Bethany is an eight-month-old Labrador cross that looks a little unusual.
She was born with a severe facial disfigurement that makes her entire snout twist and droop to one side, leaving her teeth exposed.
Her appearance can be a little startling, which may be why she’s struggling to find a permanent home.
This Christmas the charity Safe Rescue for Dogs, who are based in Norwich, Norfolk, are asking if anyone can give Bethany the love and care she so desperately deserves.
Bethany’s mum was a street dog in Romania when she fell pregnant, but a family took her in and helped care for her litter of five puppies until they could be rescued.
It’s thought the pups are part Pekingese, and that the mixture of genes may have contributed to Bethany’s wonky face – although she’s the only one in the litter who looks the way she does.
Her facial deformity doesn’t hold her back, as Bethany can eat, drink, run and play just like any other dog. But while her siblings are on track for adoption, Bethany needs a little help to find the right family.
Volunteer fosterer Zoe Casey, 46, hopes that someone will be able to look past Bethany’s deformity and see her ‘amazing’ personality.
Zoe said: ‘There’s absolutely nothing wrong with Bethany – she doesn’t even snore when she’s asleep.
‘People have asked ‘are we sure we’re doing the right thing?’ and ‘how do we know?’. We know because she’s been vet checked and checked again at Calais and Dover at DEFRA.
‘If she was ill, she would have been seized because that’s their job. She is absolutely fine. She is the most amazing dog. She is gentle and happy.
‘We have been out walking her and she’s already fine off the lead. She runs around and comes back when called.
‘She loves kids, she’s good with other dogs, she is as near to perfect temperament-wise as you are ever going to get.
‘She is very much [like] a Labrador in her temperament. She’s happy-go-lucky and absolutely lovely.
‘There is an attitude of people looking for the picture-perfect dog but I think people need to look a bit deeper.
‘People do see Bethany and they’re a bit shocked by her face but when you have worked in the industry, you aren’t shocked, you just accept it.
‘Sometimes a facial disfigurement is not as bad as a mental disfigurement when does have been treated badly.
‘Bethany has not been treated badly. Luckily her mum was rescued before she was born so she hasn’t had a bad life. She’s not worried or scared.
‘With so many dogs we have to work through how they have been treated and that’s worse.
‘You can get over Bethany’s facial disfigurement the moment she looks up at you with her tail wagging.’
If you think you could give Bethany a forever home, get in touch with the charity through their website or give them a call on 07899844524.
Zoe adds: ‘We hope Bethany finds a normal family who treats her like a normal dog because she is normal even if she doesn’t look it.
‘We just want a nice, run-of-the-mill family who will look after her and not see what she looks like but what she is, an amazing dog.
‘What she looks like is irrelevant because her heart is pure gold.’
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/12/20/rescue-dog-wonky-face-searching-home-family-will-see-heart-11940291/
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