Episode 6 Animal 24:7


Episode 6

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Britain's animals are under threat.

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All too often, our wildlife and domestic pets

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are the victims of cruelty, persecution and neglect.

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Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people trying to protect

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and care for them right around the clock.

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This is Animal 24:7.

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-Today on Animal 24:7...

-I'm really not happy with the condition that he's in, OK?

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..Bruce and Sabre, two dogs driven to distraction.

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It's been there for quite a long time because the skin is so crusty,

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hence why we've got this secondary infection

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going on here as well.

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Lost at sea - Steve and Squirt face an epic journey for freedom.

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We want to rehabilitate them and get them into their natural habitat as quickly as possible.

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And from rescue to royalty - big Digger's amazing story.

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When I did see him come off the box, I thought "Hello, this is nice."

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We thought, "Well, this is a horse we've got to try."

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For dogs, an itchy irritated scalp can drive them crazy, but while spotting skin conditions

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and fur loss may be simple, finding out what's causing them is a different matter entirely.

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Inspector Emma Ellis is on her beat in West Yorkshire.

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And there's a case which is about to get right under her skin.

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I've had a call about a dog here that has got a lot of hair loss, a lot of scabbing to the skin

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that's across the entire body and down the back legs.

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Skin conditions in dogs can be contagious and, left untreated, they can become impossible to cure.

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-Hiya! RSPCA.

-Yes?

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I've had a call about a dog here. Can I come and have a look at it?

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It's important that Emma nips any potential problem in the bud.

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Hello, darling.

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Once inside, Emma immediately realises

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this is an extremely serious case.

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Sabre is severely irritated.

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He can barely leave his back alone.

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Before we go any further, I've got to ask you, have you had this dog to the vet recently?

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-Er, no.

-You haven't, OK.

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This has left his skin open and raw.

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I believe this dog is in very poor condition

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because it's got really poor skin on the back there,

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and I think it's quite underweight as well.

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Before we can go any further, I need to caution you, OK?

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The reason I've cautioned you

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is cos I believe your dog is suffering

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and that is a possible offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

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I'm going to take the dog, with your permission, to the vet's, if that's OK?

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Yes, that's fine.

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-Can I take down your details?

-Yes.

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The symptoms are so severe, Sabre could be suffering from sarcoptic mange.

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Have you got a lead for Sabre?

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A condition where mites burrow under the skin.

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Here, boy. Come on, this way. Let's go. Let's go.

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It's incredibly uncomfortable, so it's essential he gets treatment.

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The skin is beginning to scar.

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It's clear Sabre has been in a great deal of pain.

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It's been there for quite a long time because the skin is so crusty

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in the area where a dog would constantly bite at itself,

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hence why we've got all this secondary infection

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going on here as well.

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Come on, Sabre. Going to get in?

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Sabre goes to the vet's and blood samples are taken.

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Come on, let's go. Let's go, let's go, let's go.

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These will be sent away to find out what's causing his irritation.

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Good boy, hey, good boy.

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But until the results are back, poor Sabre will have to stay on his own.

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A few days later and Emma has another potentially serious skin condition to deal with.

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This time, she's been tipped off about problems with the breed of dog called a shar pei.

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Shar peis have quite a lot of folds of skin so they can be prone to getting skin infections or dry skin.

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They also get problems with their eyes, ears,

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so they can be tricky to look after if they have these conditions

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and they can become quite costly in terms of veterinary treatment.

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The location may be different...

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Hiya! RSPCA.

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..but once Emma gets inside,

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it's almost a carbon copy of the incident she dealt with a few days before.

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Hello. All right, all righty.

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I'm really not happy with the condition that he's in, OK?

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I don't think it's right you've let him get like that, OK?

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What I'm going to do, firstly I'm going to caution you,

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then I'm going to ask if I can take the dog to the vets to be examined, OK?

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Before long, Emma is bringing another infested dog out of the door.

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Come on, sweetie. Let's go.

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In daylight, Bruce's poor condition is clear to see.

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His eyes are swollen and infected,

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and his back is a patchwork of red, sore skin.

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Do you just want to see if he'll come in here?

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He's got quite a bad skin condition across the back of his body and down his back legs.

