Yolanda Callaghan, 76, was discovered deceased at her residence in Swansea in March, with her eight-year-old toy poodle, Poppy, by her side. The discovery was made by her neighbor, Christie Powell, who became concerned after not seeing Ms. Callaghan for some time.
Upon peering through the letterbox, Ms. Powell noticed a pile of unopened mail and then saw Ms. Callaghan lying on the floor, with Poppy cuddled up beside her.
“Poppy was actually on top of her, sitting there and looking at us,” Ms. Powell recalled.
Poppy was found in a dehydrated and malnourished state, with solidified discharge around her eyes. Ms. Powell, accompanied by her sister Kate Difrancesco, immediately sought help and the paramedics were called to the scene.
Poppy, unfamiliar with Ms. Powell’s sister, clung to her, displaying signs of distress. After bringing the dog home, Ms. Powell carefully cleaned her up, offering small amounts of food to avoid overfeeding.
During a veterinary examination, it was discovered that Poppy had a perforated ulcer in her right eye. To cover the costs of her treatment, Ms. Powell initiated a fundraising campaign, which successfully raised over £4,000.
“She had an operation to remove her right eye and now she’s one-eyed Poppy – actually, we just call her Popeye,” Ms. Powell shared.
