Scarborough woman left with £7,000 vet bill as rescue puppy she fostered needs life-saving surgery or faces euthanasia

Sukie, a year-old rescue pup from North Macedonia, faces euthanasia if she does not receive a life-saving hip replacement which will cost £7,000.

Kelly Bell, Sukie’s foster parent, said: “You wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with her, it’s shocking how she’s managing but she doesn’t know any different to the pain she’s in.

“[Euthanasia] would be the worst option and I don’t want that to happen. With me having her this long, just seeing the energy she has and the character, she’s not ready for that. There’s help we can do.”

Sukie is Kelly’s fifth rescue dog and was brought over from North Macedonia due to limited veterinary care in the country as part of the animal rescue organisation Viktor’s Pawprints, where Kelly volunteers.

The organisation was founded by Viktor Maznev in Veles, North Macedonia where he has been rescuing dogs since he was 14-years-old and was studying to be a vet before the rescue operation "took over".

Rebecca Russell, a volunteer fundraiser at the organisation said that dogs are classed as vermin in the country and are often poisoned or knocked down in the street.

She said: “We’re going to do all that we can but we can’t leave Sukie as she is because obviously she’s in pain."

It is believed that Sukie was hit by a car and fractured her pelvis, and now requires a full hip replacement as recent X-rays have shown the back of her hind leg is sitting above the femur head, meaning it is not in the hip socket.

To raise funds for Sukie’s surgery Kelly is doing a sponsored skydive on July 23.

She said: “I’m very nervous! But I’m very excited because it’s for a very good cause because my passion is animals.”

So far, almost £1,400 has been raised towards the surgery, to donate visit GoFundMe.