays struggle to adapt to the harsh realities of the outdoors, leading to poor health, malnutrition, untreated injuries, cruelty, early death, and a never-ending cycle of suffering.
Addressing the Biggest Crisis Facing Strays
There are an estimated 600 million stray dogs on any given day worldwide. This is a crisis that was created by humans as a result of breeding and irresponsible companion animal guardianship.
That’s why 600 Million Dogs is working to address the suffering of stray animals right at the very source of the problem.
Our nonprofit, science-centered mission is to end the #1 cause of suffering and death for dogs and cats worldwide — overpopulation — by developing a one-dose permanent birth control Cookie that, when completed, will spay or neuter a stray, without surgery!
With your help, we will permanently end the Cycle of Suffering for homeless dogs and cats!
For as little as $1 a month, you can help us stop the suffering … before it starts. It’s less than a cup of coffee and will help save millions of lives!
We receive no help from the government and no help from corporations … which is why a gift of any amount will help.
Please join us on this mission — together we will end a huge amount of suffering!
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