Terrified puppy finds forever home with same-sex couple just in time for Christmas 

A bulldog who was rescued by the RSPCA as a puppy, alongside her siblings, has found her forever home with a same-sex couple. 

Maggie was rescued from living in a cramped, dirty yard where she had no access to food or water. She was described as being “skin and bone and terrified of everything and everyone”. 

In one photo, a pup thought to be Maggie can be seen drinking from dirty drain water, surrounded by faeces. 

The bulldog breed was brought into care at the RSPCA Block Fen Animal Centre in Cambridgeshire at just six months old. 

However, with specialist care, she was able to recover, and this year she’s received the best Christmas present of all: a forever home. 

The once-abused pooch is now living a comfortable life with her new owners, Cassie and her wife, Gill. 

Cassie, who is the director of operations at the RSPCA, said: “When I saw the photos of the conditions Maggie and her siblings had been left in, it broke my heart. 

“They looked so sad and they were all incredibly skinny, with their ribs sticking out, just existing in a dirty courtyard surrounded by dog poo. 

“It was no life for them. There was no food, no shelter, no clean water – the only water they had came from the gutter and dirty puddles.”

Cassie and Gill are seasoned rescuers and have given five dogs their second chance over the years.

Maggie’s new mum said it was her “gentleness” that “shone through”, making them realise she was the pup for them. 

But it took them months to rebuild Maggie’s confidence, part of which included walks with friends who had calm dogs. 

“She watched the other dogs walking, and you could almost see her thinking, ‘OK, this must be safe’,” said Cassie. “That changed everything.”

A holiday to Wales marked the “ultimate milestone” for the family. 

Cassie said: “We knew she’d be fine with the journey, but this was our furthest ever trip from home, a new place with different smells and sights – we were hoping and praying Maggie would be OK, but we just didn’t know how she would react to it.

“But she completely surpassed our expectations. We went walking in the mountains, around waterfalls – it was amazing. Seeing her running free, happy and fearless, was just pure joy.”

In the Christmas spirit, Omaze has partnered with the RSPCA for their latest Million Pound House Draw, helping to raise funds for the vital rehabilitation work that supports rescue animals. 

Sally Jones, centre manager at Block Fen, urged people to donate as “RSPCA centres across England and Wales are full with rescue animals and at the moment we simply cannot keep up with demand”. 

Jones added: “I cannot tell you how much this donation means to our rescue teams. Supporting our crucial rehabilitation efforts will mean many animals will be saved from suffering.” 

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.