The American bulldog crossbreed dogs were underweight and had been left unattended at a property in Nottinghamshire when RSPCA officers visited in the run-up to Christmas 2023.
RSPCA rescuers had been trying to work with their owners to improve conditions but when the situation had not improved, they were signed over into the charity’s care just 10 days before Christmas.
RSPCA Inspector Deb Scotcher wrapped Nina and Ava in warm, dry towels and both dogs wagged their tails as she put them safely inside the back of her van. Five dogs in total were removed from the home and taken into the charity’s care.
Deb said: “We tried to work with Nina’s owners to improve the welfare for their dogs but after they failed to make any changes we spoke to them and, thankfully, they agreed that they couldn’t care for them properly and signed them over into our care.
“Nina was worryingly skinny with overgrown nails, sore skin, and filthy fur. She’d clearly been living outside without access to shelter or any warm, dry areas for sometime.
“She looked like she’d given up when we saw her curled up tight into a ball huddled next to her friend for warmth and comfort, surrounded by mud and faeces.”
Two-year-old Nina and Ava, three, went to RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre, in Cambridgeshire, where staff cleaned them up and settled them into their warm kennels with cosy beds, plenty of food, and toys to play with.
lock Fen Kennel Supervisor Tiffany Supervisor helped them when they first arrived. She said: “The first thing I saw was her poor, sad face staring out of the back of the van at me. I settled her into her kennel and spent hours just sitting with her giving her treats and trying to gain her trust.
“It took a while for her to be comfortable enough for me to get a lead on her; she wouldn’t even look at me to start with, she was terrified.
“She’d scoff her food so quickly, she was so hungry, so we’d feed her using a slow-feeder bowl. But her stomach was the quickest way into her heart, so getting her trust proved easy thanks to lots of treats!
“Nina’s physical and mental transformation was fast, she was so dull and sad and worried when she first arrived, but within just a few weeks of love, care and security, she’d bloomed into an outgoing, happy and bouncy dog. It was amazing to see.”
The team slowly gained the dogs’ trust and started taking them for walks around the grounds and spending time playing with them in the paddocks and play areas.
Nina’s new beginning
In April, Alison Southgate, 65, from Stowmarket, Suffolk, was scouring the RSPCA’s Find A Pet to see if she could find a dog to join her family.
She said: “I knew that I’d know the right dog for me when I saw them online and as soon as I saw her photo I just had that feeling. When I read her sad story I fell in love even more.
“We all went to meet her at the kennels but she came straight over to me first, gave me a big kiss and I cried – I knew she was the one. She also covered my son, Jareth, 34, in licks too. She’s so lovely and we’ve bonded really well.
“She’s placid and calm, she loves to sleep and snores her head off; it makes us laugh. Now she doesn’t have a worry in the world she can really relax and sleep deeply properly – probably for the first time in her life, away from the barking of other dogs and in a safe, warm and loving home. She’s such a happy girl and she brings us so much joy – it’s like she’s always been here now.”
Nina was nervous and unsure when she first arrived home – RSPCA staff don’t believe she’d ever lived in a home before.
Alison, who has nicknamed her Nini, added: “When we first brought Nini home we let her have the run of the whole house so she could explore and see everything; she didn’t know what the TV was! But now she’s really made herself at home.
“She absolutely loves Jareth and gets so excited when he comes home, they cuddle on the floor for hours.
“She loves to race around the garden and we’re teaching her how to play fetch with a ball. But she’s lazy out on a walk, she doesn’t like to go too far but we go at her pace and when she’s ready to go home we turn back.
“She can be spooked by other dogs barking and I think that may be from being locked in with other dogs. You can see the scars and bitemarks on her chest from the other dogs she lived with.
“I look at her and think how glad I am that she now has the best life, after everything she’s been through – she’ll never have to experience that again. We couldn’t imagine life without her.”
And Alison can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with their new family member. She said: “I’m so excited to have Nini with us this Christmas, it’ll make it such a magical day. She’ll get her own stocking and lots of doggy presents to enjoy on the day – and I’m sure she’ll get a special dinner too, although I expect all she’ll really want to do is snooze under the tree all day!”
