At 10 years old, she was thrown into the freezing River Trent near Newark with a rock tied around her neck and left to drown. In the moments she fought to stay alive, two dog walkers saw her and a rescue operation was launched.
Bella had to undergo emergency treatment and spent a little over a year at RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Center in Nottingham as the police and animal welfare charity sought the heartless villains who committed this crime.
Recovery was no easy task, as her health problems were rather complex. It was a miracle she even survived!
Since then, Bella has found a new home with retiree parents, Maggie Mellish and Charlie Douglas who can give her everything needed to start a new life. Now 11, she will in a village in South Derbyshire where she will be happier than ever! On the day she was ready to leave the center with her new family, her rescuers Jane Harper and Joanne Bellamy stopped by to wish her well.
When interviewed, Maggie shared that her family is no stranger to Shepherd-type dogs, and has had three over the past 30 years, two of which were rescue dogs. When she saw Bella’s story in the news, her daughter had the brilliant idea to adopt Bella! Plus, she’ll be great company during retirement. Charlie added that he was drawn in by Bella’s amazing personality and knew that she would be a perfect fit for the family.
Jane commended the RSPCA staff for nursing Bella back to health and for facilitating the adoption. It was quite an emotional occasion for her as she remembered the harrowing day by the river. She intends to keep in touch with Maggie and Charlie. As the manager of RSPCA, Ella Carpenter, put it, it is the perfect ending to a sad story. Despite all odds and doubts, Bella was able to pull through and left a mark on all of her caretakers. But the story doesn’t end there. Her owner pled guilty and was sentenced to 12 months of community service, a £232 fine, and a temporary dog ban for 3 years!
Images Source: RSPCA