A dog imprisoned to breed puppies for the first six years of her life has been nominated for a prestigious national award after being adopted in Norfolk.

Zsa Zsa, who was imprisoned from birth as a breeding dog, is a finalist in the Pet Plan Rescue Dog of The Year Awards 2023.

Poor conditions and bad nutrition led to teeth needing to be extracted, red and inflamed ears and an infection of mites - with the small amount of outdoor space the puppy had being full of faeces.

She weighed just 4.3 kilograms when she went into the care of a rescue centre.

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The nine-year-old ruby cavalier King Charles spaniel was adopted by David and Amanda Knight in north Norfolk three years ago.

The couple said: "Zsa Zsa had such an awful start in life, living in the most dreadful conditions. We are extremely proud that she has made the finals.

"Giving a rescue dog a home and a happy life is so rewarding, she has given us so much love in return. We love her to bits."   

Since being rescued, Zsa Zsa has appeared on ITV, BBC World News and Countryfile, and attended Crufts to raise awareness of giving rescue dogs a loving home.