Hi guys.. I don't normally like posting on here about things other than DewDrop Craftz.. but this is definately worthy.
As a Husky owner myself I frequent a Husky Owners forum.. and we are trying to raise money to help out Merlins owner with replacing his hip if viable.. if not the money will go the the practice that has been dealing with Merlin and sometimes for free.
So.. firstly here is Merlins story..
On the 18th of November 2008 a small bundle of battered fur was intrusted into my care. Merlin had been badly beaten by his owners causing both of his hips to be broken, a bleed on his brain and fractured ribs. He was very scared and still showing the swellings from the beatings.
Merlins owner had bought him at 6 weeks of age and beaten him repeatedly until he was taken away at 14 weeks. He then spent two weeks in an RSPCA animal hospital before comming into foster with me while the RSPCA gaherd evidance to prossicute his owners at the age of 16 weeks. Merlin had been living with his sister up until he was taken away. Two days before the RSPCA got to him his sister had been killed infront of merlin. She had had an impact to her skull causing her to fit and then die.
Through the first few months merlin struggled with everything. He was scared of normal house hold objects and to this day sill runns form cored and rope when its being picked up. I started taking him to training casses to boost his confidence and they worked really well. He was able to meet new people in a safe enviroment and he started to come on leaps and bounds.
In March 2008 Merlin had his first hip replacement. It was complex surgery and the first of its kind as merlins leg had grown deformed due to the impact of the beatings crushing his bones. He has a new hip in his left leg along with a metal plate, alot of wire, screws and cement.
On June the 22nd 2009 merlin turned 1 year old. He was now up and active, loving his life and was turning out to be a wonderfull dog. He still had many behavioural issues but he was making great progress with them. He was getting better at letting new people approach him, would tollerate dogs near him and found out that he loves puppies to bits! He still has a hate of children. We dont know why and it is something I am working on with him. He was still on some pain relief for his legs, but was making vast improvements. Through the summer months merlin spent days at the beach, laying out in the garden and having walks in the countryside. He started aggility classes and was brilliant at them. He loved every minuet and was starting to have the life he deserved. 
I started taking Merlin to some alternative healing evenings. They were based around rakie healing and he really flourrished at them. As soon as we got there he could clearly feel the positive energy and was so happy and would greet everyone! The sessions were also really relaxing for me, i loved the meditations and because i was more relaxed so was merlin.
In september we moved into a new house with a friend of mine. Now it was me, my friend, merlin and poppy the lab. Merlin loves poppy and would follower her anywhere...even over the garden wall and into the fields!! Suddenly my very placed husky had a mind of his own and was acting like a real dog. He would play chase for hours and really enjoyed living in the
countryside
Over the next two months we made two more additions to the house and then had a full pack. Rosie the rottiand summer the greyhound came to join us and merlin loved every minuet! He is completley in love with Rosie to the extent she can take his food and toys, somthing no other dog and only myself are able to do 
Unfortunalty our luck ran out and a few weeks before christmas merlin became lame and was in a great deal of pain on his left hind leg. he went back on some very strong pain killers and completley withdrew into himself. He was like a body with no sole. We went back to the vets and discoverd that his new hip joint had broken away from his pelvis. For a time we thought this would mean amputation...a serious problem considering the other hip is still broken. Merlin went back into surgery a few days before christmas and then came home. It was now touch and go to see what would happen. There was also a complication in surgery. One of the nerves in the leg had been nicked so merlin had no use of his foot and had no pain reflex. Things were not looking good for my little man
It was back to physio and hydro for merlin and crossing of every body part. He had to be kept seperate from the girls and needed carrying everywhere. The only time he could walk/stand was for a quick toilet break. The rest of the time he needed to be keept completley still.
Within a few weeks merlin started to pick up again. He was recovering much quicker this time round and although his foot wasnt working completely correctly he was learning to use it. Through january and febuary he came on leaps and bounds. He started walking about again and was able to go back with the girls mid febuarry, which of course he loved
Its now mid march and merlin is a completley different dog. He is happy, active and loving his walks. While the nerve in his leg is still damaged he has learnt to walk again and can keep up with the girls. The vets have now cleared him to get on with his life and will see him in 6months to see how everything is going and to look at the other hip.
For now he is in no pain and has a good quality of life. His owners have now been sucessfully prossicuted and is in prisson for the next 6 months. The true horrers of merlins life were revealed in whitness statements. Merlin had been tied up and beaten outside with anything that came to hand. Poles, tree branches, ropes had all been used to beat him repetadly. He had also been kicked and punched when ever he got in the way or was "missbehaving". This poor dog went through so much and surrvived it all.
I have decided to keep merlin, there is no way i could give him up after all we have been through. he still has problems with children and some men scare him, however he is in a much better frame of mind that he was when he came to me and im sure he will continue to make progress
So.. if you are able to donate.. no matter the size of the donation please let me know and I can pass on some details.
Thankyou for taking the time to read Merlins story.
Nikki x
Posts
