RSPCA animal rescue officer Ali Sparkes was off duty when a neighbour reported seeing Lacie abandoned back in March 2021.
The poor dog was found tied up and alone in a hedgerow close to Ali’s Somerset home.
She was freezing cold, emaciated, and had sores and cuts all over her head and body.
Ali said: ‘She was so frightened she wouldn’t come out or even look at me, and she was really shivering. I took her to the vet who noticed a lump on her head, caused by a blunt object.
‘She had cuts on her ears and a larger healing wound on her back. She was also severely underweight and had pressure sores from sleeping with no bedding.’
The lurcher needed months to recover physically and mentally from the state she was in when the charity took her in.
Now, after plenty of care and a good diet, Lacie’s finally ready to move on to the next stage of her life.
‘It’s amazing to see her looking so happy and healthy thanks to the hard work of the team at RSPCA West Hatch,’ Ali said. ‘It’ll be fantastic when her recovery journey is completed by finding a loving home.’
RSPCA West Hatch Animal Centre deputy manager Anita Clark said Lacie’s true colours are finally showing after all the trauma she’s endured.
She said: ‘It has taken many months, but her coat has now grown back, her sores have healed, and her personality has begun to shine through. Lacie now cannot wait to find her forever home where she has a sofa to call her own.
‘Lacie is full of life and very playful despite everything she has been through. She travels well in the car, and will either look out of the window or lie down. She is looking for patient, understanding adopters to carry on the training and socialisation we have started at the centre.
‘She would also like the company of someone who is at home most of the time to house train her and teach that it is okay to be left for short periods.’
The RSPCA team says Lacie is fine to live with older teenagers and ‘calm sociable dogs’, but not cats or small animals owing to her high prey drive.
They say potential adopters for Lacie must also live within a reasonable distance of the centre in Taunton, Somerset, as she will need to meet her new family several times to get to know them.
For more information about Lacie and how to adopt her, you can check out her rehoming page.
Anita added: ‘If Lacie isn’t the right dog for you but you think you could take in one of the wonderful rescue animals currently looking for a new home, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet.
‘There are many animals just like Lacie who have been given the TLC they desperately needed and are now waiting patiently to find their new family.’
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