She was abandoned without food, water or shelter, but Delphine the dog has a smile back on her face.

RSPCA inspector Tina Nash rescued the blind black and white springer spaniel after she was found tied to a pallet of bricks in Hayle Place on Tuesday, May 12.

She was taken to the RSPCA centre in Leybourne, where staff found she had cataracts in both eyes, leaving her almost totally blind, and had ear infections.

But three weeks later, she has a smile back on her face and is in a stable condition, receiving lots of TLC and veterinary attention.

“When she first came into our care she was very nervous, very quiet. It's a very daunting experience for any dog but especially a blind dog,” said animal care assistant Simon McArdle.

“The first couple of days we had her we had to carry her around, but we've been building her confidence slowly, giving her lots of gentle strokes and talking to her constantly so she becomes familiar with our voices. It's all about taking it at her pace. She's doing better and better each day,” he added.

Now she is on the mend, she’s started to come out of her shell and is a sweet, affectionate dog, who really loves people.

The RSPCA has paid for extensive veterinary care for her and arranged for her to see a specialist veterinary eye surgeon, in the hope that her sight can be restored.

“The thought of her having her sight back, it would help fully bring her personality out. It would be amazing to see where she has come from to where she could potentially be,” said Simon.

The RSPCA rescued almost 9,000 dogs last year, according to new figures launched to mark the start of the 20th RSPCA Week, which runs until Sunday.

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