Moment badly abused dog reunited with rescuer who helped save her

This is the adorable moment an RSPCA rescuer is reunited with the abused dog she helped to save.

Zoe Ballard first saw Loki when a vet called the charity after becoming concerned about unexplained huge hematoma-type lumps all over his body in December 2021.

X-rays revealed he had multiple fractures of his ribs, including older and fresh one, which were feared to have been caused deliberately.

They also revealed multiple fractures at different stages of healing in his front paws.

The vet suspected these were due to repeated trauma across the tops of his feet with a thin, hard object on multiple different occasions.

Zoe said that in 14 years on the job, Loki's case was the worst she had ever seen.

Loki was beaten by his previous owner who has been banned from keeping pets for at least 20 years

However, more than 12 months on, Loki is now a picture of health and emotional videos captured the moment the pair were reunited.

The "energetic and loving" dog - who has been rehomed - can be seen running around the garden and sleeping in Zoe's lap.

She said: "When I first saw Loki the feeling I had was horrified. I just remember his face. He was looking very innocent with his little eyes.

"He was so misshapen with lumps that covered his body. Loki had these injuries and they had been caused to him.

"Acts of deliberate cruelty. It’s very hard to understand. No animal deserves cruelty. They feel pain just like we do.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Not in 14 years and I hope I never see anything like it again. I was very scared for him. We weren’t sure if he was going to make it.

“Seeing him today there is a twinkle in his eye. So different from that little puppy I met that first day,” she says.

“It was like a light had gone out but to see him now, he’s so happy.

"He’s like a different dog and it means everything. Our job isn’t easy, as you can probably imagine but this is the reason we do what we do.”