This is Cherry. And this is what a puppy farm can leave behind.
Cherry is 6½ years old.
For most of her life, she wasn’t someone’s much-loved companion. She wasn’t curled up on a couch. She didn’t have a soft bed beside her family at night.
She was a breeding dog.
Her purpose was to produce puppies.
Again and again.
In July, Cherry was seized by the inspectorate from a large group of Oodle breeding dogs and assessed by the medical team at RSPCA Victoria.
When she came into the shelter, she was incredibly shut down.
She didn’t know how to walk on a lead. She was frightened about having her ears touched. She had severe ear infections, fractured teeth, a luxating patella and needed necessary dental work.
And then they examined her eyes.
Her left eye had severe glaucoma caused by a luxated lens. There was significant inflammation, damage and congestion.
She was living with severe, chronic pain.
Pain that had been going on for who knows how long.
Pain that she couldn’t tell anyone about.
Pain that had simply become part of her life.
Her left eye had to be removed.
And this is where Cherry’s story should make us angry.
Because this isn’t just about one little dog with a bad eye.
This is about what happens when dogs are treated as breeding equipment instead of living, feeling animals.
When their value is measured in puppies.
When their bodies are expected to keep producing.
When their health, comfort and happiness become secondary to the money they can make.
Cherry deserved so much more than that.
She deserved to know what a couch was.
She deserved a soft bed.
She deserved to run through a dog door.
She deserved to dance when her people came home.
She deserved to wake up without pain.
And now, finally, she is getting to discover all of those things.
At the shelter her eye was removed. Her dental work done. Her ears treated and healed. Her pain controlled – thank you RSPCA.
And the change in Cherry since her arrival has been incredible.
Mum Carolynne tells us, “last night she sat on the couch with us before bed.
Then she climbed into her soft bed beside us and slept until 5am.
Today, when I came home, she did the most beautiful little dance on her back legs.
I didn’t have my phone ready.”
But honestly, maybe that’s okay.
Because sometimes you just need to stand there and watch.
Watch a dog who has spent 6½ years being used finally realise that someone has come home for them.
Cherry still needs to learn so much. We’re not going to rush her.
We’re going to let Cherry show us who she is.
And already, we’re seeing a very sweet, very gentle little girl who is beginning to realise that life can be good.
There will be no more puppies for Cherry.
No more breeding.
No more puppy farm.
No more untreated pain.
No more being valued for what her body can produce.
Just Cherry.
Loved because she is Cherry.
And after everything she has been through….
Cherry’s life begins now ♥️