A MAN from Newport has spent the first few months of this year travelling around Romania and rescuing stay dogs – all while living in the back of his van.

Simon Henson, from Ringland, took a sabbatical from his job at Newport Wafer Fab to work with dogs and restore them back to health.

Romania has one of the largest street-dog populations in Europe and Mr Henson admits he has seen some “very upsetting” things during his travels.

One of the first dogs he picked up, ‘Eddie Grant’, was one such case.

His fur was completely matted and bunched into long, draping tendrils.

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(Eddie's fur was completely matted.)

With the help of some local volunteers, he took him back to a dog shelter, where they carefully gave him a haircut.

Within a day, he was unrecognisable.

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(Simon - alongside volunteers - gave him a trim.)

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(After being restored to health, Eddie looked like a new dog.)

After being given medicine, tested for diseases such as rabies and castrated, Eddie was handed a passport and allowed to be adopted back in the UK.

And all things permitting, he will be with his new family in Manchester by the end of May.

But while the pictures of Eddie prior to being rescued are shocking, the tale of Max and how he came to be adopted by a family near Pontypool is perhaps more uplifting.

“It was February 29 and I was driving in the middle of nowhere,” Mr Henson says.

“I always carry food in the back of the van and I just pulled into a layby, and there was a dog there.

“He was very, very weak and I realised something was not quite right.”

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(Max was 'very weak' when Simon picked him up.)

After taking him to the vet and placing Max in kennels for two months, he then took him to Arad, near the Hungarian border.

“He then saw a vet where it was discovered he had an eye infection, ear infection and sand in his bladder from where he was eating scraps from off the floor.”

He also had a broken front and rear leg.

After an operation – paid for by fundraising from people in Newport – Mr Henson got Max back this week.

“The vet asked me if I wanted to give him a birthday and I said, ‘Of course, give him mine,’ which is August 12.”

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(Max's vet bills were paid for by an online fundraiser back in Newport.)

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(Max with Simon, right. He will soon be sent to his new family near Pontypool.)

Max has also had all his vaccinations and has been sterilised.

“He has gone from zero to hero.

“He is lovely dog and he is lovely with everybody, despite what he has probably gone through.”

Max will be transported by A2B Pet Transport when they get the all clear.

And as for Mr Henson, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic means he may just have to stay put in Romania for longer than expected. The stray dogs probably will not mind that.