A dog who had been missing in Harrogate for almost two weeks has been found alive – but faces surgery after suffering serious injuries during his ordeal.
Ozzy was found this morning (Wednesday) following a major community effort to locate him after he disappeared 13 days ago.
He is now receiving treatment at a veterinary hospital in Ripon, with his vet bill already reaching around £3,500.
Ozzy is dehydrated, has lost 2.5kg in weight and is suffering from fly strike, a serious condition caused when flies lay eggs on an animal and the resulting maggots damage its skin and tissue.
He has also suffered a serious injury to his left eye, which vets have been unable to save and will now need to be removed.
An appeal has been launched to help fund his treatment and recovery, with K9-SAR helping to facilitate his care.
A spokesperson involved in the search said:
“Wow, what an amazing community we have, together we found Ozzy.
“A massive thank you to everyone involved, it’s so amazing what we can do together.
“The recovery journey for Ozzy has just begun; he is dehydrated, suffering from Fly Strike, is on a drip and has a serious injury to his left eye.
“After his traumatic 13 day and night experience he needs access to the health care he deserves.”
Ozzy had been missing since Wednesday 5th August, sparking an extensive search across the Harrogate area.
He was spotted near the railway tracks around Hornbeam Park station and Crimple Valley Viaduct the following morning, with Network Rail searching the area but finding no trace of him.
Numerous possible sightings were subsequently reported around Crimple Valley, the Great Yorkshire Showground, Hookstone and Forest Lane.
Those involved in the search said Ozzy had survived time around railway tracks as well as an apparent animal attack before eventually being found.
An update following his discovery said:
“This boy is a true warrior, he survived the rail tracks and an animal attack leaving him severely injured.”
Ozzy will remain at the veterinary hospital while receiving antibiotics and treatment for dehydration and fly strike, with surgery planned to remove his injured eye.
Donations towards his veterinary treatment are being collected by K9-SAR, with supporters asked to use the reference ‘Ozzy’.
Details can be found via K9-SAR on social media here.
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