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It's not uncommon for shar peis to get skin conditions,

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but she's told me that she's had this dog a month, and in that month, it's got this.

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That suggests that's not something the dog has been born with.

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It's been bitten either by fleas or something like that.

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I'm not happy with the condition the dog's in and I want to get it seen by a vet.

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Bruce is now on his way for treatment.

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Like Sabre, he's going to have to undergo a series of tests.

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Only then will Emma know just how much her two patients have been left to suffer.

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-Coming up...

-The obvious thing is the skin,

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but if we could ask him, then the eyes are the biggest problem for him.

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-That's what's causing the most pain?

-Yes.

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Digger is put through his royal paces.

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What are you looking at in terms of how Digger behaves?

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It's all about preparation, getting mentally sound to the job he's going to do.

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Many animals have remarkable methods of navigation,

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but like all GPS devices,

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they can sometimes send a traveller in the wrong direction.

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When that happens, the intrepid explorer can often find themselves a long way from home.

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Gran Canaria - a beautiful Spanish island,

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popular with tourists and sun worshippers.

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But soon these warm waters will be welcoming two rather more unusual visitors.

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Meet Steve and Squirt...

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..two loggerhead turtles who got lost at sea.

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They've both strayed hundreds of miles off course and washed up on British shores.

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They were taken in by the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay,

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where Matt Slater has been in charge of their care.

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They are a cold-blooded animal, and if they get caught out

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by currents that bring them into cooler water, they get stunned and can't swim.

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By the time they reach our shores, they have already drifted a long way

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in this state, so they're very vulnerable.

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They're at the end of their reserves and are weak and dehydrated.

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It's taken a long time for them to end up like this, but they're doing brilliantly.

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But these two turtles don't belong in a tank, they belong in the sea.

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Loggerhead turtles are endangered.

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It's really not justified keeping them in the aquarium,

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considering they can live for 80, possibly 100 years.

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We really want to rehabilitate them and get them back into their natural habitat as quickly as possible.

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So it's time for Squirt and Steve to grab their passports and head to sunnier climes.

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Turtles are pretty easy to catch, really.

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Probably one of the reasons why they're becoming endangered animals,

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and over the years this could be one of the reasons

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why they are vulnerable to fishermen.

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Here we go.

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Crikey, he's put on weight.

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Squirt's moved on to dry land, and seems to be getting in a flap about his trip.

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The little chap has a lot of power now, he's really going for this.

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Loggerhead turtles can survive without water for around 20 hours.

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But Matt still needs to make Squirt's trip as comfortable as possible.

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I'm going to put on some nice lubricant jelly now.

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This is to stop any chafing that might happen

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as the little guy is wriggling around in his box on his journey.

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We don't want him to...

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damage his skin or anything like that.

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Squirt is settled into his luxury hammock and there's plenty of legroom for that long journey ahead.

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Really powerful, this little guy now.

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Next, it's time to get Steve, and again Matt's delighted with his progress.

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This turtle was about 800 grams when he arrived. He's now, um...

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two kilograms and 800 grams so he's put on two kilograms.

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He's dead cute, isn't he?

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-A quick dose of lubrication.

-There he goes.

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Now the two intrepid travellers can begin the first leg of their epic 1,600 mile journey by land and air.

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The turtles have got to catch an early flight from Gatwick.

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Matt will be driving them right through the night.

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It's about 20 past 12 now.

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We've just got on the road.

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It should be about a four-and-a-half hour journey.

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This is Matt's third turtle release, but he still takes no chances.

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I've got a bit of experience, but I still know things can go wrong

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if we're unlucky and we don't plan carefully.

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Obviously we've got to drive fairly steadily, not shake them around too much.

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We've got to keep the temperature up for the whole journey.

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If it drops low, it could be very dangerous for the turtles.

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During the long road trip, Matt needs to make regular stops to check the turtles' health...

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It's about 23 degrees in here, which is about right. It's about as hot as I can cope with as well!

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..before hitting the road again.

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6am, Gatwick airport.

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A weary Matt finally arrives and he's desperate to see his turtles again.

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It's been a long old drive.

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We're pretty tired out.

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We've had the temperature nice and warm inside the truck.

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This is Squirt.

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He's looking very good actually.

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So far, so good.

