The owner of a desperately ill dog rescued from the Thai meat trade needs to raise almost £10,000 to pay for his treatment.

Natalia George, from Chartham Hatch, adopted Mishka through the Soi Dog Foundation in June.

The charity, which she volunteers for from the UK, saves animals which would have been headed for the country’s illegal dog meat trade.

Mishka – believed to be part chow and part German shepherd – has endured several operations and is now fighting a serious infection after being rushed back to the vets earlier this week.

When he came over from Thailand he had fractured teeth, broken toes which had to be amputated, a skin condition, ticks and had recently undergone a hip replacement.

The metal plates began to come loose and were rubbing against his bone, which resulted in him having to have his back right leg amputated three weeks ago, causing a serious infection.

"After all the hardship he went through in Thailand he deserves to live..." - Natalia George

He quickly deteriorated and was taken to the Royal Veterinary College in London, where he had half of his pelvis removed due to the infection.

He returned home last Friday but has since been rushed back to the surgery, where he will stay for a week for treatment.

Miss George, of Bigbury Road, had launched an appeal to raise £7,000 towards the fees, but that total will now likely be £9,500 due to the recent trips and recovery needed.

Mishka, who is thought to be six, is insured, but only against conditions not related to injuries brought over from Thailand.

“We don’t know what happened to him or what they did to him in the meat factory,” Miss George said.

“The hip issue was possibly from being hit by a vehicle and we think he might have been hit with something in the face. After all the hardship he went through in Thailand he deserves to live.”

Miss George, who is studying animal biology and wildlife conservation at the University of Kent, has already raised £6,000 and is hopeful she can raise the rest.

Any excess money raised will go to the Soi Dog Foundation.

“I know people think dogs are just dogs but the amount of trauma Mishka’s been through and he’s still capable of showing us love,” she added.

“Why wouldn’t you give him another chance?

“I hope I can reach out to all the kind hearts out there so Mishka can have the happy ending he deserves.”

Kelsea Little, a spokesman for GoFundMe which runs the fundraising website Miss George has set up, wished Mishka well.

She said: "Natalia's campaign has been incredibly successful and is a shining example of what can happen when GoFundMe is used to its full potential."

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