Puppy with illegal mutilations found on side of road after hit-and-run finds love

On a busy Friday evening in Pinner, London, local vet Dr Reena Patel answered the phone to a panicked member of the public who found a puppy that had been the victim of a hit-and-run incident . The Doberman, Angus, was around six months old when he was discovered on the side of the road, in shock and with a visibly broken leg. After receiving the call and knowing urgent help was required, the Medivet Pinner clinic dispatched its nursing team in an ambulance to collect Angus immediately. Working late into the evening, Dr Reena and her team of nurses had to act fast to save the puppy. The team worked quickly with a surgeon over the weekend to conduct Angus' surgery, repairing his injured leg. Dr Reena Patel BSc (Hons) BVSc PgC (SAS) GP Cert (DI) MRCVS, Co-owner and Partner at Medivet Pinner, said: "My team was at the surgery until late into the Friday evening when Angus was first admitted. "It didn’t cross anyone’s mind that they needed to go; we were here for Angus. Our network of vets ensured that we could find Angus the right surgeons who could help him the most." After a successful surgery to stabilise his leg, Angus was patched up with a cast to ensure the fracture healed correctly and stayed with the team for two weeks to monitor his recovery. After managing to get in touch with Angus' owners, the team advised that they, unfortunately, could no longer take care of him. However, Dr Reena knew the puppy deserved a loving, caring home. After exploring different options for re-homing Angus, Dr Reena introduced Angus to Mark, the father of one of the nurses, and the rest was history. Mark, Angus' new owner, said: "When we first met Angus, he bounded into the room and headed straight for my wife, and then came over to me. That was it, for us. Job done." He added: "When we first saw Angus, we noticed his cropped ears and docked tail. The Medivet team explained that these procedures are illegal in the UK and often linked to serious welfare concerns, as they cause unnecessary pain and distress. "It’s upsetting to think about what he may have been through, but absolutely none of this changed how we felt about him - within seconds we knew he was coming home with us. Angus is so loved for who he is, but his experiences are a reminder of why these practices should never happen." Ear cropping is illegal in England and Wales, under Section 5 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) says: "It's a painful process where a dog's outer ears are removed altogether or are surgically altered, with the tips or huge sections of the outer ear being cut off". Tail docking is considered to be a mutilation under UK law. According to the British Veterinary Association (BVA): "The practice is illegal in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; however, there are some exemptions, such as removal of the tail by a vet for medical reasons or for certain breeds of working dogs." Now eight months old, Angus is making good progress after his surgery and continues to brighten the lives of Mark and his family every day. Angus has quickly become a key member of the family, loved by Mark, Dawn and their grandchildren. He enjoys slow walks around the local park and cuddles in his new home, as he continues to recover from his injuries. Dr Reena said: "Watching Angus go through the entire journey, from being so unwell to now living with a family that completely adore him. That’s a real love story, isn’t it?" Mark added: "Angus has the most brilliant temperament; he’s a wonderful dog. He loves people. When I retire over the next few years, I’m looking forward to having him as a companion. Everyone at Medivet Pinner adores Angus, and I can’t praise them enough. They’ve been brilliant and you couldn’t ask for a better vet." A spokesperson for Medivet and Partners said: "The clinic has more than 350 First Opinion clinics in the UK, and 25 different 24-hour emergency veterinary surgeries in the UK, ready to not only help with urgent treatment, but also accurately advise on the severity of a problem to determine the level of care needed."