'Frozen' dog found collapsed in snow needs home

A dog who lost her sight after being abandoned in the snow is now searching for a forever home.

After Derbyshire’s first heavy snowfall of the winter on 19 November, a stray dog was reported to Bolsover and North East Derbyshire district councils.

Environmental health enforcement officers attended a field in Sutton Scarsdale, near Chesterfield, at about 16:00 GMT and found a "frozen" dog collapsed.

The team initially feared the dog had died - but after being warmed up and transferred to a vets, the dog, named Sky, managed to pull through.

A Bolsover District Council spokesperson said: "The dog was curled up, lying motionless in the snow, but the officer identified a very faint heartbeat and described the dog as 'frozen'.

"After carrying the dog through a field of snow and ice in the darkness, the officer placed it in the back of the van and tried to warm it up using puppy pads and blankets."

Sky was diagnosed with severe hypothermia, dehydration and low blood sugar and cared for overnight.

The one-year-old has lost her sight, but the council said vet advice suggests this may yet recover.

Her microchip was linked her to an address in Newcastle, said the authority, but it is suspected that the details are out-of-date and she was abandoned.

Sky is now in a council kennel, where she is currently being looked after and hopefully will be rehomed.

Bolsover chief executive Karen Hanson praised the officer's dedication, and hoped that Sky would be placed "in a loving and caring home very soon".

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.