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Now Matt must leave the turtles at the animal reception centre.

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Like all passengers, their passports and documents need to be checked

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and stamped before they board the flight.

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They've promised me it's going in a nice warm room in there,

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and they'll wait there till just before they're loaded on the plane.

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I hope it's nice and warm in there.

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We've got to go and catch a plane now.

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Matt and the turtles are both ushered through security.

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The VIPs are soon airside.

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Phase one of Steve and Squirt's epic journey is complete.

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It's been exhausting, but I'm really glad it's over.

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It's kind of surreal because we've been awake all night.

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I can't really believe we're here.

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I'm looking forward to getting a bit of kip on the plane

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and then seeing them in some nice hot sunshine when we arrive.

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Today is a very, very special flight as some of you may know.

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We have two very special passengers on board called Steve and Squirt. When we get to Las Palmas,

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these fabulous creatures are being set free into the Atlantic Ocean.

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With his turtles safely aboard, Matt can grab some well-earned rest.

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The first part of this voyage may be over, but there's still a long way to go.

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Later, a round of applause.

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There he is. That is a relief.

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And will these tests show what's troubling Bruce and Sabre?

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If the sarcoptes antibody is present, then we'll see the colour change turn blue.

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There is surely no more prestigious position for a horse than here

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amongst the ranks of the Household Cavalry, the Queen's own bodyguard.

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But their latest recruit comes from much more humble origins.

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He nearly died at birth and was rescued by a horse welfare organisation,

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but now Digger is training to be a truly noble steed.

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We first saw Digger on Animal 24:7 a couple of years ago.

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At 19 hands high, that's about 9ft, he was one of the biggest horses

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ever cared for by World Horse Welfare.

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-But this gentle giant had growing pains. Vets feared they would cost him his life.

-Poor lad.

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Digger needed risky surgery on his hind legs.

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It was a traumatic time.

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Digger, Digger, Digger, steady.

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When we last saw him, he was taking his first tentative steps on the road to recovery.

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But for this heavyweight horse, it was just the beginning of a truly remarkable story.

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INDISTINCT CALLS

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BRASS BAND PLAYS

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Trooping The Colour at the Queen's Birthday Parade.

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The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment provides the Sovereign's Escort

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and pays tribute with great pomp and pageantry.

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Incredibly, Digger could soon be part of all of this.

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Digger is training to be a drum horse in the Mounted Bands.

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His leg problems are behind him and now he's living here at the Hyde Park Barracks.

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Wow!

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'I've met up with Captain Mark Avison from the Household Cavalry

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'to find out how Digger was chosen for royal appointment.'

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Talk me through how Digger came to your attention.

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Well, we have what we call a training camp in Norfolk every year.

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What happened, one day, the vet at the time, Captain Laura Holmes,

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jokingly someone brought her My Pony magazine.

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In there was a picture of Digger.

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-Now we've got him here.

-Fantastic, a picture in a comic book to here.

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'Digger is one of the tallest horses in the country and that chance magazine snapshot

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'showed off his key attributes to the mounted regiment.'

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We liked Digger in the picture we saw -

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the colour, which is a striking colour for what we require,

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because he's different to all our other horses.

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But the size. When I did see him come off the box, I thought, "Hello.

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"This is nice." We thought, "This is a horse that we've got to try."

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There's a lot riding on his performance eventually. He's got to do the business in front of royalty.

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How long does it take from raw recruit to the finished product?

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The good thing about him, he was broken. He could already be ridden.

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That takes a good four to six months off his training.

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I would like to think that this time next year,

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we would have him on some from of parade,

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where he'll be able to show what he can do.

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But Digger's genetics will only get him so far.

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To be a parade horse, he needs to be relaxed amid noise and activity.

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After his major surgery, Digger has been living on a rural farm in Aberdeenshire.

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That couldn't be further away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

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So as part of Digger's training, Lieutenant Corporal Daniel Evans

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is riding him through Central London's busiest streets.

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What are the key challenges that you're teaching him to cope with at the moment?

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For example, from the past riding instructors, I've heard that Digger is not too keen on large vehicles.

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-Oh, really? Like that truck.

-That was well behaved.

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I'll give him a bit of a scratch, give him a pat, and carry on as normal, not making an issue of it.

