Dumped in a park, he looked like a cross between some tumbleweed and the contents of a barber shop’s bin.
But the shocking shaggy dog story of Womble the Lhasa Apso had a happy ending yesterday – after he was rescued and given a smart new haircut.
The three-year-old dog was found abandoned and seriously neglected, with fur so overgrown and matted he could barely walk or see.
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Groomed: Womble the Lhasa Apso after having 2lb of excess fur removed by Dogs Trust staff
Abandoned: Womble was found in a park in Leeds by a concerned member of the public
Care: The dog was taken in by the local Dogs Trust and given a thorough grooming
Only his tongue was visible beneath the tangle, thick with dirt and debris and containing rubbish ranging from a strip of Velcro to a sticky chocolate sweet – which led his rescuers to name him after the litter-collecting Wombles of Wimbledon Common. Staff at the Dogs Trust rehoming charity, which took in Womble, believe he had not been groomed for more than a year.
Emma Cooper, assistant manager of the organisation’s Leeds centre, said: ‘He was struggling to walk, he could hardly see and with the fur weighing as much as a bag of sugar, he was in some discomfort and under intense strain.’
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It took two hours to shave off more than 2lb of fur, equivalent to about an eighth of Womble’s body weight. The discarded fur formed a bundle almost as big as him when placed beside him.
A concerned member of the public found three-year-old Womble in a park in Leeds and took him in to the local Dogs Trust.
When staff examined the unfortunate dog, they found pieces of Velcro and a chocolate sweet stuck in his fur.
Assistant manager Emma Cooper said Womble's 2lb burden of hair put immense strain on his body, and estimated that it had been a year since he was last groomed.
'Womble was brought to us by a member of the public just over a week ago and was a very immobile dog,' she said.
Quizzical: Womble looks at the pile of shorn fur, which appears to be nearly as big as he is
Shorn: The breed should be thoroughly groomed every three or four months to keep them in good condition
'He was struggling to walk, he could barely see and with the fur weighing as much as a bag of sugar, he was in some discomfort and under intense strain. He couldn't even go to the toilet.
'He can't have been there long because he was dry, but it's terrible that the past owners have left him in that state. It's a very extreme case we've had to deal with.
'Womble would have been in real distress and certainly in my time here, it's the worst case I can remember of an overgrown dog.'
Lhasa Apsos are usually groomed every three or four months to keep their fast-growing fur in decent condition.
Pet: Womble has now found a new home with a loving owner who agreed to adopt the dog
Playful: Womble is now back on top form after handlers helped him get over his harrowing ordeal
'Womble is a lovely, little active dog and is so different now than what he was like before he was shaven,' Ms Cooper said.
He was named Womble after the furry television characters who live on Wimbledon Common.
Amanda Sands, manager at Dogs Trust Leeds, said: 'In the 27 years that I have worked here, this is the worst case of matted fur I have seen on a dog.
'It's astounding a dog can be left to get into this kind of condition, and then abandoned. With his fur trimmed, he can now feel the ground beneath his feet and the wind on his skin.
'Fortunately for Womble, a new owner has come forward to give him and his new haircut a lovely new home. Womble is now looking forward to many years of regular grooming and good hair days