Wood Green: Here for every little star this Christmas

from Hitchin Dec 2021

Time for a Party

Local News

Wood Green: Here for every little star this Christmas

For many homeless pets, kindness goes a long way in restoring their trust in humans. For Nora, a 10-yearold Terrier cross who was brought to Wood Green, The Animals Charity’s centre in Cambridgeshire after she was abandoned and tied to a farm gate, it was lifesaving. She was cold, wet, and in a very vulnerable condition. Worse still, Nora was almost completely blind, so the whole experience must have been terrifying. Clarissa Luck, a Dog Carer at Wood Green, was one of the first to meet Nora. She recalls: “Her skin was infected, causing it to be painful and itchy. Her coat was matted all over, even on her paws, causing her discomfort with every step”. Nora had entered a state known as ‘emotional shut down’, where a dog’s needs have been neglected for so long that they won’t eat, walk or play. Nora was a little star throughout her treatments Despite having a list of problems that ran from nose to tail, Nora was incredibly gentle while Wood Green worked tirelessly to bring her comfort and relief. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the charity was able to dedicate time, effort and resources to cut away the mats in Nora’s coat, clip her overgrown nails and give her regular medicated baths to soothe her itchy skin. Experts at Wood Green attended to Nora’s infected ears, removed seven rotten teeth and treated her severely dry eyes. Unfortunately, the severe glaucoma that caused her to go blind was creating a build-up of pressure in her eyes, and the only way to ensure a pain-free future for Nora was to surgically remove both eyes. As she was already blind, this would at least prevent any further discomfort. A whole new chapter was about to begin With daily checks, ongoing medication and a lot of patience and love, Nora quickly bounced back from her surgeries and was ready for rehoming. Despite her ordeal, Nora soon began to take pleasure in human company – and she always loved a fuss. While taking on a blind dog isn’t as hard as some people imagine, Nora had some special requirements for her retirement home. Thankfully, patient owners Chris and Karen ticked all of Nora’s wish list and told Wood Green: “Nora has taken us on as her people. She doesn’t let anything that has happened in the past affect her and she really seems to enjoy life; her tail is always wagging and she even looks like she is smiling a lot of the time.” Will you help more little stars like Nora to shine again? Nora’s transformation is a wonderful turnaround and shows what the charity can achieve, thanks to the kindness of supporters. Gifts to Wood Green really do make such an impact so, if you can, please support the Little Stars Appeal this Christmas. Your donation will enable the charity to continue caring for abandoned strays who need urgent care in the months ahead. To support Wood Green, and make a real difference to pets like Nora, please visit www.woodgreen.org.uk/littlestar