Some people can be shockingly cruel to their dogs — like in 2020, when a woman tried to drown her dog by tying her to a rock. Thankfully, the dog survived and now has a loving home.
Jane Harper was walking by the River Trent in England when she saw a dog struggling in the freezing water. She rushed in and found the dog’s leash tied to a heavy rock, clearly meant to drown her. The dog, a 10-year-old Belgian shepherd named Bella, was rescued just in time and taken for emergency treatment.
Vets said Bella was minutes from death, suffering from severe hypoglycemia and hypothermia. Through her microchip, police identified her owner, Carlene Latham, who admitted to the crime. She received a 12-month community order, fines, and a 3-year ban from owning dogs.
Bella spent the next year recovering at the RSPCA. Now 11, she has finally found her forever home with Maggie Mellish and Charlie Douglas, a couple with decades of experience caring for shepherd-type dogs. They were moved by Bella’s story and wanted to give her the love she deserves.
Bella also reunited with Jane Harper, the woman who saved her life — an emotional moment for everyone.
The RSPCA says they will miss Bella but are grateful she is safe and loved at last. “She has been courageous throughout and truly is a very special dog.”
