A German Shepherd who nearly drowned after her owners tied her to a rock and threw her into the river has found a new home after months of recovery at an animal centre.
Bella, 11, was rescued from the River Trent in January last year by passerby Jane Harper, who saw her struggling in the water, where she had been struggling for hours after being left to die.
After 15 months of rehabilitation with the RSPCA, the 11-year-old dog has found a new home in South Derbyshire with Maggie Mellish, 79, and Charlie Douglas, 70, following a television appeal.
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The retired couple are described as “the perfect match” for Bella, with Charlie revealing: “We were horrified by what happened to Bella and when we went to see her we realised what a great personality she has and she really is perfect for us.”
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Bella was said to be lucky to survive her ordeal in the icy water and was later found to have a variety of complex health problems.
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Bella’s former owner Charlene Latham, 32, was sentenced to a 12-month community order last month after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to her pet.
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After seeing the appeal in the press, Maggie and Charlie contacted the animal centre.
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“We know he will need regular veterinary visits and we are willing to fund them,” Maggie said. “We know he is in his later years, but we just want to give him the loving home he deserves after everything he has been through.”
The news comes weeks after a new government-backed bill introducing tougher punishments for animal abusers passed through the House of Commons.
