We don’t know who she is and where she came from, but this little girl was found in a ditch by a family about a week ago – at Holwell turning point at Pirton. And since it is so close to Christmas, she has been named “Holly” – for now.
Mummy took me with her when she went to meet Holly.
We brought her one of my old Christmas jumpers because part of her coat has been cut off due to her matts – so this will keep her warm when the weather changes.
And we brought her a little toy – one to call her own. 
I had the same toy once and managed to chew off its head.
We tempted her with treats –
But she didn’t eat it! Can you imagine how she was just killing me to watch that biscuit go unappreciated!!! I was going to help her get rid of it but Mummy kept stopping me. Apparently she only eats roast chicken. Well, yeah. So would I.
Holly has company where she is living now. This is Nelly –
And this is Blue.
It has only been a few days but they are getting on well.
The reason why we went to meet Holly is so we can help to spread the news that an apricot cockapoo has been found. We assume she is a cockapoo. No one seems to have any idea how she ended up in a ditch. But just in case you know someone who is missing a cockapoo, or you have lost a cockapoo – please have a closer look. Could she be the one who was taken from you?
May’s comment: Has anyone lost an apricot cockapoo, not recently but possibly awhile back?
Holly as she is now referred to was found about a week ago and taken to the vet in Hitchin. 
She was badly matted, filthy and riddled with fleas.When they looked her over, she did not flinch, she just went into a shut down mode – allowing the vet and nurses do whatever they wanted with her.
They had to cut off the matts and had to shave off her underbelly to see if there were any obvious scars to suggest she had been spayed, but her teats looked significantly bigger than Darcy’s for instance which possibly suggest she had a litter.
It is hard to tell how old she is. Her teeth seemed to be alright except for some tartar at the top, possibly still young. She did not have very developed muscles – probably not well exercised. Her tail is partly docked which seems to suggest that someone thought her tail got in the way of things.
There are so many possibilities – Was she stolen and used as a breeding dog? Was she a failed breeding dog and therefore abandoned? Was she just abandoned because cockapoos can be high maintenance? We don’t know but we are sharing her story just in case someone did lose a cockapoo awhile back.
She’s apricot with slight ginger ears and a patch of white tuxedo chest. 
She is not as big as Darcy, but also not so small to suggest that she’s crossed with a toy poodle. 
She looks very much part English Cocker, possibly a show cocker.
During the few days she has been with Claire, she has started to show signs of a cheeky cockapoo under that stifled persona. She has no issues with Blue (whippet) nor Nelly (lurcher).
She was not afraid of Darcy either. In fact she was a little curious. Darcy, of course wanted nothing to do with her nor the other dogs.
At the vet, they noticed that she hesitated with humans, but allowed them to handle her as they wished. She seems to go into a shut-down mode. Since staying with Claire, she had come out of her shell just a little and had started to slightly wag her half-tail. She was not afraid when I approached her and she did allow me to hold her, but she wasn’t relaxed.
We hope that she is starting to experience the better side of humans.
She is being house-trained, and there are signs of separation anxiety.
As you can imagine, there have been so many offers to adopt her – so we are not looking for adopters, but our hope is that we can locate her original owner – if she was indeed stolen. If not, we hope whoever abandoned her will leave her to get on with her second chance at life.
For now she is safe and being well looked after and most of all loved. She will be at her current home for Christmas – sharing it with doggies and humans who want her and love her. The happiest Christmas would be to see that half tail of hers wagging in excitement when she recognises a face she once knew. Can you help get her home for Christmas?
Please share.
18 Responses
How awful! We really hope she finds a loving home. Based on what you say it is likely she is a dumped breeding dog. The shut down mode is probably from her being told off. Please do let us know if and when she gets her new family ??
We’re following closely. X
Oh my goodness … this has brought a few tears to my eyes… how can people dump an animal… it is so awful! I am so pleased to hear she has got a lovely home for Xmas. Please keep us updated May x
Absolutely!
Poor poor baby girl – so glad she’s now safe and being loved. Well done to you Miss D and your lovely Mummy for going to see her and helping. No dog deserves this ?Please do let us know when she finds a living forever home.
We will. X
OMG what a dreadful situation for her I would agree she does sound like an abandoned breeding dog. She deserves a loving owner preferably with another dog so she can learn to relax and trust humans again. If she does come up for adoption I would love to regime her as my poo baby would love a big sister.
I meant rehome
Stories like this just break my heart. She must be so scared and uncertain but is now being so well looked after. If she has been stolen I desperately hope her owners can be found. If not, there are so many people willing to take her home. Thank you to all that is great and good in the world for people like you and Claire.
She sounds like she is in a great environment at the moment where hopefully she will come out of her shell perhaps. Sounds like she might not have had a great start in life, might have even managed to escape from somewhere where she was being mistreated!
Obviously she won’t be handed back to anyone who might have done this to her, she deserves the best. Thank you for the update .
She looks just like my doggy Jemma. Hope she gets home soon.
Glad that you found her and she is now safe hope you find her original owners although I wont hold my breath I take it she hadn’t got a microchip .good luck with her hope she regains her confidence and thanks for looking after her xx.
Poor little soul. I do hope she finds a loving caring home whether that’s with her rightful owners or with someone new. I know you and your mummy and Claire will make sure she does.
Any update?
We have to wait 30 days before they will interview potential adopters.
she is gorgeous and such a sad story. Glad you found her and she will have a lovely Christmas.
How lovely that you and Darcy visited her, we await an update licks from Lucca X
Thanks for the update, we had been concerned for her. Enzo is aloof too, he will play a little but then is usually disinterested. I think he might wonder why we expect him to play with a dog?