A DOG that was abandoned by the side of the road in Dunfermline has found his forever home with a caring woman who helped save his life.

The Scottish SPCA, based in Dunfermline, was able to rescue and rehabilitate Red, a saluki cross that now has "all the love he could ask for".

He was found on a single-track road in the area and was suffering badly from painful, swollen joints, dental disease and a fever which was initially believed to be caused by an infection.

He required months of veterinary care in the charity's care; if he had been cared for at a private veterinary clinic, it would have cost in excess of £5,000.

Poor Red - who was very skinny and lethargic when found - didn’t respond well to his initial treatment and he failed to gain weight, so required many more diagnostic tests.

Senior vet, Jo Neilson, said: “Red was in our care for nine months while we investigated and then treated his various medical problems.

"This included him having a relapse when we thought we might lose him.

"Our teams get very emotionally invested in the animals we care for and it’s times like these that are the hardest. He was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and needed a long course of treatment and regular blood tests but thankfully he pulled through."

Red has been able to have a happy-ending as he has now found his forever home courtesy of one of the veterinary care assistants who helped look after him.

Jo continued: "Such is the bond we build up with the animals we care for, one of our veterinary care assistants, Lynsey, fell in love with him and couldn’t bear to be parted with him.

"Red went home with Lynsey and now has all the love he could ask for."

It’s the job of Scotland’s animal welfare charity to help put broken animals back together again by providing treatment and sometimes months of rehabilitation.

There are 11 vets who work for the charity and they provide specialist care to the animals in need who arrive at the Scottish SPCA. Some arrive with diseases, others with accidental wounds and some arrive with intentional injuries inflicted by humans.

“Sadly, Red’s story is not an isolated case," Jo commented.

“Some have suffered for a long time, carrying physical and emotional scars. Animals can’t tell us where it hurts, why they’re sick or why they’re scared.

“It’s our job to uncover what has happened to the animals and what treatment they need.

“Red’s happy ending is the best possible outcome for us. To see the broken animals who arrive with us go on to loving forever homes. It’s the reason we do what we do.

“We don’t just fix broken bones. We fix broken hearts too.”

The Scottish SPCA receives no government funding and is entirely reliant on donations from the public.

To find out more about the Broken campaign and becoming a member of the Scottish SPCA, visit: www.scottishspca.org/support/donate