Starving dog that ate own tail making good recovery

Goldie is a survivor. That’s how officials of the Humane Society of North Iowa refer to the Golden Retriever that experienced a harrowing three weeks and was almost put to death to put her out of her misery. Now she is healing and in need of a home. Sybil Soukup, executive director of the Humane Society, said her organization received a phone call from a distressed landlord in Forest City, Iowa. An evicted tenant had moved out, leaving behind eight dogs, all of them emaciated, malnourished, and filthy.



Loving homes were found for all, except for an elderly Golden Retriever, who was later named Goldie. “Goldie had been imprisoned in an outdoor kennel for nearly three weeks,” said Soukup. “She had no food and only a limited water supply. In an attempt to avoid inevitable starvation, Goldie consumed half her tail, leaving the bone painfully exposed,” she said. Despite all efforts of the landlord, Goldie was clearly in agony; euthanasia was becoming a sad last resort, said Soukup.

On the day the landlord was preparing to take Goldie to the veterinarian to end her misery, he called the Humane Society of North Iowa and learned the shelter had space and resources available to help the dog in need. “Goldie showed up skinny, excited, bloodied, half-tail wagging, and seemingly anxious to make new friends,” said Soukup. At only 46 pounds, she was 20 pounds underweight. The Humane Society immediately scheduled surgery to have her mutilated tail amputated and she was put on a high-protein diet.


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Now, two weeks after her arrival, she has gained six pounds, her tail is healing “and she is ready to put the past behind her,” said Soukup. “Goldie’s story of survival shows us just how resilient this beautiful girl is. She endured three dismal weeks of neglect and abandonment confirming that pets are not disposable or something you leave behind when your life moves on,” she said. Once Goldie makes a full recovery the Humane Society hopes she will be adopted. Soukup described here as “a seven- year-old female Golden Retriever with a survivalist instinct, a forgiving spirit and a heart of pure gold.”