A dog who had never received any human interaction before the RSPCA rescued her has spent more than a year at the shelter looking for a new forever home.
Ellie spent the first years of her life in a run-down barn with 44 other dogs, before she was saved in January 2021.
The collie, now three, has been in the care of the charity’s Bryn-y-Maen Animal Centre in Upper Colwyn Bay ever since.
She had previously never been for a walk, worn a collar or even gone outside and – just like the other dogs she was kept with – she was totally unsocialised.
But since her rescue, and with the help of devoted staff, Ellie has come very far indeed.
Bryn-y-Maen’s manager, Victoria Williams, said: ‘When Ellie arrived at the centre she was unsocialised and understandably nervous. She’d been living rough in inappropriate conditions in a dilapidated outhouse with 44 other dogs and had never experienced a normal life, so we’ve worked really hard to build up her trust and confidence.
‘For the first couple of months, we’d sit outside her kennel and throw in high value treats for her.
‘Once she was comfortable with that we fed her through the kennel bars before letting her out in the main block, leaving food bowls in different areas and gradually introducing more staff around her.
‘The next step was to get her used to a collar and a lead, and about three months after she arrived, she was finally ready to go for a walk. It was really important not to rush Ellie and to let her do everything at her own pace.’
The branch took in five other dogs from the same farm, but Ellie is the only one left still without a forever home.
‘She’s been with us a long time and has seen her friends from the barn all go off to new families,’ said Victoria.
‘So we’d really love to see her settled and happy in her own home after everything she’s been through.’
Lovely Ellie needs a quiet, adult-only rural or semi-rural home with owners who are understanding and can keep building her confidence.
She’ll also need to be the only pet in the house.
If you think Ellie could be the dog for you, head to her page on the RSPCA website for more info on how to apply to adopt her.
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