A fundraiser has been launched to help an Arbroath dog get an essential operation before she breaks her leg.
Lexi, a five-month-old fox red Labrador, has already had three homes in her short life.
Her previous family had to give her up due to an allergy problem.
She is now on a home trial with another family – but it has been discovered that she needs to have an operation on a joint that will cost about £4,000.
Lexi was taken into the care of Arbroath Animal Rescue as a four-month-old, and the group is now trying to help raise the money she needs.
Yvonne Hotchkiss, volunteer organiser and fundraiser, said: “We really don’t much about where she was prior to coming to us.
“She found a home but sadly the family had to surrender her due to the allergy problem.
“Poor Lexi hadn’t had the best start in life and this was her third home.
“Lexi wasn’t with us too long before another family met her and fell in love.
She needs to have her elbow pinned before it causes her to break her leg
“She is on a home trial with them but unfortunately she has developed a serious problem with her elbow which we have been told is thought to be hereditary.
“She needs her elbow pinned before it causes her to break her leg.”
Yvonne says Lexi has had x-rays, which have cost nearly £400, and she needs to see a specialist for a CT scan before the operation can go ahead to stabilise her elbow.
Lexi could face having leg amputated
Nearly half of the money needed has been raised through an online page.
She said: “The worst case is she breaks her leg and possibly has to have it amputated.
“We hate to be asking for money but if we have to pay this it will just wipe out everything we have.
“The family is also helping pay towards the operation but it is such a large amount we are hoping that we will be able to raise some.”
Yvonne says Arbroath Animal Rescue is a small group that normally relies on fundraising events for most of its income.
However, those have been cancelled due to Covid-19.
She added: “We normally hold various events throughout the year to raise money but we just haven’t been able to do that.
“That is why we find ourselves in the position of having to ask for money on this occasion.
“Lexi is such a lovely dog and she is in a lovely home with the chance of a really happy life so it would be great to think we could raise enough money to pay for the surgery for her.”