A dog that was abandoned in the cold last winter, left to suffer without shelter, will celebrate her first Christmas with a loving new family.
Nina, a two-year-old American Bulldog, was found in a distressing state just days before Christmas 2023. She was discovered emaciated and left outside at a property in Nottingham, where the RSPCA found she had been living without proper care for an extended period.
When the animal charity arrived to rescue Nina, they found a dog in dire need of help. “Nina was worryingly skinny, with overgrown nails, sore skin, and filthy fur,” RSPCA inspector Deb Scotcher recalled. “She looked as though she had given up.”
The two-year-old dog was among five pets rescued from the same property after the owners admitted they could no longer care for them. Nina and another dog, Ava, were taken to an RSPCA center in Cambridgeshire, where Nina began her journey to recovery.
Now, just under a year later, Nina is a transformed dog, ready to spend this Christmas with her new owner, Alison Southgate, from Suffolk. Southgate, who had been searching for a dog to adopt, immediately felt a connection with Nina upon their first meeting.
“I knew she was the one,” said Southgate, recalling her emotional reaction when Nina came straight over to her at the kennels. “She gave me a big kiss, and I cried. I just knew.”
In April, after Nina had undergone a remarkable physical and mental transformation, Southgate and her son, Jareth, visited Nina at the kennel. The staff believed Nina, having spent much of her life in poor conditions, had never experienced life inside a home before. But despite her nervousness, Nina quickly bonded with Southgate’s family.
When Nina first arrived at her new home, Southgate allowed her to explore freely, letting the dog adjust at her own pace. “She didn’t know what the TV was,” Southgate laughed, adding that Nina’s inquisitive nature had led her to settle in comfortably. “Now she’s really made herself at home.”
Nina’s bond with Southgate’s son, Jareth, has flourished. “She absolutely loves him and gets so excited when he comes home,” Southgate shared. “They cuddle on the floor for hours.”
This Christmas, Nina will be spoiled with gifts, a special dinner, and a stocking filled with surprises. But Southgate knows what Nina will truly enjoy: “She’ll probably spend the day snoozing under the tree.”
Reflecting on the journey, Southgate is excited to have Nina as part of her family. “I’m so excited to have Nini with us this Christmas,” she said. “It’ll make it such a magical day.”
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