** UPDATE 07/04/2025**

Unfortunately, Rocco now faces the urgent need for corrective surgery on his eye. His eyelids have rolled inward due to a condition known as Bilateral lower canthus entropion, putting him at risk of cornea damage. In light of this unexpected crisis, we find ourselves reaching out once more for your support to help cover the additional costs of his surgery. If you're able to contribute, please consider donating; if not, we would be incredibly grateful if you could help spread Rocco's story.

When purchasing a puppy, it is strongly advised to meet the mum and dad before parting with your money. In heart-wrenching situations like Rocco’s, he was tragically overlooked, leading to his severe neglect.

Recently a chow rescue saw a chow puppy being sold with a broken leg and agreed to purchase the puppy so it could get the treatment it needed, when the rescue went into the house to collect the puppy with a broken leg they then noticed the dad in the garden. Rocco was discovered living outside in Winter, his body marred by open wounds and the weight of neglect.

The Chow rescue, being full, reached out to rescues in the area for assistance, and given the dire situation Rocco was enduring, we simply could not leave him where he was so offered our help.

Upon arriving into our care, we discovered Rocco was in a more troubling state than we had feared. What little fur he had was completely matted whilst large patches of skin that were exposed were covered in painful, open, inflamed wounds, riddled with mange and a troubling yeast infection. To make matters worse, Rocco suffers from a persistent ear infection that stubbornly resists antibiotics, a painful testament to how long it has been left untreated.

Every movement caused Rocco to cry out in pain, and our hearts sank as we worried, he might be enduring too much agony, and we wondered if the kindest thing would be to let him go. Yet, we held on to hope that if we could just treat his initial wounds, we would uncover the underlying cause of his suffering and provide him with the vital help he so desperately needed.

Thanks to the incredible dedication of our vets, in just one week, we witnessed a remarkable transformation. For the very first time in his life, Rocco found people who genuinely cared about his well-being and were committed to helping him. He transitioned from crying in agony to becoming a happier boy who accepted everyone he encountered.

Though he still has a long way to go to get him to full health, we are confident that Rocco has a bright future with a loving home ahead of him.

Rocco's journey to reclaim his health is fraught with challenges, and he requires extensive medical support to navigate this difficult path. We are urgently appealing for your help to support Rocco on his rocky road to recovery.

If you feel inspired to contribute towards Rocco’s cause, we kindly ask you to consider donating or sharing Rocco’s story to make a difference today.

Rocco’s story is a reminder that puppy farming can be incredibly deceptive. There are instances where the owners live in lovely homes and drive shiny new cars, whilst behind the scenes they are over breeding dogs for profit. We urge anyone thinking of buying a puppy to do your due diligence. Check out our guide for buying a puppy here: https://www.nawt.org.uk/news/the-puppy-buyers-checklist/