A rescue dog has finally found her forever home after spending nearly 1,000 days in kennels.
Five-year-old Collie cross Sadie was one of more than 200 dogs rescued by the RSPCA from a hoarding situation, where animals were kept in outdoor compounds with little socialisation.
Her long wait for a home ended thanks to a TikTok campaign launched by staff at the RSPCA Brighton and Heart of Sussex branch.
Mabel Edge, 51, from Westward Ho! in Devon, said: "When I first saw the clips of her, I was taken by how sweet she seemed and couldn’t believe she’d been waiting for a home for so long.
"I found myself checking back in every day to see what she’d been up to, and said to my partner Al how sad it was that nobody wanted her.
"And then he said, well why don’t we go and look at her?"
The couple hadn’t been planning to adopt, having lost their previous rescue dog the year before.
But after seeing Sadie’s story, they decided they could offer the calm, patient home she needed.
Ms Edge said: "We knew from speaking to the staff at the branch that Sadie would need patience and understanding, because of her difficult past - but we thought she’d be a lot worse.
"After a couple of visits with us, we could see her slowly letting her guard down and she was just so sweet."
Sadie has now settled into life in Devon, enjoying walks on the nearby beach and the comforts of a real home.
Her story comes as the RSPCA highlights a rise in multi-animal cases, which are putting strain on its resources across England and Wales.
RSPCA chief executive Jo Rowland said: "We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres and branches - and it’s a heartbreaking situation that other animal charities and rescue centres are also facing - that’s why we are asking people with space in their home for a pet to consider adopting."
The charity is encouraging members of the public to adopt or foster animals to help free up space for others in need.
Share