A mistreated Romanian rescue dog has landed on his feet in Darlington - but now he needs help on his road to recovery. 

Moses, who is thought to be about seven years old, was beaten and abused by a former owner, before being brought to the UK by sympathetic rescuers.

He was adopted by Darlington woman Maria Lancaster, who is “eternally grateful” for him coming into her life.

Moses's owner Maria adopted him 11 months ago, knowing she was taking on the difficult task of rebuilding his trust in people following “incredible cruelty”.

The Northern Echo: MosesMoses (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

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She said: “Moses suffered incredible cruelty at the hands of his old owner – it was just seven years of torture. He was starved and beaten, and had his paw chopped off before being thrown out of the car onto a motorway, which is done to ensure that the dog dies.

“Thankfully, he was spotted, and taken to a shelter on the Moldova border, but because of his disability, he couldn’t get his fair share of food.”

The Northern Echo: Maria and Moses. Maria and Moses. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)

Seeing how badly he was faring, animal charities in the UK worked to get him to Britain for better care. Working together, Doggy Den UK Rescue and Miracle Missions secured a UK foster home, with the hope that he could be fitted with a prosthetic leg.

Unfortunately, Moses’s crudely amputated paw is not suitable to be fitted with a mobility aide, meaning he has to hop around on three legs. Still, he got around mainly pain free – until last month.

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"A few weeks ago, I came home and he didn't come to greet me he was whimpering. He collapsed a few days later, and I rushed him to the vet.

Both having to walk on three legs and the years of abuse that Moses endured have taken a toll on Moses’s spine and nervous system, and he now needs specialist rehabilitation – such as hydrotherapy – to lead a high-quality life.

“The vets have said he needs to have this therapy but didn’t know how I’m going to afford it. One of my friends suggested I set up a GoFundMe, and it has already raised £450.”

If you want to donate to help Moses, you can do at this link.