A collapsed dog who was taken into a veterinary surgery just a few weeks before Christmas starved and emaciated is now loving her new life – and will never go hungry again.
Staffie cross Mabel was rescued in December 2021 after her owner took her into a veterinary surgery in Surrey, just a few weeks before Christmas, collapsed and emaciated. Vets called Surrey Police, who seized Mabel, and alerted the RSPCA.
Inspector Leanna Hone, who investigated her case, said: “Mabel was taken into an emergency out-of-hours vet collapsed and her owners said she’d been refusing to eat for the previous few days.
“She was completely emaciated and malnourished, unable to stand unaided, and incredibly weak. She had such a sad look on her face and these big, beautiful brown eyes which stared into your soul – my heart broke for her and what she’d been through.
“Vets tested her appetite by offering her some chicken and she devoured it. She ate it straight away and was looking for more – she never once refused food that we offered her. They couldn’t find anything wrong with her that would have caused her to stop eating.”
Mabel weighed just 7.2kg and all of her ribs were visible. Vets gave her a body condition score of just one out of nine, with five being a normal healthy weight.
Tests showed she had no health conditions that would cause her to stop eating, and her blood test results showed her to be chronically anaemic. She was also dehydrated.
Mabel was given emergency veterinary treatment but her owner wanted to take her home, against the vet’s advice. Vets were worried she was suffering so police took her into their possession.
The vets estimated she’d been suffering for a month.
She spent 10 days at the hospital before going into a foster home to continue her recovery. In just three weeks, under a strict feeding plan, she gained 5.5kg. After five weeks, she was lively, brighter, bouncing and full of energy and, a few weeks later, she was moved to the RSPCA’s Millbrook Animal Centre, in Surrey.
Fresh start for Mabel
Shay Thorpe was working at Millbrook when Mabel first came in. She said: “When Mabel came into us she’d been in a foster home so she was already nearly there with putting her weight on and was in a good condition.
“She was shy, nervous of loud noises, and could be worried by new people touching her or getting too close, like during handling or grooming, which isn’t surprising after everything she’d been through.
“But she was always friendly and had lots of energy. It was so lovely to see that life back in her, after the suffering she’d endured. And once she knew you, she’d be your best friend.
“We helped put a bit more weight on her and started basic training but we didn’t have long because, within just over a month, she’d been adopted!”
Now six, Mabel is loving life with her new owners, Tom*, 28, and 26-year-old Molly*, from Camberley.
Police investigator Molly said: “I was one of those kids who grew up pestering their parents for a dog and being told ‘no’. We don’t live far from Millbrook and when I was a child we used to go and see the dogs there.
“I remember there being one particular dog I grew attached to and I made a Powerpoint presentation for my parents with all the reasons I should adopt her!
“When we finally brought Mabel home, the childhood dream came true, so it was worth it in the end!”
Tom, who works in Screwfix, said: “Molly has always wanted a dog. She’d always said she’d get a rescue dog so when we started to look seriously, we tried the rescue websites.
“She spotted Mabel and loved her but I took some convincing. I’ve never really liked Staffies but as soon as we met her, I had a change of heart!”
In March 2022, Tom and Molly adopted Mabel and she soon made herself at home.
Tom said: “The first few days were difficult; she was very nervous, she barked all the time and she was really on edge. She was pacing, barking, whining and crying. I had second thoughts and wondered if we’d done the right thing. But then, I think she realised she was safe and we were going to look after her, and she settled in.”
Molly added: “Mabel is so sweet and friendly but she was full-on to start with. For me, it was love at first sight, but I felt like I needed to convince everyone else. She still has lots of energy, but we love her just the way she is. And so do our family and friends; everyone has fallen in love with her.
“We have several group chats including one called Mabel’s fans where we share photos of her!
“And at Christmas Tom’s parents will come to visit and bring loads of presents for Mabel!
“This Christmas Mabel will get very spoiled, with lots of presents. We get up early on Christmas Day to go for a nice long walk and then we spend the day with family. Mabel loves the fire so she’ll fall asleep in front of that.
“I absolutely love Christmas so we celebrate for about six weeks in the run-up to the day. Our new tradition is to go out to the Christmas light displays and take Mabel for a walk through all the pretty lights. It’s so magical.”
“Mabel didn’t know how to play when she first went home with the couple but, slowly and surely, she’s learned to love toys.”
Tom said: ”She has boxes of toys and at 7.30pm every evening she’ll go and help herself and start playing. She likes to throw her squeaky toys around and she’ll entertain herself for ages!”
The couple had to get Mabel a slow-feeder bowl because she’d eat her food so quickly, the mental scars of those weeks of starvation are deep. But her weight has continued to improve and she now weighs in at a healthy 18.7kg.
They had some difficulties, with Mabel struggling to be left home alone but they gradually managed to build her confidence and teach her that it wasn’t scary to be left at home.
And her previous trauma has left some permanent quirks in her behaviour, like her fear of tinfoil and dislike of doors being closed.
Tom added: “She’s funny about doors being closed, one of the doors banged in the wind recently and she was beside herself for three hours; it took ages for us to calm her down.”
But the couple have also had lots of wonderful times with Mabel. And Molly was out walking with her and bumped into the inspector who had rescued her.
Leanna said: “I was out walking my dog, Dave, and we were playing in the water when I saw a little dog run past and recognised her straight away – I thought to myself: ‘Did I rescue you?’ I went over to Molly to ask if she was from the RSPCA and it turned out she was Mabel, who I’d rescued just six months before.
“It was so lovely to see her legging it around and playing with my dog. I’ve been an RSPCA officer for 16 years and I’ve only bumped into animals I’ve rescued twice, and this was one of them!”
Molly said: “It’s hard to remember what our lives were before Mabel. Coming in the door and being greeted by her happy face, she’s so excited to see me and that never gets old. I still love it!”
