Dog rescued at Aylesbury RSPCA centre after suffering second-degree burns which went untreated for 10 days

Two Christmases ago, a dog was rescued to an Aylesbury centre after suffering second-degree burns which were untreated for 10 days.

Samson, was forced to endure horrific suffering for 10 days, as the owner said he couldn't afford to treat his scalded frame.

The three-year-old dog was taken to the RSPCA's Blackberry Farm Animal Centre in Quainton, after a social worker intervened.

Two years on, Samson is thriving, the RSPCA advises he now knows that Christmas can be a magical time of year.

After recovering from agonising burns suffered in a devastating accident, when his back was covered in scalding water, Samson was adopted.

The RSPCA is using his recovery as a shining example of the value of its Join the Recuse programme.

It takes both the generosity of the public volunteering and its trained officers to help rehabilitate animals like Samson.

The mastiff cross was adopted by the Bushaway family, from Baldock, in Hertfordshire, in August 2020 after they lost their Rottweiler the previous year.

Mum-of-three Lee, 45, and Paul, 52, had been looking to adopt a rescue dog ever since.

“The house just didn’t feel the same without a dog,” Lee said. “We spotted Sam’s photo and thought he looked lovely. We applied and, within just a few hours, we’d spoken to his carers on the phone and had a video call with the team.”

The family went to visit the mastiff cross the following day and brought Sam home with them.

After receiving veterinary care and rehabilitation from the RSPCA team, Sam's scars had healed and he was ready to find a new home.

Inspector Lauren Bailey, who investigated his case, said: “Samson was taken for immediate vet care for severe burns and a secondary infection which must have been incredibly painful.

"His owner said he couldn’t afford to take Samson for treatment because it was Christmas and he had no money left, and agreed to sign him over.

“Samson was treated for weeks as he had extensive scalding to his right ear, head, neck, shoulders and back. He cried when he was touched and would shake his head repeatedly. He received pain relief and antibiotics before going under anesthetic to have his wounds cleaned.

“Once the wounds had been cleaned and his fur had been clipped back I was shocked at the extent of the burns.”

Once under the RSPCA's supervision, Samson was checked out by vets and then moved to the RSPCA’s London hospital.

Following ongoing, extensive hospital treatment Samson was moved to the Blackberry Farm.

The RSPCA advises although, he still has some fears and anxieties, the four-year-old has learned to trust again.

Lee said: “He has settled in really well and is such a character; everyone loves him. He loves being with people and is very playful - he’ll play fetch for hours!

"My youngest son, Jason, 23, absolutely dotes on him but he’s a real mummy’s boy at heart. He’s so loving and affectionate, and he follows me everywhere.

“In the evenings I curl up on the sofa under a blanket and have to make sure there’s enough on the floor next to me for him to curl up and sleep on even though he has his own snuggly blanket in his bed!

“He struggles with other dogs he doesn’t know so we take him for long walks in the countryside where he won’t bump into others. He does have some friends he’s made in the local area, like Labrador Aero, and they love to run and play in the garden.”

The family is now looking forward to their second Christmas with Sam. Lee added: “We really weren’t sure how Sam would react on his first Christmas with us, especially as his incident happened over Christmas.

"We didn’t know if the tree and decorations would remind him of the trauma, and there are still times where we can see that what happened did have a mental impact on him.

“But to look at him now you really wouldn’t even know what he’d been through. I absolutely love Christmas and go all out every year so I’m really glad that he now knows that Christmas can be a truly magical time.

“This year he’ll get to open all of his presents while we open ours and then we’ll go for a nice long walk. He can have a special Christmas dinner while we eat and then we’ll all cuddle on the sofa and watch festive films. He will definitely get spoiled but he really deserves it.”

More information on the rescue programme is available on the RSPCA website here.