Misty, a Catahoula Leopard dog, was one of two dogs who had been locked up and left in a filthy building with no food and water in Merseyside – her companion had already died.

The RSPCA were alerted to their plight and inspector Helen Smith went to rescue them from the abandoned building in the Wirral area in July 2021.

Helen said: “Misty was very frightened when we rescued her and not used to human contact but I knew she was a loving dog.”

The animal rescue charity believes the cost of living crisis is leading to more people dumping or neglecting their pets and has seen a 25 per cent increase in the number of abandonments and a 13 per rise in neglect incidents.

Misty, aged three, was severely underweight, dehydrated and weak and was taken to RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for emergency treatment and she began her journey to recovery.

She was then transferred into the care of the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire branch of the RSPCA last year where staff noticed she was deaf and taught her sign language commands.

And in March she was adopted by Linda Hutton and Dougie Hall in Wakefield.

Linda, who helps run a family cafe, said Misty is now loving life and has become best friends with the couple’s two other dogs Hank, also a Catahoula Leopard dog and Daisy, a Rhodesian Ridgeback - both aged two.

She said: “We have experience of this breed and we did think it would be nice to have another.

“The three of them love each other and really have the time of their lives together.”

Linda said Misty being deaf doesn't hold her back at all.

She added: “She knows she is doing well when she sees our smiles - and so do Hank and Daisy so it works so well.”

Catahoula Leopard dog rescued from empty house finds new home for Christmas