Hundreds of people have reached out to help the "poor baby" dog who tried to eat his own tail out of stress.
Rodney, a lurcher cross, was found living in a wet kennel in the back garden of a Huyton home.
He had been left alone for weeks on end and was starving with sores all over his legs.
His owner is believed to have only been feeding him every few days which devastated hundreds of ECHO readers.
Comments on Facebook showed how disgusted people were by his treatment.
Many even said that they had emailed the RSPCA to enquire about adopting Rodney and giving him the home he deserves.
Sophie Cleary said: "Disgusting. Poor Rodney, hope he gets what he deserves in a lovely new home."
Chris Smart also said: "This makes me so angry.
"Who could do this to a poor innocent dog."
Margaret McAndrew added: "What kind of people would do this to a defenceless animal.
"Poor boy. I hope he gets a good home."
Simone Backhouse was one of the people who said they had emailed to find out about Rodney.
She said: "Would love to rehome this poor boy.
"I’ve emailed."
Alana Bibby, welfare team leader at the RSPCA, said: “Rodney is such a jolly and happy chap - you wouldn’t know he had such a bad start in life.
“He has come on great in our care - and he loves people. He jumps up as if to say ‘hug me’ and most opportunities.
“Poor Rodney was so stressed with being left on his own for such long periods of time without interaction that he chewed his own tail and had to have it amputated halfway up. He now has half a tail but still enthusiastically wags it.
“It seems he is keen to make up for lost time as we believe he was left in a kennel for long periods of time and has probably never lived in a home.”
“He walks well and gets on well with other dogs - but because he has never lived in a home before he will need someone with patience to care for him.
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"They will have to treat him like a puppy and start from scratch with training him - but he will do well because he is a very bright dog who is so eager to please.”
RSPCA animal rescuer, Inspector Pamela Bird added: “The owner of Rodney was traced and he agreed to hand the dog into our care.
“He said he had fallen on hard times and was working away so he would come back and feed him every couple of days but the rest of the time he was left in his kennel.
“I am just pleased he is enjoying life again and not left outside in a kennel with no company for days on end. He’s a lovely and affectionate dog who deserves the best of home.”
Anyone interested in re-homing Rodney can email the RSPCA branch with the subject matter ‘Rodney’ to rehoming@rspca-whs.org.uk
