The dog who refused to give up

Misha Rackliff’s Dalmatian bounced back from unimaginable trauma

- MISHAAL KHAN, KATE HARROLD

When my Dalmatian, Indy, 12, died in February 2020, I was distraught. Indy and my other Dalmatian, Piper, then two, were part of my family, and I adored them both. It was tough seeing Piper so lost and lonely without her best friend to play with, too. ‘You need a new buddy,’ I told her one evening, as we moped together.

Then I remembered a pup I’d spotted on Dalmatian Rescue’s Facebook page the previous month. I’d been looking for a new dog for a friend, but Emma Roo’s photo had tugged on my heartstrings. Her ears looked disfigured, and she had no front paws – it was obvious she’d had a rough time, so I contacted Pati, e rescue centre’s director. ‘People have shown interest, but no one will commit to her,’ Pati d me. She explained Emma was in Beijing, and that she’d been scued from a slaughterhouse. My heart sank hearing that Emma’s front legs, the end of er tail and the ends of her ears had all been cut off for meat.

Dog-meat trade