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How important is it that he is calm with these things and can cope with unexpected events?

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It's vital. As a drum horse, he's expected to lead the bands to and from Horse Guards.

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He needs to have the confidence to walk by himself and also not react.

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And on these parades, you're all on show,

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but as the drum horse, he really is the poster boy for the ceremony.

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Definitely. He's one of the most recognisable features of any parade.

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Sooner or later, Digger will be the new favourite

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and he'll be leading them on to Horse Guards Parade

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in front of the Queen for her birthday.

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The Mounted Regiment normally buys its horses,

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but World Horse Welfare loans rather than sells.

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So Field Officer Nick White makes regular visits to the Knightsbridge Barracks to check on Digger.

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Here's an old friend of yours, Nick.

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Yes, Digger. He's a great character.

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He's been loved by all since he came to us.

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What did you think when you first heard the call that the cavalry were interested in him?

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It was a matter of joy and pride for all of us.

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To see him come here and to see him in the hands of the professional Household Cavalry is a great thing.

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I shall be following his career with interest.

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Did you have any doubts when you first got that call? He had had these problems

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and you think of a cavalry horse as the pick of the crop, and Digger, although big, had had a few issues.

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There had been issues, but we've got every confidence that he's going to go forward and do very well.

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Nick's pleased to see that Digger still has a very healthy appetite.

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If he's to make it as a drum horse leading the Mounted Bands, he'll need not just size, but strength.

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This is one of a pair of drums that Digger will be wearing on parade.

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It is really heavy.

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It's about 50lb or so.

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This one, the silver drum, is only worn in front of royalty.

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So if Digger's carrying this, he's really made it.

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Now it's time for a key part of Digger's training -

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the parade rehearsal.

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Digger isn't donning the drums himself just yet.

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Mark and his colleagues need to see how he reacts alongside fully trained horse Achilles.

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What's about to happen and what are you looking at in terms of how Digger behaves?

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This is a typical process with any drum horse or any type of horse that we're training.

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He's standing there while they're putting the drums on, the banners on,

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It's all about this preparation.

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Getting him mentally sound for the job he's going to do.

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It's a very gentle process of familiarisation.

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The biggest thing again with a drum horse -

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if you've got to take a step back, it's got to be a small step.

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If it's a large step, it takes a lot of repairing to do. Sometimes the damage has already been done.

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It's the moment of truth for Digger as the rehearsal begins.

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And it doesn't start well. Digger reacts to the sound of the drumming.

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See him raise his head then?

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Any major slip-ups and dreams of dates with royalty could be over.

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But then Digger seems to recover his composure.

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So how do you think he coped with the drums?

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He coped. At the very beginning, there was a bit of jumpiness in him.

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Just that initial...

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After that, he started to relax.

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The more and more the drummer did, the better he became.

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-So, happy.

-So although he's still quite close to a raw recruit, he's making fine progress?

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He's making fine progress. He's on track.

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Each day with the training, he's driving forward.

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It's all positive, so that's good.

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It's amazing to think that just a couple of years ago,

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this was a rescue horse whose sheer size was threatening his life.

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Now, if all goes to plan, Digger's size could give him

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a royal appointment and that would be a giant transformation.

0:22:590:23:04

Coming up, Steve and Squirt take to the seas.

0:23:080:23:14

Sort of sad to see him go, but also excited for him.

0:23:140:23:17

It's just lovely being out there with him. Oh, it was awesome.

0:23:170:23:21

In Leeds, RSPCA inspector Emma Ellis

0:23:240:23:28

has rescued two dogs with a chronic and possibly contagious skin condition.

0:23:280:23:32

One of the dogs, Sabre, has already been put into isolation.

0:23:320:23:36

Now the second victim needs a health check.

0:23:360:23:39

Come on then, sweetie!

0:23:440:23:46

Out we come.

0:23:460:23:49

Bruce is the second dog suffering from a skin condition to arrive at this vet's within a few days.

0:23:490:23:55

Emma's keen to know exactly why his fur has started to fall out.

0:23:570:24:02

Come on, you.

0:24:020:24:04

Vet Ed Morton is on hand to investigate.

0:24:080:24:11

Bruce, you're a mess.

