SINGAPORE - A tortured dog abused to the point of starvation has been given a new lease of life thanks to the perseverance of dog rescuers who gave the animal care and medical treatment.

In a posting on HOPE Dog Rescue's blog, the animal rescue team posted a picture of a fattened Prince sporting a full body of fur - a sight drastically different from the mere skin and bones he was reduced to in April.

According to the rescuers' blog, Prince weighed just 2.8kg when he was first brought to the group for help. He was nicknamed 'skeleton dog'.

The dog, believed to be an apricot poodle, had all its fur shaved off by its previous owner and was visibly abused.

It also suffered from a range of health problems such as kidney failure, liver failure, tick fever, severe anaemia, mycoplasmosis, pressure sores, malnourishment and more.

Rescuer Fiona Foo said on the blog:

"My years of animal rescue did not prepare me for this. What I saw was shocking, upsetting and extremely painful."

"If they (the owners) did not want him, they could have just given him up. Why torture him and reduce him to this pathetic state before sending him to the vet and asking the vet to euthanize him?", she added.

According to the blog, the dog was discovered when a woman spotted it at a veterinary clinic and asked what had happened to him.

She was told that its owners had sent it to the clinic to be put down. Shocked at the condition it was in, she called HOPE Dog Rescue for help.

Now, thanks to the dedicated medical care provided by his foster parent, Prince is recovering well.

In a RazorTV interview, Lily Oon, 48, said that she has adopted Prince and spends about $80 a week on his medical treatments.

He is also more energetic compared to before because he has accustomed himself to being showered with attention, she added.

Fiona Foo, founder of Hope Dog Rescue, said: "When we rescued him, he wasn't even a dog. He was just like a skeleton, no feelings, nothing. There was no life in his eyes."

"But look at him today, he's a brand new dog," she said adding that his recovery has made their rescue efforts worth while.

Prince now weighs 5kg and continues to receive treatment for Evans syndrome, which is a condition that destroys his blood platelets and red blood cells.

ljessica@sph.com.sg