Your local RSPCA
Report crueltyA rescued deaf dog is looking forward to Christmas in their new home
19.12.22
A neglected deaf dog who was rescued from a filthy, empty property - where her starving canine friend was found dead - is now enjoying life in a new family home after she was rescued and rehabilitated by the RSPCA.
The RSPCA were alerted to their plight and inspector Helen Smith went to rescue them from the abandoned building in the Wirral area in July 2021 - but sadly 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.
Sadly, this kind of abandonment is on the increase and the RSPCA has seen a shocking 25% rise in the number of abandonment incidents along with a 13% rise in neglect incidents being dealt with by rescue teams.
The animal rescue charity believes the cost of living crisis is leading to more people dumping or neglecting their pets and fears this will become much worse. In response, they have launched their Christmas campaign to help raise funds so they can continue their vital work.
Misty, aged 3, 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 of the RSPCA last year where staff worked wonders with this once timid and thin dog.
Staff noticed she was deaf and taught her sign language commands to help her in the next chapter of her life and she was transformed into a healthy and bouncy bundle of joy who was ready for a new home.
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, a Catahoula Leopard dog, and Daisy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback both aged two.
We have experience with this breed and always thought it would be nice to have another. We thought Hank would be better with a spayed bitch.
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 Daisy 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.
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's. We'd urge other dog lovers to help animals in need and join the rescue.
Linda said Misty being deaf doesn't hold her back at all:
We knew Misty was deaf - caused by a defective gene in their breed - and while this may have put some adopters off; it didn’t bother us. We use hand signals to help her do basic commands so, for example, we wave to her for her to come and point down to get her to sit.
She knows she's doing well when she sees our smiles - and so do Hank and Daisy so it works so well.
Misty's life is so different from what it was when she was rescued and when you look back to then you really see just what an amazing job the RSPCA does.
She was saved from a lingering death and transformed from a frightened and starving dog who lacked attention to the bouncy, loving healthy girl she is today.
Steph McCawley, supporter engagement officer at the Chesterfield branch which cared for Misty, said:
She was in a bad way when she first came to our branch for rehabilitation
She was very underweight and needed a special diet to bring her back to a more healthy size. She was also very frightened and timid following her ordeal and needed to learn to trust again.
Staff at our centre soon realised while working with her that she was deaf and so were teaching her sign language commands to help her in the next chapter of her life.
We were thrilled when she found her forever home and it is so heart-warming to see how she is now loving the perfect family life she thoroughly deserves.
The RSPCA is appealing to people who are in the position to donate to please Join the Christmas Rescue. Any contribution could make the difference between life and death for animals this winter.
To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please donate online or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181.
