Bright future for neglected pup

Adopted dog Bright Eyes suffered cruelty by a previous owner. Photo / Doug Sherring

She was one of New Zealand's worst cases of animal neglect - a severely emaciated dog left whimpering at death's door.

But the brave staffy-cross, named Bright Eyes for her only lively features, has recovered and moved in with her adopted family.

Bright Eyes was dumped shivering in a cardboard box at the end of a driveway in Manurewa in January.

She was hairless, unable to walk and riddled with skin and teeth infections.

Her story pulled on the heartstrings of thousands of people nationwide who turned to Facebook to try and find the culprits. No one has been held accountable for the horrible abuse.

Her new owner SPCA inspector Kevin Plowright said he remembered the day she was brought in.

"She was skin, bones and organs and the only sign of life was in her eyes," Plowright said.

"You could not get any closer to death. It was beyond emaciated."

Plowright offered to foster Bright Eyes at his lifestyle block in Bethells Beach while she recovered from her traumatic experience.

"It's common with dogs who have been starved like Bright Eyes that food is everything to them, it's their life. They become aggressive and protective over food, growling and snarling, so I've been working with her on that and other behavioural things."

After three months of living on the farm, Bright Eyes had made friends with the cats, sheep, chickens and six other dogs.

Plowright said she had become a fun, happy and healthy dog who he couldn't let go.

"It was her that chose to stay, she made herself comfy at home," he said.

"She is a pint size thing, she sits in the front seat of the van with me in a harness as my co-pilot."

SPCA chief executive Christine Kalin said watching Bright Eyes running around the park brought a tear to her eye.

"You wont even recognise her, she has come so far. It's a miracle, really."

"She is a dog that will go down in SPCA history. Her name will be remembered with the likes of Job and Eve, other dogs that saw the worst of human nature and yet never lost the ability to love."

The investigation to find the culprit is ongoing.brig

You can help Bright Eyes: http://www.spca.org.nz/brighteyes