A CAPEL Bangor woman who has “dedicated her life” to rescuing animals is turning heads in the village thanks to her latest addition - a dog in a wheelchair.

Anja Funke of Dolypandy said she gets “stopped often” by passers-by when out walking her five rescue dogs to ask about Vita, a five-year-old she rescued from Macedonia a year ago.

Vita, who had been run over by a car, was found by a charity in an “appalling” state and was left dragging herself by her front legs to move around.

She has since had a wheelchair to replace her non-working back legs and is “loving life”.

“In October 2014, after 10 days of crying in a wooden dog house, animal rescuers for Saving Macedonian Strays found a dog lying in her own faeces,” Anja, originally from Germany, explained.

“She had no food or water, was covered in maggots and paralysed from the neck down.

“They presumed she had been run over by a car and then abandoned by her owner near the local shelter.

“She refused to eat for seven days.

“On the ninth day she finally started drinking water by herself.

“After a month she tried to stand up on her front legs and finally succeeded and started dragging herself with her front legs.

“The charity gave her the name Vita [meaning life].

“Due to her spinal injury her hind legs are very weak and she is incontinent.”

With the help of K9 International and a Facebook appeal, Anja, 31, learned about Vita’s plight and took her in, along with Vita’s friend Nina, who had to have one hind paw amputated after she was found abandoned as a puppy with her siblings next to a motorway.

“Vita now enjoys life in a loving home,” Anja added.

“She is especially enjoying having her back scratched, barking at anything that moves, sleeping under the duvet, and of course running around like mad in her wheelchair.

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