Weighing in at a whopping 53 kilos, Sophie the Staffie cross might just be the fattest dog RSPCA South Australia has ever seen. Both our rescue and vet teams were gobsmacked by her size, with the poor dear weighing almost four times as much as her breed's average weight.
RSPCA became aware of Sophie after a call was made to Team-Rescue. Her original owners had tragically passed away and Sophie had fallen into the care of a housemate, who was struggling to look after her.
Inspector Krista was the first to respond. "When I first saw her I couldn't believe it," she said.
"She was so big, I didn't even know if she was able to walk."
It would take more than one person to move Sophie
When Kirsta first met Sophie, she was lying on a couch and reluctant to move. Krista coaxed Sophie down to the floor, but the dog refused to move any further.
"I have never encountered a dog that big before," said Krista.
"Losing both her owners had taken quite an emotional toll on the poor thing - she was very stressed out and wasn't willing to go anywhere with me.
"There was no way I'd be able to lift her into the van so I called in reinforcements."
RSPCA Animal Ambulance volunteer Peter quickly arrived to lend a helping hand.
"I was very relieved to see Sophie stand up – she was surprisingly calm for all the drama going on around her," said Peter.
"We just needed to transport her to Lonsdale as smoothly as possible. I'll admit lifting her into the van was a real workout!"
It's a long road to helping Sophie reach her optimal weight
On her arrival at Lonsdale, Sophie was immediately placed on a strict meal plan and exercise regime, requiring daily implementation by someone with experience in looking after over-sized pooches.
Inspector Stuart, RSPCA SA's puppy-fat burning expert, stepped up to the task and took Sophie home.
"I've looked after quite a few dogs on the thicker side," laughed Stuart.
"Sophie is definitely the biggest I've encountered, but I'm happy to help with her fitness journey. I can't wait to see her running around enjoying the happy, healthy lifestyle she deserves."
Stay tuned for updates on Sophie's weight-loss progress.
Magpie gets his foot painfully caught in a mouse-trap
This magpie will need to tread lightly after getting his leg caught in a mouse trap. The plastic clamp had cut deeply into his lower foot, leaving a nasty gash on one of his four toes.
A concerned resident had witnessed the magpie limping through her backyard in Blackwood and had made an attempt to rescue him - despite having his leg trapped, this magpie still had plenty of pep left in his step and managed to avoid being captured.
So how do you capture a bird caught in a mouse trap? Well, apparently with an even bigger trap says Senior Rescue Officer Nalika.
"It's definitely a first for me," she said.
"Because he was still able to fly and was quite young, I knew our best bet would be to use a special box bird trap. "
The art of capturing a magpie
Nalika delivered a box trap to the Blackwood property.
"It's much easier for someone who lives near a bird to capture them as they are familiar with seeing them each day," said Nalika.
"I gave a quick demonstration on how to set the trap and we were good to go.
"It didn't take too long for the bird to be lured into the trap with food.
"He was really sore so I took him to a local vet clinic. Unfortunately, he lost his toe and needed to go on a course of antibiotics to avoid infection setting in."
Nalika advised that if a humane trap had been used to capture the mouse, this bird wouldn't have lost a toe.
"People should always be mindful when laying traps that other animals may get stuck or injured, so always survey your area before laying one."
The magpies injures were treated at an external vet.
