Abandoned ‘Moffat six’ strays make ‘remarkable recovery’

Six dogs found “abandoned and terrified” by the side of the road in southern Scotland have made a “remarkable” recovery.

The “Moffat six” were discovered in an “exhausted and underweight” condition on the B719 in July last year.

They were later taken in by staff at the Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre (DGCRC) to undergo rehabilitation.

The strays have since made near-full recoveries and have been put up for adoption in a bid to find them new homes.

The dogs, named Toffee, Charlotte, Rae, Meadow, Glen and Brodie, were said to be “relatively calm but nervous” when discovered last year.

The volunteers and rescuers spent hours corralling them before they were brought to the rescue centre.

Four others from the pack were shot by a local farmer after they attacked sheep in a nearby field.

Staff at the DGCRC have worked with the animals over the past year in order to rebuild their confidence and trust.

The centre’s Emma Scott said staff had been thrilled by their progress and were now hopeful of finding each dog a new home.

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since the Moffat six came to us,” she said.

“Their journey has been an incredible one, filled with small steps and significant progress.

“Although it’s taken time, they’ve made remarkable steps, teaching us invaluable lessons along the way.”

Ms Scott added: “We are incredibly proud of their progress and feel that most of them are ready to embark on their next chapter as they deserve their own ‘happy ever after’.”

The dogs were all given names with a Moffat connection linked to streets, restaurants and even its most famous confectionery.

They were reunited with some of their rescuers on Monday.

Lee Herron, from Lost Dogs Dumfries and Galloway, was among those that helped to retrieve them.

She said: “It took a long time to build their trust and secure them that day, it was a real challenge.

“It was clear they’d never been handled before or had a collar and lead on, however, they did really well and we were all so relieved when we had them all safe and secure.

“To see how they’ve improved is amazing. They are so playful and just want to have fun.

“I think people would be really surprised by them in comparison to the photos of that day last year.”