Oban family appeal as ‘lifeline’ assistance dog in urgent need of surgery following horror beach accident

His vitality for life has made him a well-known personality in the community. If he isn’t at the beach, he might be seen hanging out the back window of his family’s car, enjoying the breeze.

But to Holly Cartwright, 22, Rocky is much more than a beloved family dog. After being diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Rocky, who is her registered assistance dog, has become a “lifeline” who helps her to lead a normal life.

A few weeks ago, while racing across the beach, Rocky pulled up short, and started limping badly. Holly’s family rushed him to vets, where they discovered he had severe hip dysplasia and a dislocated leg that could only be fixed through a complete hip replacement.

“It was just unbelievably shocking news for us,” said Gordon Cartwright, Holly’s dad.

“That’s moving into sadness now, as Rocky is confused. He doesn’t know why his life has changed.”

The 56-year-old said Holly and Rocky are “inseparable”, and his daughter is “totally distraught” after his accident.

“Holly’s autism manifests itself in having a low level of confidence and she finds it difficult to create meaningful relationships,” he said.

“The relationship she has with Rocky breaks down all these barriers. It’s just pure love in both directions.

“Rocky has been able to give Holly a lifeline into the real world. Because he can go anywhere a guide dog can go, that means Holly can go to castles, museums and restaurants, whereas before she would be really insecure and anxious.

“Rocky has allowed Holly to live a normal life.”

Without the surgery, and if his left leg was also to dislocate, the vet told the family it would be difficult for Rocky to survive.

But while the family are doing everything they can to care for him, Mr Cartwright said, despite having pet insurance, they were shocked at the cost of the surgery required.

“When they told me the cost, I thought, I have bought cheaper cars,” he said.

“We’re looking at around between £8,000 and £9,000 for the immediate replacement of his right hip. And once that is done, we’ll need to get the other one done as well.”

The family have launched a GoFundMe page to help with the costs, and are aiming to hit a target of £7,500. Mr Cartwright said that while insurance will pay for around a third, Rocky also needs physiotherapy and hydrotherapy to help him recover.

Since his injury, Mr Cartwright has been carrying Rocky into the freezing cold sea to help him paddle, but says the nearest hydrotherapy centre is in Kilmarnock, over 100 miles away from Oban.

He has also helped his daughter to build a website, where she is documenting Rocky’s treatment and progress with blog posts, pictures and videos.

While they’ve received a huge amount of support from the community in Oban, the family is appealing to others to support Rocky’s recovery.

“Rocky is no less a family member than if he were a human,” he said.

“The love we have for him and his dependency on us is significant. If you have a dog, and its life is in danger, you’ll know how it really focuses the mind.

“I’m confident we’re going to get there.”

You can donate to the fundraiser here.