No water. No love. No care.

Just a few scattered biscuits in a filthy, faeces-covered yard.

That was all Marnie, and her week-old puppies, had to survive.

When we met Marnie, our hearts broke.

This darling two-year-old dog had been abandoned and neglected by the one person who was supposed to love and care for her.

Left alone without water – and nothing but scraps in a filthy yard – she was found skinny, gaunt and desperate for water. 

Every bone in her body was visible.

And she’d just given birth to three tiny puppies.

After experiencing cruelty like this, neglected and abused animals like Marnie need urgent treatment, medicine, and shelter to recover from the pain and suffering they experience.

They need love, care, and kindness…

Sara Macpherson from the RSPCA WA shelter team was there when Marnie and her puppies came in for urgent, life-saving care. It was quickly discovered that her condition was worse than we could’ve imagined.

Poor Marnie was not only severely underweight, she was also extremely dehydrated. The dehydration was so severe that, when attempting a blood test, vets discovered even Marnie’s blood was slow and hard to draw.

Sara shares that without urgent care, Marnie “wouldn’t have lasted much longer”.

“She was literally skin and bones,” Sara explains.

“She was starving, and she hadn’t been given water. So she was jumping up in the vet clinic while a tap was running, trying to drink. She’d been without water for a long time.”

Marnie isn’t the only animal who has experienced this kind of abuse.

All across WA there has been an increase in the number of animals coming into our care who are starved to skin and bones. Abused. Abandoned. Neglected.

Marnie was put on a drip to get the hydration she desperately needed. But, given how bad her condition was, our vets knew she was still in serious trouble.

She needed to put on weight – fast. But when animals like Marnie are so skinny, being given too much food too quickly can cause major issues. And even death.

So the vet team started her on a special feeding plan, under careful supervision, giving her very small meals – just a few tablespoons, about six times a day – before building the amounts up gradually, over time.

Slowly but surely, this brave girl began to gain weight. And a zest for life.

“She became a lot more playful once she had a bit more weight on her. She had more energy to expend. 

“We find that when they’re super skinny like Marnie was, they don’t have the energy to do much other than absolute basics. 

“But as they start to regain that condition, then you start to see the personality come out and get a lot more playful.”

Marnie was only two years old. Almost still a puppy herself. And this was possibly the first time in her life she’d been able to play – to enjoy life.

During her stay here at RSPCA WA, Marnie spent a lot of time with Sara and the shelter staff. 

Their office became home to this poor, sad, and sunken-eyed girl who simply couldn’t cope with being in a kennel. And after all she’d been through, who could blame her?

Over weeks and months, Sara and her team had a front row seat to Marnie’s recovery. To watch her personality and her trust in people blossom. 

But getting to see the type of dog Marnie was only left the team more heartbroken. More confused.

“We would look at her – a soft, sweet dog who was giving everything to her puppies, to us. And we’d wonder ‘How can you do that to a dog?’.

“How can you just go, ‘Oh no, I’m not going to feed you. I’m not going to give you water.’ It’s just beyond ludicrous.”

Every day, animals like Marnie across Western Australia are in pain and unnecessarily suffering.

They are being denied food, water or shelter. They are facing harm, and are even subject to acts of violence.

Right now, our Animal Care Centre is at capacity.

And all these animals need vet treatment, medicine, and shelter to recover before finding a new, happy home. Before they have a second chance at life.

Sadly, due to the neglect at the beginning of their young lives, two of Marnie’s puppies didn’t make it. But, the surviving puppy and Marnie are happy, healthy, and in their own forever homes.

For Marnie, that is her first home that feels safe and happy. One where she is surrounded by a family who love and care for her – and her gratitude is visible with every wag of her tail.

But without people like you – committed and kind-hearted animal lovers – her story could have easily ended very differently.

Your support is life-changing and often life-saving for animals like Marnie.