Dog with no eyes finds a happy home in Wisbech

A dog which lost both of its eyes after a disease went untreated for five years has found new happiness with a Fenland couple.

Tina and David Osler, from Wisbech, adopted Hooch from the Block Fen Animal Centre at Wimblington, just over a year ago.

And they say that, despite his lack of vision, he is now just one of the family.

Tina said: “He loves people which surprises me after everything he has been through and how he was treated.

“Knowing what he’s been though doesn’t make me sad, it makes me angry and it makes our family very angry.”

Hooch, previously known as Pooch, was found in January 2016 after concerns were raised with the RSPCA about his welfare.

He was suffering from an eye condition that had been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that his right eye had to be removed immediately. Despite further treatment, vets were also unable to save his other eye.

His then owner was subsequently prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering, by not getting the problem treated, and banned from keeping any animal for a year.

RSPCA inspector Justin Thomas said: “He was in a terrible state when I found him and his eye looked horrendous.

“It was like something out of a horror movie - his eyeball looked ready to pop out of his skull.

“His previous owner was told by a vet to have Pooch’s eye removed but this was ignored and she failed to seek any further professional advice.

“He was left suffering from what must have been an extremely painful and uncomfortable eye condition for more than five years. It’s just shocking.”

David admitted he had been doubtful about adopting a dog without eyes when he and Tina visited Block Fen, following the death of their previous dog.

He said: “We knew we wanted an older rescue dog when we lost our last pet, as we are retired and don’t have the lifestyle for a puppy.

“Hooch came over to me to sniff my hand and started licking it. That broke the ice.”

Tina added: “He’s coping very well without his sight too. He still bumps into things occasionally but on the whole he is brilliant, he’s adapted brilliantly.

“We try and make life easier for him. We live in a bungalow so he doesn’t have to tackle stairs. We were also told not to move the furniture around so his surroundings are familiar. It hasn’t been as much of a challenge as I thought.”

Anyone interested in adopting a pet from the RSPCA should visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet for further details.