In just a couple of days they had been gifted enough in donations to pay for the expensive surgery, and still had enough left over to go towards a dog trainer to give him a behavioural assessment.

"When we had the vet assess him they confirmed that he had no sight - at all - and he had glaucoma in both eyes that has spread right across both eyeballs. Because it had been left for too long, any treatment or medication wouldn't have worked," Central West Animal Rescue's (CWAR) founder Jasmine Smart said.

"Because he was in so much pain as well it made it a bit more urgent to get (his eyes) removed... His eyes were infected as well and very inflamed.

"There was no point leaving them in there as they could cause more dramas down the track."

In addition to the painful infections in his eyes, the 10-year-old bulldog-cross also had them in numerous sores on his body, which his Orange-based rescuer attributed to him bumping into things.

But it's a testament to the toughness of the old dog that less than a day after his eye surgery, he was allowed to return home with his foster carer Nicole Christensen. And just over a week later, many of his sores had healed up while the major surgery itself hadn't caused any secondary infections.

Dog trainer and behaviourist Laura King had previously been donating her time to help Hugo but after CWAR exceeded their fundraising target for his surgery by at least $300, she could spend even more time helping him adjust to his new surroundings.

The advice from Ms King, the owner-operator of Pip 'n' Peanuts Pet Services, would also help CWAR determine his suitability for adoption.

"We'll see how he goes. He's extremely happy so we don't see any reason why putting him into a forever home would hurt," Ms Smart explained.

Although, there was still the chance that "sending him into a new environment again could send him backwards", she added.

"He's quite a happy-go-lucky pup who's pretty cruisy and can adapt to anything, so at this stage, if he continues the way he's going, we don't see any reason for him not to go to a forever home.

"He's got so much life left to give," Ms Smart said.

"He's always got a smile on his face."

Hugo's story also continues to resonate with many, his rescuer added.

"People from around Australia have been following his story. It's pretty cool."

To find out more about Central West Animal Rescue or to donate, visit their Facebook page or website.