When Peggy-Sue the bulldog arrived at a rescue centre in England, she couldn’t walk more than a few steps without collapsing.
Staff couldn’t even lead her inside. They had to carry her.
Today, she charges straight for rock pools and streams, and her family calls her a water-baby.
Here’s how a struggling bulldog, a patient foster carer and a grieving family changed each other’s lives.
She Arrived at West Hatch
Peggy-Sue came into the RSPCA’s West Hatch Animal Centre, near Taunton in Somerset, in July 2025.
She weighed 32.5 kilograms, about 71.6 pounds. That was well over what she should have been for her breed.
The Mirror described her as weighing about as much as a newborn hippo.
And the weight wasn’t just a number on a scale. It was making every single day hard for her.
“Peggy-Sue arrived at the centre back in July 2025 and really needed some care and attention,” said Anita Clark, the RSPCA’s animal deputy centre manager.
Carried in a Crate
“It was awful to see her struggle with every day movement and we had to carry her in a crate from the van to her kennel,” Anita said.
That walk from the van to the kennel is just a few steps for most dogs.
For Peggy-Sue, it was too far.
Her weight wasn’t her only problem, either.
“She was suffering from an ingrowing claw, infected skin folds and an extremely low tolerance for the summer heat,” Anita explained.
It was the middle of summer. And a heavy, flat-faced bulldog can struggle badly in the heat.
“To keep her comfortable and prevent overheating, a fan was kept blowing into her kennel at all times,” Anita said.
Imagine being that uncomfortable, in a strange place, surrounded by strangers.
Many dogs would shut down. Peggy-Sue did the opposite.
“Despite her discomfort, she loved everyone and everything, instantly winning the hearts of all who met her,” Anita said.
Bit by Bit, a Little Further Each Day
Before Peggy-Sue could go to a forever home, she needed time to heal.
So she went to stay with one of the RSPCA’s foster carers.
Nobody tried to rush her.
“Her exercise regime was increased very gradually, and bit by bit she began to lose weight, gain strength, and walk a little further each day,” Anita said.
A few steps became a short walk. A short walk became a longer one.
By the time she was ready to be adopted, Peggy-Sue had already lost her first 5 kilograms.
Somewhere out there, a family was about to need her just as much as she needed them.
A Phone Call About a Bulldog
In August 2025, Emmie and Andy from Taunton lost their beloved dog, Jack-Jack.
He was a 16-year-old rescue Staffie-cross Jack Russell. He unexpectedly took a turn for the worse overnight and didn’t recover.
“We were all so, so sad,” Emmie said.
Jack-Jack left behind his brother, Mr Woo. And Emmie felt Mr Woo needed a friend.
“We only lasted a couple of months with just his brother, Mr Woo, before I started searching the RSPCA site,” she said.
Emmie believes “dogs love having company of their own kind too.” And the family only ever homes rescue dogs.
“Peggy-Sue is our sixth rescue and they have all turned out to be the most amazing dogs ever.”
At first, the couple asked about a different dog, a Staffie-cross named Quinn. “But it wasn’t meant to be,” Emmie said.
Then the phone rang.
“The RSPCA called us up and asked if we would consider adopting a bulldog – not a breed we had ever considered before,” Emmie said.
“…but we went along to meet her and the rest as they say, is history!”
The first meeting wasn’t exactly a picture-perfect moment. But it was enough.
“When we first saw this overweight, panting, lethargic Peggy-Sue, we knew we had to have her,” Emmie said.
And Mr Woo? He gave her a sniff and didn’t seem bothered either way.
“As Mr Woo just sniffed her nonchalantly, we knew he wasn’t fussed either way,” Emmie said.
Peggy-Sue went home with them during the RSPCA’s Adoptober campaign last year.
Rock Pools, Cuddles and a Message
Emmie and Andy kept going with the work her foster carer had started, with a steady diet plan and plenty of exercise.
“The RSPCA and her foster carer had already done a great job getting her weight down by five kilograms, so we just had to keep the progress going,” Emmie said.
At first, Peggy-Sue only had small bursts of energy.
“But little by little she has built up her strength and now she is utterly amazing and loves her walks and trips in the car,” Emmie said.
“She is also an utterly adorable cuddle-bug at home.”
Today, Peggy-Sue weighs a much healthier 23.5 kilograms. That’s 9 kilograms lighter than the day she was carried into West Hatch.
The family takes her to her favourite beaches and woods. And she always makes a beeline for rock pools and streams.
Her perfect day sounds pretty perfect to us, too.
It starts with morning cuddles in bed and breakfast in her slow-feed bowl. Then a good walk, followed by a day of snoozing.
“She adores family time and play and is the most loving little dog we have ever had,” Emmie said.
The RSPCA hopes Peggy-Sue’s story will remind people that weight problems in pets are serious.
“Overweight pets have an increased risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis and it can also shorten their life expectancy,” said Ashleigh Brown, the RSPCA’s scientific and policy manager.
She advises speaking to your vet before making any big changes to your pet’s diet or lifestyle.
The charity also says bulldogs like Peggy-Sue can face extra struggles because of how they’ve been bred, including flat faces that make breathing and exercise harder.
“It is just wonderful to see Peggy-Sue doing well in her forever home,” Ashleigh said.
This Adoptober, the RSPCA is once again asking experienced, patient people to consider rehoming or fostering an animal.
Emmie’s advice is simple.
“We would say, please do it – don’t buy a designer dog from a breeder, please adopt,” she said.
“We can’t imagine life without Peggy-Sue, or any of our other rescue beauties. Rehoming a rescue dog really is the best thing you could ever do!”
One year ago, Peggy-Sue couldn’t make it from a van to a kennel.
Now she runs into the water like she owns the beach.
All it took was a little patience, a lot of love, and a family willing to say yes to a dog they’d never pictured.
Have you ever adopted a rescue that changed your life? Tell us about them in the comments, and share Peggy-Sue’s story with someone thinking about adopting.
