Hattie the Fatty half the size and hungry for a home

The hefty hound had survived on a diet of hamburgers before she was rescued by the RSPCA

Gables Farm Hattie the Fatty — The hefty hound had survived on a diet of hamburgers before she was rescued by the RSPCA

An obese dog once said to be Britain's largest has halved her weight and is looking for a home.

Hattie made headlines around the world after she was taken in by Gables Farm Dogs and Cats Home in Plymouth, Devon, earlier this year.

Nicknamed "Hattie the Fatty", the plump pooch weighed almost 40kg (6st) when she was rescued by the RSPCA.

The hefty hound, who had been living on a diet of hamburgers, has now slimmed to 23kg (3st).

Manager Ruth Rickard said she recalled mistaking the portly pup for a "pot-bellied pig" when she first arrived.

Eight-year-old Hattie resembled a "pot-bellied pig" when she first arrived at the shelter

The collie-cross is a shadow of her former self after losing almost half her weight

Hattie the Fatty — The collie-cross is a shadow of her former self after losing almost half her weight

Staff put the colossal canine on a strict regime of diet and exercise to help her lose the weight safely.

The charity also set up a fundraising campaign to help cover her vet bills, including cataracts surgery, medicine and a possible "tummy tuck" to rid her of any excess skin.

Eight-year-old Hattie's story spread far and wide and as a result the centre smashed its fundraising target by 338%.

The charity said the leftover money would go towards any new owner's future vet bills.

"We'll be able to fund all her diabetic treatment for the rest of her life now because we were able to raise so much money," Ms Rickard said.