A gentle rescue dog who was abandoned starving and abused in a supermarket car park is enjoying a new lease of life soaking up love and affection at a Hounslow care home.
When Pam Ling, of Whitton, found Molly abandoned in an Ashford car park three years ago, she was painfully thin and covered in cigarette burns.
But after a great deal of love, care and veterinary attention, the lurcher-cross was slowly nursed back to health and is now a regular visitor to Cloisters Care Home, in Bath Road.
Pam and Molly visit the residents every Wednesday through the Pets As Therapy (PAT) scheme, which provides temperament-assessed and dogs and cats to hospitals, hospices, residential care homes, day centres, special needs schools to help give comfort, companionship and therapy.
Resident Pinkie Harrison, 98, said she looks forward to the weekly visits from Molly. "She's lovely and gentle and enjoys eating her treats," she added. "We make a really big fuss of her."
Cloisters activities coordinator Alex Henderson said: "When Pam found Molly she was in a terrible state, very thin and covered in burns. She already had dogs of her own and said she couldn't bear to leave her there, so she took her home.
"That was three years ago, and now she's our PAT dog and we all love her. She's got such a lovely temperament, even after all she's been through, and the residents all look forward to her visiting. She's a large part of Cloisters now."
