RSPCA South Yorkshire: Lottie the lurcher adopted after 325 days and reunion with her six pups on the cards

Lottie, a grey and white lurcher, spent 325 days being looked after by the RSPCA's South Yorkshire Animal Centre.

Her litter of puppies - five boys and one girl - all went on to be adopted quickly, but older mum Lottie remained.

Now at last there's a happy ending for the seven-year-old 'blue': a loving new home with a young couple in Rotherham.

And thanks to the power of Facebook the new owners of all six of her puppies have been in touch with one another online, shared photos of their almost year-old pups - and are even hoping to arrange a meet-up in the near future.

Laura Bullock, manager of the animal centre on Great North Road, Doncaster, said it was a fairytale ending for one of their favourite ever dogs.

"Lottie was wonderful - a firm favourite here, and we're not allowed favourites," she laughed.

"After 325 days with us it was the absolute highlight of the week when she got that 'reserved' notice. The couple were her perfect match and we were all so excited that they wanted to engage with her and adopt her.

"On the day she went, all the staff cried. Obviously we know we have to give these animals up, but we're here with them seven days a week, we get to know them so well, they become like our own pets, you get a real bond with them.

"But we are all so excited for Lottie. It's time for her to go off now on her journey as an adult dog to live a wonderful new life."

Lottie arrived in South Yorkshire last October from Hull, where she and her litter of newborns had been picked up by an inspector due to welfare concerns.

Lottie was underweight, and her puppies were just three day old bundles of fluff.

"She was quite thin, and the babies were only days old so they came to us as little nuggets," remembered Laura. "Each one just filled your hand."

Sadly one puppy died within days of arrival, but the remaining six were all given confectionery-cute names - Coco, Toffee, Fudge, Caramel, Butterscotch and Treacle - and after being vaccinated and weaned were put up for adoption at eight weeks.

"The puppies all got adopted pretty quickly," said Laura, "and all within a few days of each other too. But then we had to start the process of getting Lottie ready to be rehomed."

First Lottie needed to put on more weight, which she did quickly once her puppies had stopped feeding, and then she had to be spayed to prevent any further litters of puppies in the future. But, even after she was ready to go, months passed without any real interest and Lottie remained in kennels

.Laura said: "Maybe it was her age, she's seven years and 10 months old now, so she's an older girl. But other than that we couldn't think why she wasn't chosen more quickly.

"She's a beautiful dog, a lovely colour, she had no health conditions, no behavioural issues. She even became our calendar girl because we made sure to put her picture on all our publicity in the hope she would attract an owner."

But there was a further fairytale twist to the story once Lottie was finally adopted.

When the RSPCA posted a photo on Facebook of her being taken home at last, all the new owners of her six puppies saw the update - and posted photos of their pups almost fully grown, and wellwishes to Lottie for the future.

Luke Howdle, from Sheffield, who adopted Coco and renamed him Jasper, said: "So pleased she finally got adopted! We hope Lottie has the best time in her new home. We should have a siblings meet-up!"

Andrea Cockram, from Mexborough, adopted Toffee, and said: "If anyone would like to meet up with Toffee please let me know, we don't mind travelling a bit."

Kerry Avis, from Nottinghamshire, adopted Caramel and renamed him Bobby. She said: "This is my Bobby's mum and I couldn't be happier for her. I've always wanted to see what his siblings turned out like!

"Bobby wishes his mummy the best of luck in her new home.

"Are we all far from each other? I would love to have a siblings reunion. More than happy to travel."

Amy Stokes-Cooper, from Derbyshire, adopted Fudge, and said: "Fudge would think he was in heaven! He loves all dogs, but dogs that look like him! He won't be able to contain his excitement!"

Elaine Brett adopted Butterscotch - now Barry - and said: "I'm so very happy to see Lottie has found her forever home. We adopted one of her beautiful babies who is the double of his mum! Barry sends his love to his mum and hopes she has a wonderful life with her new family."

And Rebecca Viney, who adopted Treacle and renamed him Ziggy, said: "It's so nice to see all his siblings!"