Derbyshire woman pleads for help to bring home abandoned dog she rescued from starving to death in Greece

Nicole Thompson and her partner Joe, from Barlborough, recently travelled to Greece to visit family. After a couple of weeks, the couple were heading out to a restaurant when they noticed a German Shepherd puppy on the roadside.

Nicole said: “We drove past Ipsi on the side of the road as we were going for some food. On our way back, she was still there, and I said to Joe that I had to take her, I couldn’t just leave her there.

“We decided we had to find someone willing to take us and Ipsi back to where we were staying, as me and Joe were on a scooter.

“We ended up in five different tourists' rented cars to five different points along the way to our house, having to wave each of them down by the side of the road.”

Nicole said that Ipsi was obviously starving, and her weight had plummeted. They gave Ipsi food and water before taking her to the vet, who said that – despite having been abandoned – she had a clean bill of health.

“She was 15 kilos when we found her, she couldn’t walk and she could barely stand – she was really unwell.

“We took her to the vets, who told us she was around six or seven months old. She’s perfectly healthy – and we’ve absolutely fallen in love with her.”

Nicole and Joe are now hoping to bring Ipsi home – but the costs of doing so have presented a significant challenge.

Nicole said: “She’s beautiful, and it’s so stressful trying to get her home. I work a normal job, so I don’t get a lot of money, and this was obviously unplanned.

“We’ve set up the GoFundMeto help with some of the costs. We’ve paid for her vaccinations and blood tests, but it’s £600 for the flight, £600 for a chaperone to take her through the airport, and £300 for a crate to transport her in – and that also covers the percentage that GoFundMe take themselves.

“I know everyone is a bit low on cash after this last year but every little helps and I know there are people out there, like us, who want to take these poor abandoned dogs off the streets for a better life.

“It’s been up for a week and we’ve already raised £241. I’ve shared it everywhere, but I just don’t have a big enough platform on my own.”

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Nicole added that it would mean the world to be able to get Ipsi back to her Derbyshire home.

“Honestly, to have her at home would be a complete change of life for me. She’s a companion, she’s so loyal and loving – she’s just perfect.

“I feel like I’ve got a family and she makes me feel at home wherever I am. It’s second to none the feeling of having her.”

Donations to Nicole’s fundraiser can be made here.