A FAMILY pet rescued from starvation at the hands of her owners will soon be starting a new life – in a top-security prison.

Digger the German Shepherd dog was just skin and bones and weighed half what she should when City of York Council officers took her from the Little family home, York magistrates heard.

A vet’s prescription of food restored her to full health and now the two-year-old black and tan dog is in training at Full Sutton top security prison for a new career as a prison service dog helping keep convicted criminals under control.

Her former owners, Stephen Little, 40, and Vicky Little, 39, have criminal records after each admitted neglecting her and denying her medical care.

“Digger is lucky,” said Matt Boxall, of the council’s animal health department.

“She is now a healthy, confident dog, so much so that the prison service’s dog handlers are interested in having a look at her to see if she is suitable to undertake their training and work for them. She has a bright future ahead of her.”

The Littles, of Kirkham Avenue, off Bell Farm Avenue, were banned from keeping any animal for ten years, ordered to do 120 hours’ unpaid work each and must pay £315 each in prosecution costs.

In court, Mr Boxall said that acting on a tip-off, council officers went to Digger’s home on March 25 and removed the dog. “She was extremely emaciated and her ribcage was showing,” he said. A vet could find no signs of illness.

For the Littles, Mark Thompson said they loved and cared for the animal. But at the beginning of March they noticed her suffering from diarrhoea and changed her diet. That only worked for a time.

They could not afford to take her to a vet.

Senior prison officer Bob Bamford, manager of HMP Full Sutton’s dog section, said they were delighted to offer Digger a new career and they were on the look-out for similar dogs aged between 12 months and two years who were good-tempered and good at playing.

Digger has now been renamed Sal.