At the Benton-Franklin Humane Society in Kennewick, Washington, Bluey had been surrendered to the shelter on Tuesday. Needless to say, he was a mess. His fur was matted nearly four-inches thick across his face; his ears were hidden beneath the hard mass of hair and filth.
He could not see nor could he move comfortably.
And yet his little tail never stopped wagging.
Bluey was sedated, and for the next three-and-a-half hours, the team shaved the hardened fur masses away. His delicate body and his ears were treated for the painful and raw wounds.
Collectively, the staff removed nearly 1.25 pounds of matted fur from this tiny dog. Every step was done carefully as to keep him comfortable and provide him with the relief he deserved.
The non profit rescue organization decided to share Bluey’s plight to bring awareness to the community. There are many people who are suffering financial hardships now, and in many cases, too proud to admit the problem, but the consequences can lead to animal neglect – not necessarily on purpose, but nevertheless, Bluey’s situation should not have occurred.
We also need to be aware of the necessity of a pet needing a veterinarian and the importance of yearly preventative vaccines. In this case, grooming was not possible without a rabies vaccine and getting to a veterinarian had become a barrier.
If you are struggling, if your pet needs care, if something feels overwhelming—reach out to us. We are here to help, and we will always do what we can to support you and your pet before it gets to this point.
Matting like this is painful, restrictive and preventable. Regular grooming is not just about appearance; it’s essential for a dog’s health and comfort.
Let’s work together to keep our pets happy, healthy and seen—literally and figuratively.
If you would like to help raise funds for the emergency medical fund (Champion Fund), sponsor this dog’s care or adoption, please reach out to Jennifer in the development office directly 509-491-0812 or message her through their Facebook page.
Bluey is about three years old and has been identified as a maltipoo. (Pretty cute heh?)
https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx…
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