Kevin Bacon: A dog's story of resilience and love in a new home

Shocked and worried that a dog was suffering from burns to his face, RSPCA Queensland’s Inspector Ruth raced to help.

It was almost two years ago that a male Kelpie mix, now known affectionately as Kevin Bacon, came to RSPCA Queensland’s attention after receiving reports and photos of what looked like burns to his entire face.

“When I looked more closely at this dog, I believed that I was looking at a significant skin issue,” Inspector Ruth said.

“Every time he shook his head, he cried in pain, it appeared to me he was suffering and the issue was chronic. There were also flies all over his body from his open wounds,” she said.

When Inspector Ruth arrived, the owner agreed for her to seize the dog and immediately transferred ownership to RSPCA Queensland.

Our RSPCA Queensland veterinary team were shocked by Kevin's condition. In addition to his skin condition, which required intensive care and medication, he was also suffering from a very serious ear infection that required him to be sedated to make him comfortable. Care that was much needed but comes at a significant cost.

A new beginning

Kevin had a long road of recovery ahead of him and after two months of treatment and healing, so he was placed into an amazing foster group who continued his extensive medical care and came to find now owner Mark.

“He [Kevin] came to me for a couple of days to decompress.18 months later, he's still with me,” Mark said.

“There were a lot of medicines he had to take but his scabs were beginning to heal. He was very skinny. His fur was a completely different colour. It was really hard to see.

"He was also very afraid. There were a lot of things I would subconsciously do like making sudden movements or loud noises that triggered Kevin. It took a lot of work to understand what these were and how to avoid them."

Mark and Inspector Ruth stayed in touch over several months, with Ruth supporting Mark with navigating Kevin’s fears.

For Inspector Ruth, Kevin was a special case that had a deep impact on her.

“When Kevin was in the shelter I would come in on weekends and just sit with him. He would put his head on my lap. I cried the day I heard he had found his forever home with Mark. He is one of those animals that will touch me for years to come,” she said.

RSPCA Queensland's Give to Get them Home

Thursday 1 October 2026 marks RSPCA Queensland's annual Give to Get Them Home appeal, a one-day fundraising initiative where every dollar donated is doubled, thanks to major partners and generous individual supporters.

Every purchase through RSPCA op shops, World for Pets and animal adoptions contributes to being able to continue this impactful work and help animals like Kevin receive intensive veterinary treatment and rehabilitation support.

With more than 5,426 animals expected to be in care by December, the charity aims to raise $750,000 in just 24 hours — enough to help 1,250 pets find loving homes before Christmas.

It’s thanks to passionate people at RSPCA Queensland and generous donors that this can be done.

Inspector Ruth shares her gratitude for the support our organisation gets.

“I'm so grateful to do the job that I do and save dogs like Kevin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting RSPCA.”