A rescue dog saved from a puppy farm in a multi-agency operation in September will have a completely different Christmas this year as she has found a new home.
The 11-month-old Labrador puppy, Gigi, was found grossly overweight alongside 200 other breeding bitches, stud dogs and newborn puppies, including bichon frises, shih tzus, cockapoos, cavaliers, labradors and cocker spaniels at a puppy farm in Carmarthenshire.
Following a Trading Standards led investigation, the dogs were split among Welsh rescue centres and RSPCA Cymru took in 66, with 16 of those going to RSPCA Llys Nini Animal centre.
Some of the dogs had intestinal infections and needed weeks of treatment before they could be rehomed.
Read more: Photos of puppy rescued from illegal farm with her new family will make your day
They were also nervous and needed patient and gentle handling, but on the flip side, Gigi the labrador was immediately friendly despite her ordeal at the puppy farm.
Before long, animal care assistant Jack Davies decided Gigi would make the perfect companion for his family dog, a 16-month-old silver labrador called Bryn.
Jack said: “Gigi was very overweight and we suspect she was probably being fattened up to breed from.
“She could only manage very short walks at first and then she’d just lie down absolutely exhausted.
“With the right food and daily exercise, the weight has come off fairly quickly and she’s a much healthier size now."
“Despite her past, she's a very sweet-natured dog and is always pleased to see people.
“She loves Bryn, who also came from a puppy farm, and you often find them snuggled up on a chair together.
“They get up to lots of mischief, you can’t turn your back for too long before the pair of them are off doing something they shouldn’t.
“It’s amazing to see her happy and healthy after everything she has been through.”
RSPCA inspector Holly Brown, who helped to transport the dogs from the property, said: “It’s wonderful to see how Gigi’s life has been completely transformed.
“I remember her very vividly, partly because she was so huge, despite only being eight months old at the time, but also because she was just so friendly and wanted nothing more than a fuss and a cuddle.
“This Christmas she’s in a wonderful home, surrounded by people who are going to care for her and put her needs first, just the way it should be.”
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