Meet the 'gentle giant' who helped care for tiny kittens and is now looking for her forever home
A Tibetan mastiff dog with a "heart of gold" is looking for a loving new home after helping take care of orphaned kittens and preparing them for their forever homes.
Georgie may only be 17 months old but she already weighs almost 50kg. The huge pooch is now looking for her own home.
Demi McCormack, an animal care assistant at Birmingham Animal Centre who has been fostering Georgie since she arrived in RSPCA care at just 12 weeks old, said: "Living with my two other dogs and a menagerie of foster pets, she quickly learned how to play and bond with other animals.
"She actually became a wonderful foster sister to the various dogs and cats I would bring home from work for a little extra care, attention or rehabilitation."
"We started to notice how amazing she was with the vulnerable animals we had coming through the doors and, over the last year, she’s spent time with orphaned kittens, unwanted chinchillas, abandoned guinea pigs and even a stray lizard," she added.
Ms McCormack said she bonded with a trio of feral kittens - Dumpling, Sushi and Tofu, who came to her earlier this year.
"She’s always so gentle with them all and has learned how to interact with them safely.
"Then a mother cat called Queen Lady arrived with her six week-old kittens. Georgie was in her element. She loved watching them grow up and build in confidence," she added.
The RSPCA said Georgie's nurturing side really came out when they took in a pair of feral kittens - Fay and her blind sister, Faith.
Ms McCormack said: "She’d groom them, and they’d all snooze together. When the kittens were scared they’d snuggle up in her thick fur; it was adorable. The kittens grew and grew in confidence, and Georgie mellowed too."
Georgie has shown signs of hip dysplasia and receives daily medication to help manage this pain. Her new owners will need to continue with this and be prepared for any problems this might cause her later in life.
She will also require regular grooming including daily brushing and a professional groom every six to eight weeks. She loves being brushed so this will be a nice bonding opportunity for her and her new owner.
Ms McCormack said: "She is such a loyal, loving and cheeky girl. She thinks she’s still a tiny puppy and that can be a little problematic at times when she forgets she’s a 50kg giant! I’d be happy to work with any new owners to help them understand her quirks; once you get to know this girl you’re quickly smitten.
"She’s helped me with so many animals over the last year. She’s helped build other dog’s confidence and been like a surrogate mum to many kittens. She’s helped other pets prepare to go off to their new homes and now it’s finally her turn," she added.
To find out more about Georgie please contact Birmingham Animal Centre on 0300 123 8585.