Fundraiser hopes to help dog abandoned in Dudley almost 200 miles away from home

The Kingswinford community are clubbing together to raise funds to help a lovable Shi Tzu who was sadly found dumped in a crate behind a Kingswinford Cafe on Wednesday.

Coco, whose name was discovered on a microchip, was abandoned in a crate in a car park near The Backyard cafe on Chesterfield Drive, Kingswinford.

Luckily cafe owner Andrea was quick to spot the dog, immediately rushing Coco to the nearby Dazzling Dogs Grooming Salon for help.

Stacy Valentine, owner of Dazzling Dogs Grooming Salon, said: "Coco is absolutely fine, he is settling in really well. Obviously, it was a bad day for him on Wednesday, it was a really traumatic experience, and he spent a lot of time resting in bed.

"We have four other dogs and they have really made him a part of the family. He loves our two boys, he really loves the attention, and he actually comes up to you for some love now. He really is a lovable boy."

Stacy, who was a veterinarian for the RSPCA animal hospital in Birmingham for four years took the dog in after her nephew and Andrea walked the pooch into her shop on Chesterfield Drive.

Stacy continued: "They both walked him around to me and said this is the dog that they had found. I couldn't believe it, I thought they were joking. I have seen it a bit being a nurse, but you know, for some people you never really think of it happening.

"He was in a horrific way, the way he smelled because of the matted fur that was soaked in urine was horrific. When I started cutting the matted fur he was a little bit aggressive, but after he knew we were trying to help he almost offered his other legs to me like he knew I was trying to help."

Coco's Microchip placed his original home in Darlington, almost 200 miles away from where he as found.

Stacy said: "When they told us where he was from I couldn't believe, we instantly thought 'how did he manage to get here'.

"We started thinking that maybe he was stolen and sold to someone near here and used for breeding purposes, it's so horrible to think about."

The former veterinarian turned groomer is now appealing for help in funding Coco's vet bills, which Stacey says can run into the thousands.

Stacy said: "We are taking Coco to the vet on Thursday so we will have to see how it goes. It can get a bit expensive but we will do everything we can.

"We haven't really got a lot of money to spend with everything the way it is, which is why we started the fundraiser, every little will help really."

Stacy said that it seemed like fate that Coco was left where he was, where he could be loved by the community.

The former veterinary nurse said: "It was like fate really. Being found when he had and me being a nurse. We will really just have to see what happens on Thursday with how we move forward really.

"We haven't decided what we are going to do in the long term yet, but we are giving him the best care that we possibly can."

The dog has since stolen the hearts of many across Dudley and the Black Country, with around 48 donators giving money to Coco's treatment, equalling £910 of the £1.5k goal.

Anyone who wants to donate to Coco's ongoing treatment can find more information on the Gofundme website: gofund.me/c40a3def