Some rescue photos are hard to look at. The first photos of Ellie, a German Shepherd taken in by the RSPCA Blackpool & North Lancs Branch, were exactly that. Even the team who cared for her called them “very heartbreaking.”
But Ellie’s story doesn’t end there. It ends in a way that her rescuers describe as “absolutely incredible.”
Left behind in a garden
Ellie came into the centre through an RSPCA Inspector. She had been abandoned in a garden, along with two other German Shepherds.
There was no one looking after her. And her body showed it.
In a terrible condition
When Ellie arrived, the branch says she “was in a terrible condition.”
She was suffering from:
– Sarcoptic mange, a skin condition caused by mites
– Ear infections
– Eye infections
– Severe weight loss. She was severely underweight.
Sarcoptic mange is caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin. It is known for causing intense itching and hair loss. Left untreated, a dog’s coat can become thin and patchy, and the skin can become sore and inflamed.
For a breed known for its thick double coat, losing so much fur is especially striking. In her early photos, Ellie’s head and neck show clear patches of fur loss.
On top of the mange, Ellie was battling infections in her ears and eyes, and she was far too thin. She needed help with almost everything at once.
Treatment and a good diet
The road back started with care. Ellie received veterinary treatment and a good diet.
Recovery from mange and infections doesn’t happen overnight. Skin has to heal, fur has to grow back, and an underweight dog has to rebuild her strength meal by meal.
Slowly, with treatment, food and the care of the centre’s team, Ellie began to turn a corner.
Ready for a family
Once she was well enough, Ellie was put up for adoption.
For a dog who had been abandoned and left in such a poor state, that was a big moment. She was now ready for someone to choose her.
And she didn’t have to wait long.
Reserved within weeks
Ellie was reserved within a few weeks of searching for a loving home.
In November 2015, she went to her new home.
The dog who had been left behind in a garden now had a family of her own.
A visit back to the centre
On 14 February 2016, Ellie came back to the centre for a visit.
The team who had seen her at her worst now got to see how far she had come. They shared her photos alongside her first ones, and the difference was clear.
“Although the first photos of Ellie are very heartbreaking we are sure you will agree, her most recent photos now are absolutely incredible!” the branch wrote.
A new life with a new companion
Ellie doesn’t live alone. She shares her life with another dog, one smaller than her.
According to the branch, she “couldn’t be happier!!”
Her rescuers couldn’t hide their pride either.
“We are so proud of everything she has achieved,” they said.
From patchy fur to a healthy coat
Ellie’s later photos show just how much she changed. Her coat has grown back, and she looks healthy and bright.
The underweight dog with mange and infected ears and eyes had made a recovery her rescuers were proud to share.
Why Ellie’s story matters
Ellie’s story shows what treatment, good food and patience can do.
She arrived abandoned, ill and underweight. She left treated, recovered and ready to be loved. Within a few weeks of being put up for adoption, someone saw past those heartbreaking first photos and chose her.
Not every rescue ends this way. But for Ellie, the RSPCA Blackpool & North Lancs Branch helped turn one of the hardest starts into one of the happiest finishes.
As her rescuers put it, her recent photos are “absolutely incredible.” ❤️
Story retold from public reporting. Credit: RSPCA Blackpool & North Lancs Branch (https://www.rspca.org.uk/local/blackpool-and-north-lancs-branch/latest/detail?newsTitle=ellie&newsId=5625). Photos are reference only; usage rights are pending and images will appear only once permission is granted.
Images in this article are illustrative recreations made for this story, not photographs of the dog.
