A puppy who was left to die in a tied plastic bag will spend his first Christmas in his forever home.

Dougie, a bridle-coloured bull terrier, was found last Christmas Eve inside a tied up carrier bag and dumped in a car park in London’s Tottenham Marshes. 

He was freezing, underweight and missing part of his back paw, which RSPCA officers believe was due to a birth defect.

The terrified dog needed emergency treatment, and had surgery a few weeks later to remove the rest of his leg. Despite being just a few months old, he bounced back quickly and got used to life on three legs.

And it just so happened that Kirstin Douglas, 49, and her son Craig, 27, were on the lookout for a dog after a motorcycle crash left Craig with a crushed leg.

At one point doctors warned he might need it amputated, but luckily they were able to save it. When he and mental health worker Kirstin heard about Dougie’s plight from the RSPCA, they knew he was meant to come home with them.

“They asked if we were OK with him not having a back leg, but Craig had just had major surgery on his own leg and was still not weight bearing at that point,” says Kirstin. “So we went along and saw him, and that was that - we took him home the following week.”

Dougie has fully recovered from his awful beginnings and is full of mischief. “He’s always after the toilet roll,” laughs Kirstin. 

“He loves shoes, squeaky toys, food - if it’s not nailed down, he’ll have it. He’s lightning fast on his three legs and wants to play with every dog he meets.”

The pair are planning to spoil little Dougie with a slap-up turkey and veg roast dinner on Christmas Day, before taking him down to their local for a shandy and a fuss from the regulars. “They all love him down there,” grins Craig.

To help the RSPCA rescue more animals in need this winter, join The Christmas Rescue and donate online at rspca.org.uk/jointherescue