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Dog abandoned at Horsted Retail Park finds new home

An abandoned dog is starting a new life this year after being found in a bag in a car park with a note saying "Help me please" before Christmas.

Animal rescue group Anim-Mates say Mavis was discovered when a couple heard faint cries coming from inside a holdall, which had been left on the roof of a car in a car park at Horsted Retail Park, off Maidstone Road in Chatham.

When they saw the hand-written plea for help attached to the bag they looked inside and found a tiny terrified dog and went to a nearby Pets at Home store to find help.

Tiny dog Mavis was found abandoned before Christmas
Tiny dog Mavis was found abandoned before Christmas

Assistant manager Laura Saxby promptly ran outside and took the mongrel to the in-house veterinary surgery, where she received treatment for the skin condition mange and a yeast infection, before being taken home for the weekend by store assistant Claire Couchman – who named her Mavis.

And Mavis’s luck turned around when Anim-Mates volunteer Lisa Inns happened to visit the store and heard about the episode. She said: "I asked what was going to happen to Mavis.

"As soon as I was told that the local dog warden would be asked to collect her on Monday, I offered to rescue Mavis on behalf of Anim-Mates."

The sign left with the abandoned dog
The sign left with the abandoned dog

The dog was then taken to a fosterer’s home for temporary care but immediately took to the fosterer’s own small dog and they quickly became inseparable.

The search for a new home was soon abandoned as the fosterer decided to adopt Mavis, thought to be about two years old – meaning the little dog has started the New Year in a new home, with a new owner and a new playmate.

Anim-Mates is a volunteer-run animal rescue group based in Ash near Gravesend.

Visit www.anim-mates.org.uk to find out more.

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