Skeletal lurcher dog starved and 'ruthlessly over worked' makes remarkable recovery

A dog almost starved to death by cruel owners then thrown over a rescue centre's gates has made a remarkable recovery.

Casper the lurcher was worked so ruthlessly he had no fat or muscle left on him and his ribs were sticking through his fur.

The dog was thrown from a car which sped away on Halloween night last year and staff at Rescue Me Animal Sanctuary in Merseyside, Liverpool, cared for him round-the-clock to keep him alive.

Staff said Casper had been exposed to the ‘the worst of humanity’ and was one of the worst cases of poor treatment they'd witnessed.

Sam B’stard, from Last Chance Hotel in Cornwall, said Casper – who they believe is around eight years old - was one of the most tragic cases the rescue centre had ever seen.

Casper was put on a feeding regime of small meals every two-hours so it didn’t put a strain on his body (LastChanceHotel.org)

She said: “His heart was so weak, it was touch and go for a long time whether he would make it or not.

“We had to give him miniscule portions of food to start with – eight really tiny meals a day - because too much could have put a strain on his heart and killed him.

“It was very sad, it was just pure neglect. He didn’t have any other illness or physical problem – he’s a big lad who’d simply been starved.”

Casper was thrown over an animal rescue centre's gates (LastChanceHotel.org)

Casper was put on an intensive feeding regime that saw him eat small meals every two hours, to slowly build up his body without putting a strain on his vital organs.

Vets were also able to begin treating painful growths on his body, overgrown nails and sore toes.

A week later, when he started to show signs of improvement, Casper headed to Last Chance Hotel Animal Rescue in Cornwall where he has made an incredible recovery.

Despite his brutal start in life, Casper is a sociable pooch who ‘loves people and dogs’ (LastChanceHotel.org)

In just under three months, Casper has made an incredible recovery and staff are searching for a new home (LastChanceHotel.org)

Now, less than three months since he was abandoned in a heartbreaking state, he is ready to be re-homed.

Despite his horrific past, Sam says Casper still has a gentle, affectionate nature. She added: “He loves people, he loves dogs, he’s just lovely.

“He enjoys one to one attention and he loves being near you – on your lap, by your side, under your feet – he wants to be in your space, he just craves love.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about Casper, or in supporting the work of Last Chance Hotel, should visit: https://www.lastchancehotel.org/casper.html