0:24:110:24:16

Under the harsh lights of the surgery,

0:24:160:24:18

it's clear Bruce's condition is much more serious than just bad skin.

0:24:180:24:23

The infection has caused such swelling that his ear canals have started to close up.

0:24:240:24:30

So what's the cause of that?

0:24:300:24:32

-Is that just normal, or...

-A lot of them are put together that way.

0:24:320:24:36

We get quite a few come in with ears that sort of shape.

0:24:360:24:39

His are worse because they're inflamed and infected. Same goes with the eyes.

0:24:390:24:43

A lot of them are like this anyway, but his have become infected

0:24:430:24:47

so the eyelid's swollen so it curls in even more.

0:24:470:24:50

From his point of view, that's probably the biggest problem.

0:24:500:24:53

The obvious thing is the skin, but if we could ask him, then the eyes are the biggest problem.

0:24:530:24:59

That's what's causing the most pain?

0:24:590:25:02

Because I couldn't get close to him in the house,

0:25:050:25:08

now we've got him in the surgery and the vet has had a look at him,

0:25:080:25:11

he's a lot worse than how I saw in the house.

0:25:110:25:14

I couldn't see his eyes, because I couldn't get close to him because he was growling.

0:25:140:25:17

That's an explanation, the fact that he couldn't see.

0:25:170:25:19

Getting him under the surgery lights, I can see how sore that skin is.

0:25:190:25:23

You can get a real close-up of it and see how painful it probably is for him.

0:25:230:25:28

He's not too skinny.

0:25:280:25:30

No, he seems fine generally.

0:25:300:25:33

He's being fed and that kind of thing, but this skin hasn't happened in a month.

0:25:330:25:36

This is something that's been brewing for a while.

0:25:360:25:41

Bruce's poor state could be due to a number of things.

0:25:410:25:45

His blood will have to go away for tests before Ed can be confident of finding any cure.

0:25:450:25:52

It looks like it's mange.

0:25:520:25:53

That's a strong possibility.

0:25:530:25:55

It could be fleas. If it's not one of those two, I'll be surprised.

0:25:550:25:59

But we ought to check, make sure there's nothing else going on.

0:25:590:26:02

In the meantime, it's the same thing as Sabre.

0:26:020:26:04

He needs the antibiotics for the skin.

0:26:040:26:07

We'll do the testing for the mites.

0:26:070:26:10

He probably could do with a bath as well.

0:26:100:26:13

If I just borrow you for two minutes, Bruce.

0:26:150:26:19

Although it's too early to say exactly

0:26:190:26:21

what's causing Bruce's problem, there is one way to ease his discomfort.

0:26:210:26:25

Aw, bless him.

0:26:250:26:28

He's sent through to the nurses for a medicated shower.

0:26:300:26:34

-He's probably never had a bath before.

-No.

0:26:420:26:45

Washed and dried, Bruce's time at the vet's is now over.

0:26:540:26:59

He's taken to the same quarantine ward as Sabre.

0:27:000:27:04

All right. Good boy! Good boy.

0:27:040:27:06

This is a strange environment for any dog.

0:27:060:27:10

For Bruce, almost blinded by his eye infection, it's terrifying.

0:27:100:27:16

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

0:27:160:27:18

Let's go. Let's go.

0:27:180:27:20

Eventually, though, he takes his place next to Sabre.

0:27:210:27:26

Both now need to be kept away from other dogs.

0:27:260:27:29

It could be a long and lonely wait.

0:27:290:27:32

25 miles away in Wetherby is the UK's largest veterinary lab.

0:27:390:27:45

Scientists here test samples from all over the country and from any species in the animal kingdom.

0:27:500:27:57

Sabre and Bruce's blood are the latest samples to arrive.

0:27:580:28:05

This particular one here is our RSPCA sample.

0:28:050:28:08

Haematology manager Linda Wyatt is about to put Bruce's sample to the test.

0:28:080:28:13

So the first stage is to dilute the sample into a chemical buffer.

0:28:180:28:24

The next stage is to leave the plate on the bench

0:28:240:28:28

with the patient bloods incubating and the clock set.

