A starving and heavily pregnant golden retriever who was dumped in a field for days has found a loving home in time for Christmas.
Four-year-old Amber was found in a field in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire in March.
The fearful pooch hid when anyone tried to help but she eventually became exhausted and was found by a dog walker who took her to the vet.
Amber was suffering from sarcoptic mange which was bleeding from scratching and biting her itchy skin.
Amber was starving and heavily pregnant when she was found in High Wycombe field in March
Amber was found to be suffering from sarcoptic mange which was bleeding from scratching and biting her itchy skin
Amber was brought home by Elly Griffith, 38, and was welcomed with open arms by her husband Adam, 42, and their two children aged six and nine.
Staff believed she had been used for ‘backyard breeding’ and dumped when her owners knew they would need to pay for veterinary intervention to deliver her large litter.
She was then transferred to the Blue Cross pet charity’s centre in Burford, Oxon, Oxfordshire.
Eight puppies were successfully delivered by emergency C-section despite their heart rates beginning to drop in the womb.
Veterinary staff believed she had been used for ‘backyard breeding’ and dumped when her owners knew they would need to pay for veterinary intervention to deliver her large litter
The charity said it ‘was touch and go’ for all nine dogs but Amber began to slowly improve and she and her pups also began to thrive
Amber was too weak and stressed to feed all her pups so the charity had to step-in to ensure they survived.
Over 25 staff and volunteers worked 24 hour shifts to feed the pups – named Theodore, Cider, Dougal, Kasper, Winnie, Holly, Sasha and Bailey – every three hours.
The charity said it ‘was touch and go’ for all nine dogs but Amber began to slowly improve and she and her pups also began to thrive.
All puppies have found new homes and Amber found her happy ending in time for Christmas after being taken in by the Griffith family, of Witney, Oxon.
After sadly loosing their 12-year-old golden retriever named Henry in May this year, the family turned to Blue Cross to adopt a new companion for their other dog Stanley.
Amber was brought home by Elly Griffith, 38, and was welcomed with open arms by her husband Adam, 42, and their two children aged six and nine
All puppies have since found new homes and Amber finally found her happy ending in time for Christmas after being taken in by the Griffith family, of Witney, Oxon
Elly said: ‘We wanted a friend for Stanley after the sad passing of our other golden retriever.
‘The Blue Cross showed me some of the photos of how bad things had been for Amber when she came to the rehoming centre.
‘She was covered in horrible skin, and she was pregnant and very skinny.
‘All the puppies had been rehomed but Amber was still looking for a new home.
‘We have children, so we wanted to make sure Amber had a good temperament before we took her home.
‘When me and my two kids went to visit her, we just fell in love with her. She is so calm, sweet, and relaxed.
‘We thought she would be very scared after everything that had happened with her.
Elly said: She was covered in horrible skin, and she was pregnant and very skinny
Elly said: ‘Amber was so ill and they didn’t think she would survive having these pups so the puppy farmers just kicked her out and left her to die and luckily someone found her’
‘I don’t know how but she is so good with people despite the horrible neglect she has had.
‘She still trusts people and is so sweet and welcomed us straight away.
‘Amber loves the garden and loves going for walks in the woods.
‘It’s just been fantastic having Amber settle into our family and being able to give her the home she deserves after being used as a puppy farm dog.
‘This criminal business can be as lucrative as drug dealing. It’s nasty stuff.
‘Amber was so ill and they didn’t think she would survive having these pups so the puppy farmers just kicked her out and left her to die and luckily someone found her.
‘There are so many dogs out there like Amber that haven’t been so lucky.
‘We really want to spoil Amber this Christmas.
‘The kids love her, they love playing in the garden with her and we are all very excited for her first Christmas with us.’
Blue Cross charity staff stepped in to help to hand-feed the pups to get them up to strength
All puppies have since found new homes and Amber finally found her happy ending in time for Christmas after being taken in by the Griffith family, of Witney, Oxon
Hannah Wiltshire, Blue Cross centre manager at the Burford rehoming centre said: ‘Poor Amber is just one of the pets we have helped this year and we are delighted she has found a wonderful loving home in time for Christmas.
‘We have never been needed more and I’m incredibly proud that our team of staff and volunteers worked around the clock to give Amber’s puppies the best possible start to life.
‘Without our help it is unlikely Amber or her litter would have survived.’
The Blue Cross has so far this year taken in 3,574 pets for rehoming and 14 per cent of those were abandoned by cruel owners.
To donate to the charity visit www.bluecross.org.uk/125-years-of-blue-cross
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