When staff at the RSPCA Woodside Animal Center arrived for work early Wednesday morning, they were stunned to find a dog tied to the front gate — waiting quietly, as if she’d been there for hours, hoping someone would finally come.
“She was standing with her head pushed through the bars of the gate, her ears back and these big, brown, puppy-dog eyes staring up at us,” a spokeswoman for the RSPCA Woodside Animal Center said in a press release.
The dog, later named Misty, was heartbreakingly thin — her ribs clearly showing — and she had a skin condition along with cuts on her nose. It was obvious she’d been through a lot. The staff immediately brought her inside, grateful that she was now somewhere safe where she could rest and heal.
“She must be so confused and disoriented,” the spokeswoman said softly.
When staff scanned her microchip, they learned that Misty had once been rehomed years ago. Somewhere along the way, she’d lost her way again and ended up abandoned — left alone and vulnerable outside the very place meant to protect her.
While Misty is now safe, rescuers know how dangerous her situation could have been. Leaving an animal tied up or abandoned, even outside a shelter, is never safe. The RSPCA is now appealing to the public for help uncovering how Misty ended up there.
“We’re hoping someone recognizes her or knows something that can help our investigation,” Inspector Karl Marston said.
For now, Misty is recovering under the loving care of the shelter team. She’s gaining weight, getting treatment for her skin, and slowly learning to trust again. Once she’s fully healed, she’ll be ready for the forever home she deserves — one where she’ll never have to wait behind a gate for love again.
Anyone with information about Misty’s abandonment can contact the RSPCA at 0300 123 8018.
