A dog found dumped at the Griffith City Council pound earlier this year is now living the life of a celebrity.

When rangers came across the golden retriever named Riley they were shocked by his condition.

He was suffering from horrific wounds around his legs, where it is believed he had been tethered. The poor pooch was also wasting away.

But his life changed forever when council staff contacted an organisation known as Golden Retriever Rescue based in Sydney, who later placed him into the foster care of celebrity TV vet Katrina Warren.

"I called Golden Retriever Rescue pretty much 12 months to the day that my dog Toby died. I said that if they happen to find a dog that is good with kids and cats to let me know," Ms Warren said.

"A couple of weeks later I got the call that they had Riley.

"I was told that he'd been found in dreadful condition in a crate with awful wounds.

"It looked like someone had tied him up and whatever they had used cut into his flesh.

"The wounds were infected.

"Every time I look at him it breaks my heart."

Ms Warren praised the work of Golden Retriever Rescue, who introduced Riley to her family and rescued another 171 dogs last year alone.

"They are wonderful, they collect dogs from all over," she said.

"What they did for me was massive. They did lots of tests because I've got a three-year-old and a cat so we needed to make sure he was good with both.

"I feel blessed that I have found him and he deserves a wonderful life.

"I think I'm just fostering him, but he has slotted into our lives and everyone loves him so much.

"I don't know that I'm going to be brave enough to give him up.

"He is so lovely. I can't understand how anyone could hurt a dog like this."

When Riley isn't snoozing beside his new feline friend at Ms Warren's home, he can be found hanging out with her at work.