Good golly Miss Molly

Dog Molly in her new home

Abandoned and alone, poorly puppy Molly battled against the odds with help from an unlikely plush friend…

One-month-old pup Hope was found dumped in a box by the side of a road by a passerby, along with two of her siblings.

The kind-hearted stranger rushed the three tiny abandoned pets to the nearby Blue Cross rehoming centre in Lewknor. All three young dogs were riddled with fleas and seriously ill.

Sadly, Hope’s siblings were especially poorly and did not survive.

Before: One-month-old Molly snuggles up with her teddy
Before: One-month-old Molly snuggles up with her teddy

We were very worried about Hope too, but our team worked hard to keep the little fighter going, taking it in turns to care for her in their own homes. 

Lisa Kent, a Blue Cross Animal Welfare Assistant, says: “Because of the traumatic ordeal that she had been through, Hope was understandably very worried, especially about being on her own.

“One member of the team gave her a large teddy bear as company that she could snuggle into when she went to sleep and it really helped her – she often sat with it and got nice and cosy.”

A week later, Hope was again checked by a Blue Cross vet, who was really pleased with how much her condition had improved. 

Lisa says: “She went from strength to strength and became a very affectionate little character. She constantly got cuddles from all of the team and everyone found her completely irresistible!”

Once Hope was happy, healthy and old enough to be rehomed, she quickly found a family who fell in love with her, and now lives with the Ashtons, who named her Molly.

Lynda Ashton had always longed for a Chihuahua after a friend adopted one, but her husband wasn’t keen on the idea of a small dog. Last year, following a family bereavement, the Ashtons decided the time was right to welcome one to the family. 

Knowing there were many Chihuahuas in rehoming centres up and down the country, Lynda contacted her local Blue Cross centre at Lewknor. A short time later, we called Lynda about a tiny puppy of unknown breed – possibly a Chihuahua mix – who had recently arrived and might be a good match.

The family, including Lynda’s husband who had always favoured large breeds, visited Molly and fell in love.

When she was ready, Molly came home and settled in immediately. Teddy, of course, came too.

Lynda recalls: “She was full of energy; I’d forgotten what it was like to have a puppy! The last dog we had as a puppy died in 1980, and all our others since then have been older rescues.”

After: Molly still loves the teddy we gave her, but she's a bit bigger now!
After: Molly still loves the teddy we gave her, but she's a bit bigger now!

At four months old, it’s obvious that Molly is a crossbreed and probably doesn’t have much, if any, of the Mexican breed’s characteristics – but Lynda doesn’t mind.

She says: “I didn’t get my Chihuahua, but I got something much nicer! She’s lovely.”

Dog Molly snuggles up on the sofa in her new home
— Page last updated 01/06/2015