When miracle dog Raja was discovered limp and bloodied on an Indian street, his chances of survival were desperately slim.
But thanks to a team of faithful volunteers and the compassion of a loving family, Raja is now enjoying a new life in the Suffolk countryside.
Having crawled into a hole under a building to die in Patiala, the three-year-old street dog was rescued and brought back to health before making the 4,000 mile journey to his new home in Grundisburgh, near Woodbridge.
Dubbed ‘Raja the Wonder Dog’ by his adopted family, he is happily getting accustomed to life free from the harm he suffered as a pup.
Eilir Rogers, 34, who runs the aptly named Grundisburgh Dog pub with husband Charles, said the story began on Facebook, where she discovered a charity called Guardians of the Voiceless through a mutual friend.
“We started chatting and I became really good friends with the founder, Pankaj, who had found Raja pretty much dead and taken him into his own home.
“He treated him for a few months and asked me to become the charity’s first UK adopter.”
Raja needed numerous vaccinations and tests before being quarantined and given a pet passport for travel from Delhi to Heathrow. He was also microchipped and checked for heartworm before being introduced to the Rogers family’s other dogs, Harley the Labrador and Missy the Labrador/weimaraner cross.
Raja, whose name means ‘King’, also found an instant companion in three-year-old Amelie, whose mum is delighted by their special bond. “She loves him – she is absolutely besotted,” said Mrs Rogers. “Amelie came with us to India and she became very close with Pankaj at Guardians of the Voiceless.
“Raja is amazingly placid, despite living on the street his whole life. He was in a terrible way when they found him.
“We’re not sure if his injuries were caused by an untreated eye infection or a fight for food or territory with another dog.
“In ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t have gone all the way to India when there are dogs that need homes here, but I was so impressed with the work of the charity and wanted to work with them.
“Having the privilege of seeing what they do was amazing.”
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