Dog has face rebuilt after hit-and-run

A sheep dog whose jaw was completely detached after being hit by a car had to travel more than 100 miles to have her face rebuilt.

Pearl, a three-year-old border collie from Wadebridge, Cornwall, was struck while herding sheep with owner Lucy Ballard.

"That day was the most horrendous day of my life, she's not just my pet, she is my work colleague. I cried every day for months," she said.

Pearl was taken to a vet in Somerset because locally no one had the specialist expertise to treat the severe injury.

The vet then removed Pearl's damaged teeth, inserted a splint into her upper jaw, and stitched the injury.

"I told them I would go anywhere in the country to save Pearl's life, and they told me to go to Somerset," Ms Ballard told BBC Radio Somerset.

"I could never thank the vets enough and I will forever be grateful.

"You wouldn't know what she went through now apart from a few missing teeth, which is unbelievable."

Annabel McFadzean from Cave Vets in Wellington said despite Pearl's injuries being extreme, the dog was able to return to work eight weeks after her treatment.

"The impact was on the top jaw and it was close to being a traumatic brain injury.

"All the soft tissue damage had to be repaired, and we removed a few teeth," she said.

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