Bella was still alive when two women spotted her struggling in the River Trent. A bag containing a heavy rock had been tied to her leash, leaving her trapped in the water.
She had been left to drown.
On January 6, 2020, Jane Harper and her friend Joanne Bellamy found Bella near Farndon, in Nottinghamshire, England. Jane freed her from the rock, and the dog was brought to safety.
The details of the rescue were difficult to take in. Someone had attached the weight to Bella’s leash before leaving her in the river. Now, because two people had noticed her and helped, she had a chance to survive.
Bella was taken to a local veterinarian for emergency treatment. Police began working with the RSPCA to investigate what had happened. Her microchip gave them a name: Bella.
Getting her out of the water was the beginning of a much longer rescue.
Credit: Nottinghamshire Police
At Radcliffe Animal Centre, staff faced an uncertain recovery. Bella was an elderly dog with several health problems, and they could not know how much progress she would make.
The centre later described arthritis, inflammation of the pancreas, kidney and liver disease, and some dementia among the conditions affecting her. Caring for Bella meant helping her recover from the river while also managing the needs of an aging dog.
Over the following months, her carers began to see more of her personality.
She could be particular about her food, sometimes refusing the special diets intended to help manage her conditions. Staff affectionately called her “Madam Bella.”
Then there were the walks. As her health improved during the latter part of 2020, Bella began getting excited when it was time to go out. She would bark, whine, and bounce on her unsteady legs in anticipation.
Those little moments mattered. The dog who had needed urgent help was finding things to enjoy again.
Her carers knew her age and health would limit the time she had left. They wanted that time to be comfortable, happy, and full of care.
Credit: Nottinghamshire Police
After about 15 months in RSPCA care, Bella had a new opportunity.
Maggie Mellish and Charlie Douglas, a retired couple living in South Derbyshire, had read about her and learned that she needed a home. Maggie’s daughter, Clare, encouraged them to apply.
The family had cared for three Shepherd-type dogs over the previous 30 years. They understood that welcoming Bella would involve regular veterinary appointments and ongoing expenses, and they were willing to take that on.
By then, Bella was 11. Maggie and Charlie wanted to give her the loving home she deserved for whatever time she had.
At the end of March 2021, that became possible.
Jane and Joanne, the women who had helped save Bella, were invited to see her again before she left with her new family. For Jane, seeing Bella brought back the memory of the rescue, along with happiness at how far she had come.
The RSPCA described the couple as a good match. Bella was leaving the centre with people who understood her needs and wanted her in their lives.
An update shared in June 2021 showed what life looked like for Bella after the move.
She could wander around the house and garden, with Maggie and Charlie giving her plenty of attention. Maggie also cooked meals for her, including chicken and potatoes, and Bella continued to have regular veterinary checks.
The RSPCA released footage of her enjoying her new surroundings. After so much time in care, she had a home and a family of her own.
Maggie explained that, when she first saw Bella’s photograph and heard her story, she felt they could give her a loving place to spend her remaining months or years.
Her description of how they felt about their new dog was simple: “We love her.”
For a senior dog with ongoing health needs, that commitment made room for the ordinary pleasures of home: attention, a garden to explore, and people looking after her.
Bella’s story also has a later chapter that deserves to be remembered.
In November 2021, the RSPCA announced that she had died. Because of her long-term health conditions, Bella had been put to sleep. The centre said she was peaceful at home with her owners.
Her carers thanked Maggie and Charlie for welcoming her, the team who had supported her recovery, and Jane and Joanne for saving her.
The time Bella spent with her adoptive family was brief, but it was part of her life that the river rescue had made possible.
She had recovered enough to leave the centre, enjoy a home, and be cared for by people who loved her. When the rescue team remembered Bella, they spoke about the happiness and kindness she had found there.
Two women had stopped to help a dog in the water. Their actions gave Bella the chance to have that final chapter.
