Elderly dog abandoned at Christmas ‘healthy and happy’ after finding new forever home

Molly-Moo will be warm and happy this Christmas

After being abandoned on the freezing streets of Birmingham just before Christmas last year, an elderly dog has found a new home where she is loved and cared for. The German Shepherd-Mastiff-cross, named Molly-Moo, was ten-years-old when she was found wandering in Harborne on December 20. West Midlands Police captured her and she was taken to the RSPCA, where she received care. Inspector Stephen Lee said Molly-Moo was in a “sorry state” and “looked so sad” when she was brought in. “In her eyes, she seemed broken, like she’d given up hope. It was devastating." Lee said Molly-Moo had been wandering along a busy, dangerous road and it appeared that she had been "dumped there by someone like rubbish". She was incredibly emaciated with bones protruding and had a bad, untreated skin condition, he said. Inquiries revealed that Molly-Moo was chipped, but it turned out she had been stolen from her owners six years earlier and they were now unable to take her back. At the RSPCA’s Birmingham Animal Hospital, Molly-Moo was put on a special diet, and vets began working to treat her skin condition. After six months of love, attention, and medical care, Molly was ready to be rehomed. Molly-Moo was taken in by 55-year-old welder John Bebbington, his wife Joanne, and their 15-year-old son Harry after they saw her picture online. John said: “We lost our Staffie after 13 years together and we weren’t really looking for another dog but, one day, we came across Molly-Moo’s photo online and we were all smitten. “Her face just looked so sad and her story was heartbreaking. I’m glad she can’t talk because I don’t think I could face hearing what she’s been through. Our previous dog had 13 years of bliss and we felt we wanted to give Molly a good end of life.” John said there was a lot of anxiety initially, and “it was a hell of an undertaking” as Molly-Moo required a lot of attention, daily baths, and heaps of medication. “There were times when we thought: ‘What have we done?’ But then we remember what someone had done to her and how she deserved a happy and healthy life,” John said. “Now, she’s like a totally different dog. Her fur has grown back and her ears have healed; her skin is soft. She’s also much happier in herself. We can let her off the lead and she toddles around the park socialising with other dogs. She’s really turned a corner and is very happy, sweet-natured, and well-behaved. He adds: “I’ve definitely found a best friend for life; and she has too!” A year ago, Molly-Moo was alone, cold, and in desperate need of medical attention. However, thanks to the brilliant work of the RSPCA and John’s family, Molly-Moo will finally get the Christmas she deserves.

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