A deaf dog has been rescued after being left to starve in filthy conditions without food or water alongside another animal that died.
Misty, a three-year-old Catahoula Leopard, was one of two dogs who were locked up and left in terrible conditions inside a building in the Wirral, reported the Liverpool Echo.
The RSPCA were called about the animals and inspector Helen Smith went to rescue them from the abandoned building.
But by the time Helen arrived, Misty's canine companion had already died.
Helen said: “Misty was very frightened when we rescued her and not used to human contact but I knew she was a loving dog. It must have been awful to be left starving with no water in such a dark and filthy building.
“She’d had to watch helplessly as her companion died and no doubt would have been terrified about what would become of her.“
Misty was severely underweight, dehydrated and weak so Helen rushed her to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for emergency treatment and she began her journey to recovery.
She was then transferred into the care of the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire branch.
Staff noticed she was deaf and taught her sign language commands, and following her full recovery she has now been given a new home with Linda Hutton, 55, and Dougie Hall, 48, in Wakefield.
Linda, who helps run a family cafe, said Misty is now loving life and has become best friends with the couple’s two other dogs Hank, also a Catahoula Leopard dog and Daisy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback - both aged two.
She said: “We have experience of this breed and we did think it would be nice to have another. We then saw an appeal for Misty who had been waiting patiently for a new home and so we decided to enquire about her as she wasn’t too far away from where we lived.
"We visited a number of times and knew she would fit into the family and so we adopted her.
“The three of them love each other and really have the time of their lives together. They all enjoy walks and are very good on the lead - we also have a big garden which they like to play in, or relax on the sun loungers of chairs.
“We have a dog flap so they are in and out all the time having fun and getting up to some mischief at times. They also love our little grandson Archie, aged four, when he visits and all four play together.
“We are so grateful to the RSPCA and are supporting their Christmas campaign so they can save more lives like Misty. We’d urge other dog lovers to help animals in need and join the rescue.”
According to the RSPCA this kind of abandonment is on the increase. The animal rescue charity believes the cost of living crisis is leading to more people dumping or neglecting their pets and fear this will become much worse.
In response, they have launched their Christmas campaign to help raise funds so they can continue their vital work.
