Not long ago, a frightened little Thai Ridgeback was found abandoned at the bottom of our drive — lost, confused, and utterly alone. We named her Velma. From the outside, she looks like any other happy, healthy dog. She wags her tail, loves a gentle cuddle, and greets everyone with hope in her eyes.

But behind that brave little face, something is terribly wrong.

During her routine check-up, our vet discovered that Velma has a rare and life-threatening condition called Dermoid Sinus — a cruel genetic defect that only affects ridgeback breeds. It forms a hidden tunnel that runs from her skin deep towards her spine. If left untreated, it can cause infection, unimaginable pain… and eventually paralysis.

Right now, Velma shows no signs of suffering, she still runs and plays. But every day that passes is a risk. Without immediate treatment, this invisible ticking clock could rob her of the ability to walk, or worse.

To find out how deep the sinus goes, Velma needs a CT scan costing around £2,500, followed by life-saving surgery of at least £1,000 — possibly more depending on what the scan reveals.

It’s heartbreaking to think that after being abandoned once already, Velma could lose her second chance at life.

But you can change that.

Every single pound — every act of kindness — brings Velma closer to the healthy, pain-free life she deserves. Your support could give her the future she’s already fighting so hard for.

Please, if you can, donate whatever you’re able to help us save Velma.

Together, we can show her that love doesn’t give up.

Update on Velma

Back in November we launched an appeal to help Velma receive the life-saving care she needs. Thanks to your generosity, we reached our target of £3,500 within a matter of weeks! Every single penny is extremely appreciated, and Velma cannot thank you all enough.

We apologise for the delay in giving you all an update. Due to a series of setbacks, we have simply not been too sure on what the best course of action would be for Velma’s overall health, and we didn’t want to give you false information.

Firstly, we want to say that Velma is ok! Thanks to you, Velma was able to have her CT scan which gave us a clearer picture of how severe her Dermoid Sinus in her neck is. The scan also revealed 3 more sinuses along her back, but these don’t appear to be as bad.

However, since then Velma has had a series of reoccurring infections in her neck. This is what has delayed her surgery and our updates, as our vet team, including some very kind specialists who are helping us out, have been debating what to do next.

But we can confirm that the plan IS for Velma to have surgery, but unfortunately, we simply don’t know when. Velma is on a course of strong antibiotics to try and clear up her current infection but previously they have returned just as quick as they have cleared up.

Velma and the whole team at NCAR would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated, supported us and asked after Velma. We cannot express our gratitude enough to you all for your continued support to not only Velma, but all the dogs and cats in our care. Velma is not the first dog that has needed extreme veterinary care, and she will not be the last. Every single penny that you donate goes straight to the animals.

There are several ways you can donate:

Make a one off or reoccurring monetary donation via our website

Donate unwanted items to the animals or our charity shops

Play our lottery for only £1 a ticket

Host a fundraising event

Visit our cafe and charity shops

Sponsor a rescue animal (relaunching soon)

Leave a gift in your will

From the bottom of our hearts — and Velma’s wagging tail — thank you.