BACK in March, Brentor-based Margaret Green Animal Rescue appealed through the Times to give a dog a second chance at life, and now, after a life-saving operation, Sally the border collie is enjoying a new home.

Sally, eight months old, arrived at the Wingletang Rescue and Re-homing Centre in November having been found straying on Dartmoor. From the outset staff found her to be a very confident, social girl. She was checked by Westmoor Vets in Tavistock where it was discovered that she had a severe heart murmur.

Alan Ging, who manages the Wingletang centre with his wife Niki, said: 'Sally had Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA). This means that a blood vessel that connects the two main arteries of the body — the aorta and the pulmonary artery — is not closed, and it should be.'

If untreated, around 60% of dogs afected by PDA die within a year of diagnosis from congestive heart failure.

When caught early, and following treatment with successful closure of the PDA, most dogs live a normal life.

Alan said: 'Sally desperately needed an operation to correct this defect, otherwise there was no future for her.'

The operation The operation would cost up to £4,000 but without it, Sally would almost certainly die.

'We asked the public to help with our 'Save Sally' appeal and the response was fantastic. We raised in excess of £4,000 in just over two weeks. In fact, the donations continued even after Sally's operation on our Just Giving page http://www.justgiving.com/savesally">www.justgiving.com/savesally and these will all go towards other animals in need of care.'

Sally travelled to Kenilworth for her operation.

Alan said: 'It went brilliantly. Sally stayed with us at Wingletang and received lots of TL until we felt she was ready to go to her new home. She has now been successfully re-homed to new, loving owners where she can live the life she deserves.

'We are absolutely delighted with the support we have received to help Sally. She has a superb home now as she is living with vets Julie Vickers and David Jones, supporters of ours. We wish her the very best of luck in her new life and thank everyone who made Sally's new life possible.'