On 12 July, a passerby made a shocking discovery in Flushing, in the Queens borough of New York, USA. Looking inside a rubbish bin on Farrington Street, the local resident spotted two young dogs in severe distress. The poor animals had wire wrapped tightly around their muzzles.
The New York police were alerted quickly and rushed the two young dogs to a veterinary clinic. Named Poppy and Petunia, the dogs were in a critical condition. They were severely underweight and suffered from infections, with deep wounds cutting down to the bone on their upper jaws, which they were unable to open.
A long recovery at the ASPCA
The two dogs were then transferred to the ASPCA care centre in Manhattan. Once there, the veterinary team treated their wounds and gave them antibiotics and pain relief.
During their recovery, Poppy and Petunia were fed a special soft diet to protect their jaws. Volunteers also made sure they only had soft cuddly toys to play with. David Little, a manager at the ASPCA, pointed out that without the quick-thinking resident who called the police, the dogs would not have survived.
A brand new start in life
Despite the scars still visible on their muzzles, the two dogs gradually rebuilt their strength and learned how to play again.
On 14 August, the ASPCA confirmed the news everyone had been waiting for: Poppy and Petunia were fully recovered and had been adopted into loving homes.