Ruby overcomes ordeal with snare
A very special Dalmatian from Misty Mountain Lodge should now be renamed to 'Ruby the Brave'.
After being caught in a snare, Ruby stumbled home six days later with it still cutting into her flesh. Ruby went missing on October 15 and could barely walk when she arrived home on October 21.
She was severely dehydrated, malnourished and starving. The snare caused a very deep laceration around her neck.
James and Lisa Sheard could not believe their eyes when she arrived home, out of the blue, at 10:00 that morning. The remainder of the snare was cut away and Ruby was rushed to Sterkspruit Veterinary Clinic.
“After a clinical examination, it was found that Ruby had deep wounds around her neck, where the snare had cut into her flesh. It was dirty and infected. Sterkspruit Vets decided to admit Ruby, put her on a drip, start her on antibiotics, and clean the wounds.
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“It was challenging to cut all the dead tissue away, since vital structures like the oesophagus, veins and arteries, trachea and thyroid gland were all in close proximity. The wound also swelled up a lot afterwards due to the trauma to surrounding tissue and lymph drainage. With an extended course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, together with cage rest at the clinic, Ruby made a full recovery, and the sutures were removed two weeks after I sutured her wound. Ruby was such a lucky dog to survive this ordeal. We are so happy that this story had a happy ending, with Ruby being ecstatic to be reunited with her family,” said Dr Hestia Brink of the Sterkspruit Veterinary Clinic.
“We don’t know who cut her loose. There were many people looking for her. It is possible that someone got wind that a search team was close and cut her loose. We can’t say for certain. Several people were out searching for her in different areas of the Long Tom Pass.
“We did put the word out that a reward was offered in the event that she was found. But she made her way home on her
own. Ruby was at the vet for over two weeks in total. Ruby is only one of the numerous animals this has happened to. We hope that her story will raise awareness of this inhumane practice by poachers and other vagrants,” said Sheard.
