Shotton: From abandonment to happy forever home for Mazie

When a story popped up on her phone reporting a RSPCA appeal about an abandoned Shih Tzu - Robbie Grant knew she wanted to help.

It hadn’t been very long since her Shih Tzu RSPCA rescue dog Suki had sadly passed away earlier in the summer - who she had lovingly cared for two and a half years. 

She had just given up on looking for another Shih Tzu to care for - but when RSPCA volunteer Robbie from Conwy heard about a poor female dog who was found on Shotton Lane - she hoped she could be the person to help her.

The Shih Tzu had been found in a pet carrier with heavily matted fur and the people living at the property she was dumped at took her to a vet, who subsequently called the RSPCA.

Originally called Ivy, her condition when she was first found was poor (Image: RSPCA)

She was taken into the charity’s care and an investigation was launched.

Robbie said: "I rang Bryn Y Maen and found she was there and had been named Ivy. I didn’t sleep a lot that night. Before I went in I thought I would ring and I spoke to them and I said do you think we would be considered as a foster parent for Ivy, and they said yes!

“For the next week we spent every day with her and it did take four or five days for her to come and accept us. But by the end of the week she happily came home with us."

Robbie added: “We call her Mazie - the ‘May’ as she was found in May and Mazie in full because she is amazing.”

Robbie - who took on Mazie as a foster carer initially and has since adopted her fully - has discovered that Mazie may have just been around six months old when she was abandoned as she is only now coming up to her first birthday.

It was initially estimated at the time she was around a year old. 

Now, Mazie is as happy as can be in her forever home, said Robbie.

“She rules the roost,” she said. “She has been just fantastic. She loves the beach. She can run and run and run!”

Mazie loves the beach (Image: RSPCA)

Animal care supervisor Callum Bartley said Robbie has been volunteering for the centre for around six years, and is always making everyone smile and laugh. 

“We were all devastated to hear the news of Robbie's previous dog passing,” he said.

“When Robbie called the centre enquiring about Mazie we couldn't have asked for a better person to take her on.

“Mazie came into our care really worried about life and people and clearly had no experiences of what a dog's life should be. Robbie has done a wonderful job helping Mazie learn to walk on a lead and help Mazie feel better being around people. 

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“We are all really grateful for what Robbie has done and the continued support she does for the centre as a whole.”

Mazie’s abandonment in May was one of many heart-breaking incidents where animals have been dumped across Wales this year.

In Wales abandonment reports have risen 61% - from 997 in 2020 to a projected 1,610 this year. This compared to 1,192 reports in 2021 and 1,419 in 2022.