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By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
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A dog that had "given up hope" after spending two years living as a stray has been given a second chance at life.
Troy, a 5-year-old hound, had been living rough in West Cork, Ireland, for nearly two years before he was brought to the attention of staff at local animal welfare charity Cork Dog Action Welfare Group (DAWG).
During his time as a stray, Troy had avoided all human contact while previous efforts to rescue him had proved fruitless. However, the freezing temperatures and Troy's deteriorating health were beginning to take their toll.
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Katie Hogan from Cork DAWG told Newsweek: "A household has been feeding him and offering shelter for all this time but we had been unable to catch him until last weekend when he probably was too unwell to run. In the current weather conditions and with his untreated and chronic mange and malnutrition, he would not have survived this winter."
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By the time he arrived at the shelter, Troy was already in very bad shape. In a Facebook post appealing for donations to help fund the urgent care of dogs like Troy, staff described the stray canine as a dog "haunted by years of hardship."
"He is covered in painful mange and seems to have given up even scratching himself," they said. "He is a dog that has given up hope. "He is so fearful, he urinates all over himself and winces at any human touch."
Given the trauma already suffered, there may have been a concern that Troy would struggle to adapt to a busy shelter setting.
A 2015 study published in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science identified a link between time spent living in an animal shelter and increases in physiological and psychological distress among cats and dogs.
But Troy need not have worried; he was in good hands with the staff at Cork DAWG. Aware of his unique circumstances, they initially set him up with a quiet and warm kennel space. Steps were also taken to limit contact with Troy, who was frightened by his new surroundings.
Hogan said Troy has now been moved to a "foster home with experience."
"He is being fed nutritious food and being treated for his mange with medication," she said. "We are letting him explore the sights and sounds of a home, from the safety of his crate and warm bed."
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Troy's life prior to his time as a stray remains something of a mystery. Hogan has her own theory. She said: "He was probably left behind after a hunt, as he doesn't present as a dog who has ever been socialized and handled by people."
Hunting with hounds is legal in Ireland, with dogs kept in packs of at least 20 registered hounds. There are currently 41 packs of hounds fully registered with the Irish Masters of Foxhounds Association (IMFHA). Each has its own defined territory or hunt country and the hunt kennels are usually in the heart of the country.
Troy will never return to whatever pack he may have come from and there's no denying the fact that a long and difficult road lies ahead. However, with the care and support of Cork DAWG and its network of dedicated volunteers and foster carers, Hogan is confident he will get there.
"It will take lots of time and love and patience to bring this boy to physical and mental health but he is already showing signs of recovery," she said.
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