0:28:280:28:32

The blood is being analysed to see whether the dog is suffering

0:28:360:28:39

from the highly contagious sarcoptic mange, a mite which burrows under the skin.

0:28:390:28:44

The final stage of the process is to add another chemical which will cause a colour change in the well

0:28:490:28:55

if the sarcoptes antibody is present and we'll see the colour change turn blue.

0:28:550:29:01

All eyes are now on the sample.

0:29:020:29:05

For Bruce and Sabre, the results of these tests will finally seal their fate.

0:29:070:29:13

Still to come...

0:29:220:29:23

He looks like he's potentially got a little bit of hair regrowth as well.

0:29:230:29:27

He has, yes, because he's just not been

0:29:270:29:30

scratching himself all the time, so it's had chance to grow back.

0:29:300:29:34

Now back to the story of Squirt and Steve,

0:29:370:29:40

two loggerhead turtles that had been washed up on British shores.

0:29:400:29:44

Staff at the Blue Reef Aquarium near Newquay have slowly nursed

0:29:440:29:49

them back to health and now curator Matt Slater is on a journey to take them back to the wild.

0:29:490:29:55

Gran Canaria's Las Palmas Airport.

0:30:020:30:06

Holidaymakers are arriving ready to soak up a couple of weeks of sunshine.

0:30:060:30:11

And now the latest passengers have just landed.

0:30:110:30:16

It's been a long flight, and Matt hasn't seen his two turtles for over five hours.

0:30:200:30:25

I'm feeling quite in a hurry, I want to see these turtles now, I just want to know they're OK.

0:30:250:30:30

It's a bit nail-biting, this part of it, actually.

0:30:300:30:33

Oh, I hope they're all right.

0:30:350:30:38

There he is. That is a relief. Wow.

0:30:430:30:47

Feels cold.

0:30:470:30:50

Well, I'm hoping it's nothing to worry about.

0:30:500:30:53

That's a really, really big relief, actually.

0:30:530:30:56

I was starting to get really nervous then so this last part of the process was quite stressful, actually.

0:30:560:31:03

Now Steve and Squirt can begin the final stage of their epic journey.

0:31:070:31:11

They've arrived at the island's sea life sanctuary.

0:31:180:31:21

After 16 hours out of the water, Matt is keen to get them splashing around.

0:31:250:31:30

Squirt first of all, into his tank.

0:31:320:31:35

I bet he's going to really enjoy this, finally getting into some nice seawater.

0:31:350:31:40

He's looking really good, his shell's become a bit dried out just by the journey,

0:31:420:31:46

but that's nothing to worry about, he's looking very lively. Nice and healthy, actually.

0:31:460:31:51

And this is the bit I've been looking forward to. So here he goes.

0:31:510:31:55

Squirt seems to love his new private pool.

0:31:590:32:02

He looks great. Excellent.

0:32:040:32:06

And now it's Steve's turn to take the plunge.

0:32:060:32:09

They both seem a little uncoordinated on their first swim, don't they?

0:32:130:32:17

But both turtles soon regain control of their stiff limbs, proving they're good swimmers.

0:32:180:32:24

He's very healthy.

0:32:240:32:26

Very strong.

0:32:260:32:27

Now it's dinnertime.

0:32:300:32:32

After his long flight, Steve is clearly hungry, enjoying his fish supper.

0:32:340:32:39

There you go, look at that. Excellent.

0:32:390:32:42

He's only been in here for less than half an hour, and he's already really munching on that sardine.

0:32:420:32:48

Next door, though, Squirt doesn't seem to have much of an appetite.

0:32:480:32:52

I think it's not surprising, it might take him a little while to start to feed.

0:32:520:32:57

It's hoped that both turtles will be released tomorrow,

0:33:000:33:03

but Squirt must eat to convince Matt he's ready for the ocean.

0:33:030:33:08

The next morning, and after some well-earned rest,

0:33:140:33:19

Matt is back at the sanctuary hoping both turtles are ready to go.

0:33:190:33:23

They're looking really good this morning and it's really encouraging

0:33:240:33:28

because Squirt's definitely eaten.

0:33:280:33:30

He's been biting the fish here and eaten at least half of that one fish

0:33:300:33:35

and the other fish has gone so I think Pascal is happy to release him today.

