Emaciated dog found weighing less than two stone in Stockton is adopted by nurse who saved him

A dog found so emaciated it weighed less than two stone and was near to death has been adopted by the nurse who brought it back to health.

Seb, an 11 year old rough-haired collie, was found with two other dogs at a Stockton home after his owner died. The RSPCA were called to rescue them.

Seb was nursed back to health by Nicole Burn who works at Stanhope Park Vets in Darlington. She said she was shocked when she first saw him, "He looked in a terrible state and we believed he was hours away from death. When we lifted him onto the examination table at the vet's, there was just nothing on him. His spine and bones protruded through his skin he was so emaciated."

Seb weighed just 1.9 stone/12.2 kg but within two months he'd gained weight and was a healthier three stone. When he was ready to be re-homed, Nicole said she jumped at the chance.

Nicole said: "I bonded with him straight away, and now he is never too far away from me. He is so happy and content and he comes to work with me every day—he is a perfect fit in my life."

The RSPCA receives around 90,000 calls to its cruelty line every month but in the summer that rises to 134,000.

Ruth Thomas-Coxon was the RSPCA officer called to collect Seb and says they want to save even more animals like him.

Ruth said: "This is why the RSPCA is running its Cancel out Cruelty fund-raising campaign as we need the public to support us so we can carry out more rescues like this during the summer period, which is our busiest time."