Starving rescue dog Ollie the lurcher who weighed half what he should when he was rehoused has made such a full recovery in two months that he now needs to go on a diet
- Starving dog was found wandering around a field with his bones clearly visible
- He weighed just 15.6kg when he was taken to a local RSPCA centre in Doncaster
- He now lives with new owner, putting on so much weight that he needs to diet
A starving rescue dog, whose weight was half of what it should have been, has now been put on a diet after piling on the pounds in his new home.
Ollie the lurcher was found staggering around a field in Stainforth, near Doncaster in December in a terrible condition, weighing just 15.6kg with every bone in his body visible.
But now, the three-year old could be put on a diet after his new owner said his weight had ballooned to 27.9kg.
Ollie was found in a terrible state, with every bone in his body showing but has now piled on the pounds in his new home and could go on a diet
Previously, Ollie had been found in an awful state.
After round-the-clock care from the RSPCA, Ollie went into a foster home with Leanne Smith, from Sheffield, for Christmas - and ended up staying.
Ms Smith said: 'I picked him up from the vets after five days of care and he has been here ever since.
'He is brilliant, absolutely marvellous. He's made himself at home.'
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Ollie was found staggering around a field in Stainforth, near Doncaster in December, with RSPCA members stunned at his appalling condition
Ollie weighed just 15.6kg when he was found by the RSPCA in December, and he received round-the-clock care at the centre
Three-year-old Ollie is now loving life with Ms Smith and her two spaniels, Maggie and Willow.
His weight has continued to go up and up - so much so that his owner is now thinking of putting him on a diet.
'He weighed 16.3kg when he arrived with me and now he is 27.9kg.
'In fact, the vet told me it's unusual to see a fat lurcher but Ollie may be the exception. He might need a bit of a diet as he is a little overweight - talk about one extreme to the other.
'We've obviously been feeding him up to get his weight up but he is also getting a lot of exercise so he is building muscle as well.
Ollie is now in a loving new home and spends his days having fun with the other dogs owned by Leanne Smith
Ms Smith said that when he arrived at Christmas time, Ollie's weight had improved slighlty at 16.3kg but in the space of two months it has ballooned to 27.9kg
'It was horrible seeing the pictures of him when he was first rescued. I kept taking photos of him every few days to show the progress he was making. He put on 10kg in just four weeks.
The difference is unbelievable.'
RSPCA inspector Jennie Ronksley launched an investigation into how Ollie came to be so neglected but his previous owner was ever found.
Ms Smith said: 'It was horrible seeing the pictures of him when he was first rescued' and the dog owner said she was determined to feed him and improve his weight
After fostering Ollie over Christmas, it soon became clear that Ms Smith would be adopting him permanently.
Now, the lurcher lives a happy life and loves long walks, playtime with his doggy pals and naps on the sofa.
'He didn't really know how to play when he first arrived but he's started to get the hang of it,' Ms Smith said. 'He is definitely enjoying life now though.'
RSPCA inspector Jennie Ronksley launched an investigation into how Ollie ended up in such an emaciated state but was unable to find the dog's previous owners
Ollie now lives a much happier life, with the lurcher spending his days on the sofa and playing with the other dogs, and he also loves long walks
His new owner confirmed that Ollie had a lot of issues to get over when he first arrived at her house.
She said: 'When he first arrived it was like he hadn't run before and he had been locked away. It was like watching a baby giraffe trying to find his feet.
'He can still be nervous around men. He cowers when you pick up a stick to throw so I think he might have been beaten in the past.'
In fact, Ollie is so pampered now that he may have put on too much weight, with Ms Smith revealing that a vet had said they had never seen a fat lurcher
Ms Smith said that Ollie is now loving life with her and her two spaniels, Maggie and Willow, saying that the dogs have become firm friends
Inspector Ronksley said: 'It was a happy ending for Ollie and I'm so pleased he survived his ordeal and has gone on to find such a wonderful, loving home where he will be well looked after for the rest of his life.
'It's despicable to let a dog get into the emaciated condition Ollie was in and there is absolutely no excuse to let neglect get to that stage.
'I would urge anyone who is struggling with looking after their pet to contact vets or a local charity for help.'
Inspector Ronksley is overjoyed at Ollie's current state and said: 'It was a happy ending for Ollie and I'm so pleased he survived his ordeal'
However, the inspector warned that his previous state was not acceptable and said that struggling pet owners should contact local charities if they needed help
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