A Dublin couple have set up a GoFundMe as they desperately appeal for funds to help bring their sick dog back to Ireland.
Keith Ward and Fiona Barry found the adorable Gracie, a three month old Golden Retriever, without food and water and drinking her own urine to stay hydrated in a glass cage outside a pet shop in the city of Bogota in Colombia.
Despite feeling it was the wrong thing to do, the paid handed over money to the pet shop to rescue her.
Fiona explained: "We brought her to the vet who advised that Gracie needed urgent medical attention in the animal hospital.
"There, she was treated with malnutrition, infestation of fleas, parasites in her intestines, a high fever and a bacterial infection. Gracie stayed three nights in the animal hospital and is on many medications for the next 10 days.
"Keith and I are backpackers who left Ireland in June to travel the world. We never intended to be in this situation and we never expected to meet nor fall in love with this dog.
"She has become our absolute world and rescuing her and bringing her back to full health is one of our proudest achievements."
Fiona added that there is a rather large number of bills stacking up due to the sheer number of documents in the process.
She said: "This cost to transport a dog across the world isn't cheap and involves a lot more than just booking flights.
"We need to pay for her vaccinations, microchip, passport, legal documents, an IADA pet carrier, vet certificate and of course, flights.
"We want Gracie home for Christmas with our family. She had an extremely tough start to life and she deserves nothing more than love and affection for the remainder of her life. Keith, I and our family can give her that in abundance."
To donate and bring Gracie back to Ireland, please visit their GoFundMe account- Here
