THESE stories are heartbreaking and harrowing but thankfully have a happy ending.

 

Not all animals in Scotland are so fortunate. Every year, Scottish SPCA inspectors and rescue officers save thousands of domestic, farm and wild animals from harm and danger, while their vets and staff rehabilitate and rehome countless more. Last year alone saw the charity rehome a record 6719 pets. As the Scottish SPCA launches its annual rehoming week, here three pet owners share why they chose to open their homes and help give rescue animals - a horse, cat and dog - a second chance.

Name: Candy

Background: Candy was left to die tied up in a bag and dumped in a wheelie bin in Paisley in 2012. She was less than a year old, underweight and had suffered cuts to both back legs, which she sustained when trying to struggle out of the bag. Candy had been caused a great deal of distress and was lucky to have survived what was a cruel and callous abandonment.

Rehomed by: Lisa McIntyre, 33, a council press officer, her husband David, 36, a community service supervisor and their daughter Cara, five, from Linwood, Renfrewshire.

Lisa said: "I saw a story in our local newspaper about a kitten that had been dumped in a bin and an appeal by the Scottish SPCA for witnesses to come forward. She almost suffocated and could have died had it been a more remote location and no one had found her.

"I was so upset reading about it and couldn't stop thinking about her. Two weeks later there was another story in the paper saying they were now looking for someone to give her a home. I hadn't got her off my mind the entire fortnight.

"I went to the rehoming centre in Cardonald and fell in love with her. It was my daughter Cara, who was two at the time, who chose Candy's name. She was a Peppa Pig fan and named her after Candy Cat in cartoon.

"When we brought her home, for the first few days Candy liked to be held and would curl up into my neck. We don't know what her living conditions were like before she was dumped, but she was very clingy at first and wanted the close contact of being carried about almost like a baby. After a week, though, she settled in and came out of her shell.

"The only sign of what Candy has gone through is when you go to change the bin bag in the kitchen. She is terrified of the rustling noise. I try to do it really quietly but she still bolts when she hears it.

"Unfortunately, because she almost suffocated, Candy occasionally has a bit of a cough and wheeze. It doesn't last for more than a minute but it sounds like someone having an asthma attack. It is part of the long-term damage but other than that health-wise she is fine. Candy is such a happy, loving cat and part of the family now."

Name: Twink

Background: Twink was found shut in a dirty room covered in rubbish and faeces. There was no food or water for her and she was extremely underweight, with her spine and ribs easy to feel through her long, fluffy coat. Shockingly, the vet found evidence that Twink had been eating her own faeces, which demonstrates how desperately hungry she was. Twink's former owner was banned from keeping animals for 20 years after she admitted neglecting her in court.

Rehomed by: Vivien Adam, a television and theatre writer, from Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire.

Vivien said: "My previous dog Nelly had a series of strokes in 2013 and had to be put down. My other dog Buachaille went into a terrible decline after Nelly died. She would lie on Nelly's fleece with her head to the wall. Her eyes went all milky and we thought she was losing her sight.

"We decided it was a matter of urgency that we got another dog for the sake of Buachaille. I went to a couple of rescue centres but couldn't find a suitable match. My sister and I went to the Scottish SPCA rehoming centre in Hamilton and the staff mentioned they had a little dog that was a cruelty case. She wasn't due to be available for rehoming for another 10 days but would we like to see her?

"We told ourselves that we mustn't be too swayed by the back story because it had to be the right dog for Buachaille but then they brought out this little scrap. When you see the photographs of when they first found Twink, she didn't look like a dog.

"She had put on some weight since she had arrived at the centre but she was still so skinny that a gust of wind would have blown her away. As soon as I saw Twink, I knew I had to take her home.

"From day one Twink was such a good wee dog. She obviously wasn't used to going out for walks because the first time I took her out it was like flying a kite, she was so excited.

"It took a long time for her coat to grow back properly because she had a few stomach issues as a result of eating her own faeces and the neglect she had experienced, but she is such a fantastic, funny and sweet little dog.

"I believe Twink brought Buachaille back from the brink. Buachaille's eyes, which had gone milky when Nelly died, are clear and sparkly now.

"Not long after I first got Twink she had a terribly high temperature and was very poorly, but Buachaille looked after her. She lay beside her until Twink was better. Twink in turn keeps Buachaille young which is lovely."

Name: Sapphire

Background: Sapphire was severely emaciated when she was rescued. She was so thin that her ribs, spine and pelvic bone were clearly visible. The rugs she had been wearing were wet and ripped and they were rubbing against her withers, resulting in hair loss and exposed skin. Her previous owner was banned from owning horses for a year and fined £200 following a court case.

Rehomed by: Les Evans, 60, an offshore worker, and his wife Dolina, 50, their children Abigail, 14, and Thomas, 12, from Peterculter, Aberdeenshire

Les said: "Horses are a herd animal and need company so we had been looking for a field companion for my daughter's pony Sunset.

"My wife suggested we pay a visit to the Scottish SPCA and that's where we heard about Sapphire. We went to the centre in the morning and took her home that afternoon. Sunset and Sapphire get on great and are happily grazing side-by-side. It was the perfect match.

"Animals don't end up with Scottish SPCA from a good story and so we anticipated her background. It can be a cruel world with horses and there are some people who treat them the same way as they treat cars. We saw it as an opportunity to do something nice and no more complicated than that."

Scottish SPCA Rehoming Week runs from May 4-10. The charity will be appealing for new homes for the hundreds of animals in their care, from dogs, cats, rabbits and rodents to horses, birds, snakes and more. For more information, visit scottishspca.org or call 03000 999 999