Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/orlando-groomers-help-severely-matted-dog-loretta/

Loretta, a one-year-old sheepadoodle (sheep dog and poodle mix), arrived at Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida unable to walk due to severely matted fur and had to be carried.

The shelter took her in late Saturday afternoon and immediately took to social media with a plea for help. They wrote, “Urgent courtesy groom needed in the Orlando area! We were asked to help a dog with very little background information or details. We were simply asked to help. We asked if this was a backyard breeder dog and we were told ‘no’ although we were skeptical because we could see puppies in the background of the photo provided with this girl in an outdoor pen. None of that matters now, she’s safe in our care. She’s in rough shape and we’re looking for a courtesy groom ASAP.”

They knew it was a “BIG ask”, but they couldn’t wait until Monday to give the sweet girl some relief. The response was overwhelming and early Sunday morning Loretta was headed to As The Tail Wags Grooming and Training in Oviedo. Three groomers, Kristie, Shannon and Megan, came in on their day off to help.

For over three hours, the groomers carefully shaved away the matted coat. “The matting was so severe in some places that Loretta’s skin was tearing, which is why you see some open wounds on her body in the photos, and her back legs appear to be atrophied from the restriction of movement,” shared the shelter.

The timid pup is finally able to walk but will need to rebuild strength and muscle in her hind legs. She is currently at a foster home where she is getting all the care she needs.

Photos of Loretta’s transformation and the groomers who came to the rescue were shared on the shelter’s Instagram page. They thanked the kindhearted women for their help and wrote, “Loretta’s transformation is a testament to the incredible power of community and compassion. To say this groom was a tough job is a huge understatement, but these incredible women gently worked their magic as if they were Loretta’s personal fairy godmothers, and we could not be more grateful.”

Loretta still has a long road to recovery as she limps on her front leg, is underweight, and heartworm positive, but she is off to a great start.

People were touched by the kind gesture by the groomers and thanks the shelter for rescuing her. Several said they hopes the person who neglected her was charged. The shelter replied, “You need to write to and contact your local, county, and state authorities. Animal neglect/abuse is rarely ever prosecuted and the laws are vague or only deal with the absolute worst cases. Under the law, this is not considered neglect.”

Loretta is in good hands now and has her whole life ahead of her. Once she has fully recovered, she will be put up for adoption. Follow Poodle and Pooch Rescue on Facebook for more updates on Loretta.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog