A dog means responsibility and this is all the more true for a sick or disabled four-legged friend. A handicapped dog also requires more time.
Unfortunately, it seems to be too much effort for some dog owners to raise a puppy with a handicap and to adapt to its suffering when training it.
For example, one dog owner unceremoniously leashed his blind puppy to a tree in the forest and left it behind.
A walk in the woods
As is so often the case, a couple from Carinthia in Austria set off with their four-legged friend for their daily walk in a small wooded area near Völkermarkt.
On this day, however, their dog dragged them towards a tree on a lead. It was only when they got closer that they realised why their beloved four-legged friend was so excited.
A frightened puppy was sitting behind the tree, not making a sound. The walkers were horrified to discover that he was tied to the tree with a lead.
Call to the animal welfare organisation
„If our favourite hadn’t smelled the puppy and alerted us, who knows what would have happened to him“
the Carinthian walker later explained to the animal rights activists from the Tierschutz Aktiv Kärnten organisation.
As soon as he discovered the poor creature, he pulled out his phone and called the animal welfare organisation to report his find.
As a dog owner, he could not understand how anyone could be so heartless as to simply abandon such a cute puppy in a forest, the Carinthian went on to say.
Examination by the vet
The vet’s examination revealed that the puppy was blind.
His overall state of health was already not the best, but the eye disease was probably the decisive factor in the little chap being abandoned.
An intensive eye test confirmed that the puppy could only see a slight contrast between light and dark in one eye, otherwise he couldn’t see anything at all.
Animal trainer looks after Nemo
After the little puppy was brought to the Tierschutz Aktiv Kärnten animal shelter to be nursed back to health and temporarily housed, a dog trainer was found to help him find his way into his blind life.
The animal welfare activists christened the funny chap „Nemo“ and shared his story on their social media accounts. They are looking for a family who would like to adopt Nemo as a second dog.
Having a compatible older dog by his side could make Nemo’s life easier and help him to find his bearings.
Countless enquiries for adoption
Although Nemo is blind and the animal welfare organisations place high demands on the new owners, so many people have registered for him that no further enquiries are necessary.
The staff at Tierschutz Aktiv Kärnten are convinced that they will soon be able to find a new family for little Nemo!
