Olive won our hearts '“ and now she has a new home

Two weeks ago we first reported on Olive, the shih tzu who was left fighting for her life after being found cowering behind a pallet of bricks on a Hemel building site.
Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, leftCarol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left
Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left

The poor dog was in a very sorry state, soaking wet, trembling from head to foot, with severe ear and eye infections plus abscesses all over her head and neck, and a coat so dirty, wet and matted that it limited her movement.

Readers immediately fell in love with Olive - and will no doubt be delighted to read that she is not only making a steady recovery but has also found a new home with veterinary nurse Emily Brown.

She told the Gazette: “The minute Olive came through the door, all the nurses fell in love with her.

Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, leftCarol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left
Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left

“She looked so sorry for herself, and so lifeless, and when I looked at her it was love at first sight.

“I don’t know how anyone could have left her, and she was obviously in so much pain, I just wanted to give her a good home.”

Emily, lives with her mother Carol (pictured with Olive) who also works for Wood Street Veterinary Hospital.

She said they have lost count of how many animals the family have brought home or adopted over the years, but Olive will join five cats, two ferrets and another shih tzu called Benjy.

Olive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building siteOlive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building site
Olive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building site

Emily added: “Benjy is a shih tzu cross. The two of them have got the same markings, maybe she reminded me of him, and now he’s going to have a little sister.

“Shih tzus are such lovely dogs, full of characters and quite sassy.

“Everybody knows them for their squished faces, but their biggest personality trait is how much they love attention and cuddles.

Vet Tony White works at Wood Street Veterinary Hospital, which took in Olive after she was taken there by the RSPCA.

Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, leftCarol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left
Carol Brown, right, with Olive the shih tzu and veterinary nurse Megan Godfrey, left

He said: “When we first saw Olive she was not in a good state at all.

“Her ears were horribly infected, there were ulcers in her eyes, and there were abscesses over her head.

“You don’t often see an animal in that sort of condition - my first reaction was that she must be in some pain, so how do we treat her?”

Tony added: “Olive felt so ill that she wasn’t really responsive.

Olive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building siteOlive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building site
Olive pictured after she was found abandoned on a Hemel Hempstead building site

“She just wanted to sit still and not respond to anyone or anything.

“Now she’s recovering, slowly but steadily. Her ears are recovering and one of her eyes is doing quite well, although the other has quite serious damage to the cornea and we don’t know if she’ll recover the sight in it.

“But she’s much happier in herself, she’s eating and drinking as we’d hope, and she loves attention and cuddles from all the team.

“It’s cases like this why you become a vet.”