In October 2021, authorities were asked to investigate a case of animal cruelty, in the Manuwera suburb of Auckland.
Arriving at the scene, they found the woman had numerous dogs. Among them, they discovered Nuggi.
Unbelievable obesity
Brown crossbreed Nuggi was so overweight that he could hardly move.
The poor pup was in terrible condition. He was suffering such obesity that he had to stop three times on the 10 metre walk to his rescuer's car.
Once, at the shelter, he was found to weigh a staggering 53.7kg. The excess fat he was carrying meant the vet team couldn't even hear his heart with a stethoscope.
He was also suffering from skin problems and conjunctivitis.
The SPCA team who took him in had never seen a case quite like it.
"Nuggi was one of the most obese animals we have ever encountered. He was suffering from the considerable weight he was carrying. Sadly, we see underweight, malnourished animals everyday, but it's just as heartbreaking to see a helpless animal who has been severely overfed", explained shelter manager Todd Westwood in his testimony.
Sentenced for cruelty
Because of his condition, Nuggi found it difficult to stand, walk, and even just to breathe.
His owner claimed she fed him 8 to 10 pieces of chicken a day, but that she walked him regularly and let him spend time in the garden. Given his condition, this argument didn't stand up in court.
Tragically, after two months in the shelter, receiving the care he needed, Nuggi suffered severe internal bleeding when a mass on his liver ruptured. His owner was sentenced to two months in jail for animal cruelty, in addition to €1,150 euros in damages and a 12-month ban on owning dogs.
