An incredible recovery: Peyton’s journey back to health

When our Inspectors first met Peyton, they were heartbroken to see her weak, unkempt state.

“We rank body condition score on a scale of one to five,” said our Inspector Team Leader Ben. “This girl was rated as a one, meaning she was completely emaciated.”

“She had obvious loss of muscle mass, and no body fat on her, which was very sad to see.”

Additionally, Peyton’s coat was incredibly unkempt and matted in several areas.

Due to her condition, she was able to be taken into SPCA’s care. Upon vet inspection, it was found that she was around 40% below her ideal body weight for her breed and age.

Our canine team said that understandably, Peyton was initially overwhelmed when she came into our Wellington Centre.

“She was particularly overwhelmed with the vet exam, and she needed some time to just decompress,” said Letitia, our Canine Team Leader. “But as she became more comfortable with us, she was so sweet.”

“She could even be cheeky at times – particularly with trying to steal extra food – but who could blame her after what she’d been through?”

Our team focused on bringing Peyton up to a healthy weight, and she received all the vet care that she desperately needed. With flea and worming treatments, vaccinations up to date, and steady weight gain, Peyton’s transformation was well underway.

When she had gained enough strength and our team knew she was out of the woods, Peyton was able to be transferred out of the Centre and into a loving foster home to continue her recovery. This critical time allowed her to experience life in a loving home, away from the often noisy and busy Centre.

Her foster carer Lee said, “We absolutely adore her – she’s such a sweetheart. She’s a big, soft, goofball of a dog!”

In foster care, Peyton really started to come out of her shell. She proved herself to be gentle around kids and absolutely loved to meet and play with other dogs.

“She loves balls too – playing football in the garden, and any rubber balls that she can chew on. She can destroy a tennis ball within a minute!” Lee said.

The months passed by, and Peyton no longer resembled the weak, frail dog our team first met. She was ready for adoption!

The big day came, and Peyton’s new family heard about her through an SPCA contact of theirs. They put in an application to meet her, and it seemed to be the perfect match.

Peyton’s new mum Benita told us “The adoption experience was fantastic. We knew that we wanted a rescue dog, and that she might have some issues – and we were prepared to make her part of our family and work through anything that came along.”

For our Wellington team, watching Peyton go on to a forever home was incredibly rewarding.

“All of our team fell in love with her, as did the volunteers, so it was bittersweet to see her go,” Letitia said.

But seeing Peyton living the dream makes all the hard work worthwhile.

“She is a real part of our family,” says Benita. “She sits on the couch with us, and yes, she sleeps on the bed with us too! Apart from her being reactive when people walk past our property, she really hasn't had any other issues at all, and has been such a blessing.”

“She is incredibly loving, and will get up on a knee when she feels in need of a cuddle and some reassurance.”

“We are really thankful for Peyton, and we love her to bits. She’s eight and a half years old, and we look forward to many more years with her yet.”

Are you interested in adopting? View all the animals waiting for their happily ever after here.