SHE was taken in by rescuers when she was just weeks old, cared for by staff desperate to find her a new home.
Now, Molly the collie lurcher cross is saving lives as a mountain search and rescue dog in the Peak District.
Molly was cared for by staff at Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Gilberdyke until she was chosen as the latest recruit to the Woodhead Mountain Team.
Catherine Foster, head of fundraising at Jerry Green Dog Rescue, said: "We strive to rehome every dog we take in and successes like Molly's show that rescue dogs can go on to make wonderful pets for their new owners – and even provide a service for the community.
"These stories give us a massive boost. They make all of our hard work worthwhile and we hope that it encourages other people out there looking for a new member of the family to visit a Jerry Green Dog Rescue centre and see what dogs we have available for adoption.
"With the number of abandoned dogs increasing, we really need to educate the public about how valuable an experience adopting a dog can be."
Molly was given a home at Jerry Green Dog Rescue after her original owners separated and were no longer able to care for her.
She was later adopted by Lisa Brearley, a social worker who volunteers for the Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team.
Lisa, of Clayton West in Huddersfield, said: "Molly has been absolutely fabulous throughout her training so far. She's taken to it like a duck to water. Training usually takes between two and three years and she will be taking her assessment next year.
"This is a difficult process and not all dogs and handlers get through, but Molly is doing really well so far.
"We didn't adopt Molly with the intention of her becoming a search and rescue dog but when I began volunteering for the Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team, it just seemed like a great opportunity.
"You must be a full member of a mountain rescue team for your dog to train with the Search and Rescue Dog Association and as she is such a brilliant dog, it would have been a waste not to train her."
The mountain team have started a blog from Molly's point of view about her training.
Readers can visit www.woodheadmrt.org/ to read more about her journey. Manager of Jerry Green's, in Gilberdyke, Lorraine Walton said: "We're all delighted to hear about Molly's success.
"Molly was a typical Collie puppy, full of energy, so we're delighted that she went to a home where her owners would clearly be very active."
The East Yorkshire centre is currently undergoing a £100,000 redevelopment.
The redevelopment will give the centre a new reception area, staff room and training barn, as well as two new meet and match rooms where potential adopters are matched with dogs in a calm and quiet environment.
Building work is expected to start in the autumn and the project should be completed by the end of the year.
The centre will remain fully open during the works.
Jerry Green Dog Rescue has five centres in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, all with a variety of dogs looking for new homes.
You can visit www.jerrygreen dogs.org.uk to see a full list and pictures of all of the dogs on the website.
Anyone wishing to support the refurbishment costs can visit www.justgiving/JGDR-East-York shire-Appeal, where further information can be found.
