A pet rehoming centre is appealing for a new home for a toothless and deaf dog which was dumped in Thetford Forest just before Christmas.

The 13-year-old beagle cross has been named Ivy by staff at Dogs Trust Snetterton after she was found abandoned by a member of the public.

Kelly Smith, rehoming centre assistant manager, said Ivy had no collar, ID or microchip.

A social media appeal for her owners proved fruitless, leaving the centre to conclude she was dumped in the forest.

Miss Smith said: 'We cannot be 100pc certain of the circumstances that led Ivy to us.

'But the fact she wasn't wearing a collar or microchip and didn't get claimed from the local authority kennel leads us to believe that Ivy was no longer wanted by her owners and dumped in a local forest without any thought of how this elderly dog would cope.'

'Ivy was in a pretty sorry state when she arrived at the rehoming centre. At 13-years-old she's definitely into her senior years.

'She has no teeth and is completely deaf, so life must be overwhelming for her. She's been enjoying lots of soft food since arriving and she loves snuggling up in her blankets.

'Ivy has captured the hearts of all of us at Dogs Trust; we just hope she will find a loving new home to live out her retirement in peace.'

Despite her ordeal, Ivy is now on the road to recovery and being cared for by a team of loving canine carers at Dogs Trust Snetterton until she is ready to find a loving new home in the New Year.

If you're interested in rehoming Ivy, contact Dogs Trust on 0300 303 0292.