0:33:350:33:39

So good news for Squirt.

0:33:400:33:42

-He goes into his hammock for one final time.

-Close him up.

0:33:440:33:48

And Steve gets the all-clear, too.

0:33:500:33:53

Now they can both be released.

0:33:540:33:57

Playa de Melenara is a sandy beach just five miles away.

0:34:060:34:11

Gran Canaria is one of the few spots in Europe with waters warm enough for loggerhead turtles to survive.

0:34:110:34:18

It's the perfect place for Steve and Squirt to begin their new lives.

0:34:180:34:22

A lovely day to be releasing the turtles down here. I can't actually

0:34:240:34:27

describe how excited I am now, because it's going to be so cool to see them go out to sea.

0:34:270:34:31

This is a big moment.

0:34:310:34:34

The two turtles are about to get their first taste

0:34:340:34:37

of freedom since they washed up on British shores over six months ago.

0:34:370:34:41

Squirt's first to go and knows exactly which way to head.

0:34:460:34:51

Beautiful turtle tracks coming down the beach.

0:34:510:34:54

Matt is joining him, keen to say his final goodbyes

0:34:560:35:00

and capture his return to the deep ocean.

0:35:000:35:04

Squirt soon shows he's still got his sea legs and makes a dash for open water.

0:35:100:35:15

He didn't look stressed in any way, he was quite laid-back, just cruising around

0:35:170:35:22

looking at all the little fishes swimming past him

0:35:220:35:24

and sort of just checking out his environment

0:35:240:35:27

and he's got the rest of his life ahead of him,

0:35:270:35:31

maybe another 70 odd years or even 100 years ahead of him out there.

0:35:310:35:36

So he's got all the time in the world.

0:35:360:35:38

Now it's Steve's turn. With a little helping hand, he's soon joining his friend.

0:35:400:35:47

It's sort of sad to see him go, but also excited for him.

0:35:520:35:57

Just lovely being out there with him,

0:36:000:36:02

oh, it was awesome.

0:36:020:36:04

Finally today, we're back to Leeds and the story of two dogs with terrible skin infections.

0:36:160:36:22

Bruce and Sabre were rescued from two different homes, but their conditions are incredibly similar.

0:36:220:36:27

Both were itchy and had chewed away much of their fur.

0:36:270:36:30

Now it's time to find out why.

0:36:300:36:33

Wetherby, West Yorkshire, a veterinary lab where samples are analysed from all over the world.

0:36:410:36:47

The latest blood to be tested is from Bruce, the Shar Pei.

0:36:510:36:55

Scientists are investigating whether he's suffering from contagious sarcoptic mange.

0:36:580:37:03

Now the results are in.

0:37:080:37:11

This is the finished plate here, so you can see these samples here

0:37:110:37:14

have turned blue in the wells so that indicates these are dogs that have sarcoptes.

0:37:140:37:19

The ones that have remained clear are negative.

0:37:190:37:22

But our sample is D here.

0:37:230:37:27

So this one indicates there's no sarcoptes present.

0:37:270:37:31

It's great news for Bruce, the test means he's in the clear.

0:37:330:37:37

But for his fellow patient in the isolation ward, the news is not so good.

0:37:370:37:42

Sabre's result is positive. He'll face more time in solitary confinement.

0:37:450:37:50

Come on, then.

0:37:550:37:56

A week on.

0:37:560:37:58

Come on then, Bruce.

0:37:580:38:00

And Emma's come back to the vets for an update on both dogs.

0:38:000:38:03

-Good boy. Your tail's going.

-First on the table is Bruce.

0:38:050:38:09

He looks a lot better.

0:38:090:38:11

And already his fur has started to grow back.

0:38:110:38:15

He had flea bite allergy.

0:38:160:38:18

When the fleas bite him, then he sets off an allergic reaction to that and it gets quite dramatic.

0:38:180:38:25

This was about as bad as you'll see.

0:38:250:38:27

But you can see, once the fleas have gone,

0:38:270:38:30

then the skin just gets chance to sort itself out and heal up.

0:38:300:38:35

He looks like he's potentially got a bit of hair regrowth as well.

0:38:350:38:39

He has, yeah, because he's just not been

0:38:390:38:42

scratching himself all the time, so it's had a chance to grow back.

