Unwanted and lonely lurcher left behind after best pooch pal found new home

A lonely lurcher has been left feeling unwanted after her best pooch pal found a new home but she was left behind.

Poor Mia hasn’t had anyone apply to be her new owner this year.

The three-year-old was abandoned eight months ago with his saluki buddy called Rocky.

But he was found a home straight away, but unloved Mia is still waiting.

The pair of pooches were brought into the RSPCA Great Ayton animal centre, near Middlesbrough.

Staff have been left feeling baffled and sorry for Mia and are desperate to get her a new owner

They said the she can’t stop “smiling” despite her ordeal.

A spokesperson for the animal charity said: “Mia, a three-year-old lurcher with unusual lemon and white markings, arrived at the charity’s Great Ayton animal centre in October last year.

“After she was signed over into RSPCA care, along with a Saluki, by her previous owner.

“Scared and underweight at 18kg (39lb), Mia was malnourished and would actively search for scraps.

“Gulping down a bowl of food in seconds before staff had barely had a chance to put it down on the floor.

“After just a month in the care of Great Ayton, her weight had increased to 24kg, the average adult lurcher weighs somewhere between 27 and 32 kg.

“And in January this year she was finally ready to start the search for her new home.

“But despite being nursed back to health, the centre says Mia has been constantly overlooked ever since, with her canine companion going off to his new home shortly after being put up for adoption.”

Kennel supervisor Erin Dixon, said: “Mia is a wonderful dog with a very sweet personality who always seems to be smiling, although as much as we all adore her, we can’t understand why she hasn’t had a single application in nearly seven months.

“Mia was skin and bone when she arrived and we could tell she’d experienced hunger. Food was always at the forefront of her mind and we’d have to scatter her meals on the floor to try and slow her down, otherwise it would be gone in seconds.

“As time’s gone on she’s become less obsessed about where her next meal is coming from. She now enjoys going on a walk and exploring and running around, rather than constantly sniffing and searching for scraps of food.

“She’s also proved to be a wonderful dog to socialise with others and is particularly gentle with puppies. If we have new handlers who need a bit of a confidence boost we’ll always place them with Mia, she really is a delightful character to be around.

“She’s made tremendous progress, not just from a weight point of view, but her overall demeanour has changed too.

“She was quite scared when she arrived, but she’s full of life now and always on the go.”

Staff say she can leave with grown up kids but would be better being the only dog in the house.

Mia likes being in the car but can’t live with cats or small furry animals.