The facelift that proved a crinkly dog's best friend

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Above: Shankly when he arrived at Battersea and (below) after his facelift

He was born with the kind of looks that only a mother could love.

But thanks to a £1,000 canine face-lift, Shankly the shar-pei has the wrinkle(ish) free skin that would be the envy of any Hollywood film star.

The poorly pooch was brought into Battersea Dogs and Cats Home [must keep in] after being picked up wandering the streets earlier this year, despite the fact that as a puppy he would have cost around £700.

Shar-pei's originate from China where they were initially used for hunting and herding but became popular fighting dogs as their folds of loose skin and short coat made it difficult for an opponent to get a firm grip.

Now a popular show dog in the West, Shankly's wrinkles had, however, become so saggy that they were completely blinding him - so staff at the London animal rescue charity decided to give him the celebrity treatment.

In an hour-long operation, Head Vet Shaun Opperman removed a large swathe of skin from across the animal's forehead and between his eyes, sewing the remainder back together with a line of stitches.

Like many a tinsletown starlet, Shankly looked a little worse for the wear following the operation.

But his skin quickly healed leaving him with the kind of brow lift that Farrah Fawcett would be proud of.

"It is only the second time in my two-year career that I have carried out this operation," Mr Opperman said.

"Although Shankly's wrinkles are very typical of the breed, the trouble was that he was completely blinded by the folds of skin that covered his eyes, so the way of giving him his sight back was to carry out a face-lift.

"The operation demonstrates the first class veterinary care Battersea gives to all our animals, even if their requirements are a little unusual."

Shankly is named after Bill Shankly, the legendary Liverpool football manager, and has since been joined by another rescue shar-pei, Nessie, named after the sportsman's wife.

With the help of Shar-pei Rescue and Welfare he was eventually rehomed and now lives with his new owner Adrian Duncan, a 39-year-old old carpenter, his wife Stephanie, 41, and their three children Amy 19, Lucy, 18, 13-year-old Joseph in Wellington, Herefordshire.

"When we first drove up to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to see Shankly he was very thin and covered in scars and stitches but we fell in love with him straight away," he said.

"In our eyes he is absolutely gorgeous and we wouldn't have him any other way."

Battersea spokeswoman, Lucinda English, added: "Although some people might think a face-lift for a dog is excessive, in Shankly's case it was essential because it was the only way to restore his sight.

"Sadly we are seeing record numbers of pedigree dogs coming into the home because people are not researching the breeds properly before they take them, despite spending hundreds of pounds on top-of-the-range pups.

"Fortunately Shankly has gone to a wonderful home with a family who know how to look after him properly."

 

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