A COUPLE who have given a home to no end of animal waifs and strays couldn’t resist the temptation of bringing one home from India.

Animal lovers Ian Warner and Angela Szczypka of Kingsley Lane, Benfleet, went to the Animal Rescue Canaconda in Goa, India, while they were on holiday tomake a donation where they the met and fell in love with Indy.

Indy is a mongrel who had found her way to the centre after she suffered severe injuries at just two months old. It is believed her back was broken when she was attacked by a larger dog.

Although her back has healed she has paralysed back legs with wounds where she dragged them and was very shy and nervous when the couple, both 28, found her.

They decided to build her confidence by taking her out every day with a harness that lifted her back legs so she could use her front legs to walk. They also massaged her legs to try to get some movement or feeling back in them.

Angela Said “Just in those couple of weeks, the change in her was amazing and she turned into quite a happy dog. We couldn’t leave her behind. We want to make Indy happy and give her a really nice life.”

That is when they named her and made the decision to bring her back to the UK. She has now passed all her examinations and blood tests and is in quarantine in Goa and is due to arrive in England on the May 18.

The process hasn’t been cheap however.

Miss Szczypka said: “We have all sorts of rescue animals including cats, chickens and pigs, but this is the first time we have brought an animal home from abroad.

“It was an interesting process.

Indy had to have a passport and blood tests. We have started fundraising to cover the £2,500 cost we need to bring her home and treat her here and have raised £500 so far.”

Once Indy has arrived at her new home she will meet the couple’s other dogs Stella and Teddy and will be taken to a vet to see how her life can be improved further.

She may need her hind legs removed and replaced with wheels and fundraising has begun to pay for her operation and improvements to the home to help her get around.

Anyone wishing to help out can make a donation at gofundme.

com/theindyfund or facebook.

com/theindyfund