0:38:420:38:46

When Bruce first came to the vets, the allergy was so bad his ears were starting to close up.

0:38:460:38:53

They're nowhere near as sore or infected as last time.

0:38:530:38:57

-OK, so the antibiotics...

-The antibiotics are helping from that point of view.

0:38:570:39:02

His eyes were also so swollen, he could hardly see.

0:39:020:39:05

But a quick test with some coloured eye drops shows it's a much brighter story here, too.

0:39:070:39:12

You see the surface of the eye is clear.

0:39:120:39:15

If there was any damage, then the dye would just soak into it

0:39:150:39:18

and you'd see a bright, fluorescent green mark on the surface.

0:39:180:39:23

But he's fine, he's good.

0:39:230:39:27

Bruce has now been signed over to the RSPCA.

0:39:270:39:31

Once his flea allergy has cleared, this wrinkly boy can be found a new home.

0:39:310:39:37

Shar Peis have got quite a reputation,

0:39:370:39:39

so they can be a bit more difficult to rehome.

0:39:390:39:41

It'll take a particular kind of home to look after him. We'll have to be very careful about where he goes

0:39:410:39:46

and make sure that the owner's an experienced dog owner and knows what they're letting themselves in for.

0:39:460:39:51

As well as having the financial means to be able to afford

0:39:510:39:54

any problems that he's going to have in the future.

0:39:540:39:56

Emma's other skin patient, Sabre, is also on the mend.

0:39:560:40:00

Hello, Sabre, old son.

0:40:000:40:02

-Let's have a look at you.

-He was diagnosed as suffering with mange.

0:40:020:40:06

He was also underweight.

0:40:060:40:07

He looks a bit fatter.

0:40:070:40:09

But a course of antibiotics and a proper diet are starting to have a positive effect.

0:40:090:40:15

Since removal from the house, clearly he's improved significantly to the point where he's not itching

0:40:150:40:21

his skin has dried up, the infection's going

0:40:210:40:24

so removing him from the house was the right thing to do.

0:40:240:40:27

And in a few weeks' time, Sabre should also be out of isolation and on his way to a new home.

0:40:270:40:34

Come on, petal.

0:40:360:40:37

It's three months later and both dogs are finally enjoying some much-needed company.

0:40:400:40:46

Sabre is out of quarantine and enjoying being the centre

0:40:490:40:52

of attention with new owner, Anne Yates.

0:40:520:40:55

I knew he was the one for me straightaway.

0:40:570:41:02

He loves all the attention.

0:41:040:41:06

When Sabre was rescued, he was driven to distraction.

0:41:060:41:10

He had bitten his skin so much it was covered in painful sores.

0:41:100:41:14

Sadly his condition was so severe, his coat may never fully grow back,

0:41:180:41:23

but he's clearly much more comfortable in his skin.

0:41:230:41:27

For Bruce, too, life has taken a positive new turn.

0:41:310:41:34

Come on. Let's go.

0:41:340:41:36

He's been renamed Marley after the laid-back pop star

0:41:360:41:41

and is proving a big hit with Corrine Lee and Tristan Coulson.

0:41:410:41:45

We want to give him that good start that he should've always had so we decided to change his name

0:41:470:41:52

from Bruce to Marley for a fresh start for all of us.

0:41:520:41:57

Marley's coat was threadbare,

0:41:570:42:00

his skin was irritated and he was almost blinded by a chronic eye infection.

0:42:000:42:04

His recovery has been remarkable.

0:42:070:42:09

It's grown back considerably well, it's really thick and his skin is really healthy underneath.

0:42:140:42:20

His personality is slowly coming out.

0:42:200:42:23

Obviously, I expect it to come out a lot more the longer that we have him.

0:42:230:42:29

It must have been a long, drawn-out journey for him

0:42:290:42:32

but hopefully he realises that he's in the right place now.

0:42:320:42:35

If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime, or a creature that needs immediate protection,

0:42:430:42:49

remember there are delicate professionals out there

0:42:490:42:52

who will answer your call right around the clock.

0:42:520:42:55

They are the people we meet on Animal 24:7.

0:42:550:42:59

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0:43:090:43:12

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0:43:120:43:15

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