THREE weeks after being found abandoned at the side of a road in Stevenage suffering from horrendous injuries to its hind legs, a dog that captured the hearts of Comet readers is making a remarkable recovery. Smartie has been recovering at the Wood Green

THREE weeks after being found abandoned at the side of a road in Stevenage suffering from horrendous injuries to its hind legs, a dog that captured the hearts of Comet readers is making a remarkable recovery.

Smartie has been recovering at the Wood Green Animal Centre in Godmanchester where she has undergone surgery for her injuries but unfortunately has had to have a hind leg amputated.

Public donations to help pay for Smartie's surgery has reached a wonderful £1,502 and the money was still rolling in from kind Comet readers who were touched by the dog's plight.

Many have offered to give Smartie, whose original name was Petal, a home when she has recovered and readers have been keeping in touch with the dog's progress by logging on to a special web cam showing her recovering in her cage.

"We are absolutely delighted with Smartie's progress so far. She seems to have recovered extremely well from her operations and is making a speedy recovery. Being such a gorgeous dog I'm sure it won't take long for her to find her perfect home when she is ready," said a spokesman at the animal centre.

"She is now sleeping in with the guys in our IT office...its a little quieter in there for her and she seems to have taken to the boys. She is very much a flirt!

"We don't have a home for Smartie just yet as she still needs veterinary attention whilst she is recovering but will be looking for a new home very soon.

"We haven't had any toys sent in for her but we've had lots of good wishes and donations which has been fabulous. Hits on the website have certainly gone up over the past week... we usually have about 750 hits a day but at the moment we are having about 1,000 hits a day."

For more information about Smartie contact the donation hotline on 0870 38 247 88 or log on to www.woodgreen.org.uk