Ariel the six-legged dog was dumped. After a global effort, she's on track for a forever home

Ariel the six-legged spaniel was found dumped in the car park of a British supermarket. But after people as far away as Australia chipped in for a life-changing operation, her future looks bright.

Ariel the six-legged spaniel has had a life-changing operation. Source: Facebook / Small Animal Referral Hospital Langford Vets University of Bristol

KEY POINTS

• Ariel the six-legged spaniel has had her additional legs removed in a two-hour operation.
• The spaniel was found dumped in a car park last year, with people around the world fundraising her surgery.
• It's hoped the search for her forever home can soon begin.

Ariel the spaniel didn't have an easy start to life.

The six-legged dog was found dumped in the car park of a British supermarket in late September. She was described as "scared and timid" when she was brought into an animal rescue shelter, and vets feared she may lose one of her functional hind legs.

But after people from across the globe, including Australia, chipped in to raise almost $29,000 for a life-changing operation, there's optimism she'll soon be able to find her a forever home.

The pooch was named Ariel, after the character from Disney's The Little Mermaid, because her partly fused additional back legs were said to resemble a mermaid's tail.

Ariel post-operation with surgeons Aaron Lutchman (left) and Ed Friend. Source: Facebook / Small Animal Referral Hospital Langford Vets University of Bristol

Aaron Lutchman, a surgeon at Langford Vets in Somerset in England's south-west, told the BBC on Saturday that she had "bounced back" and hoped she would "go on to lead a fabulous little life".

Mikey Lawlor, the founder of Greenacres Rescue who took in Ariel after she was found, said it was a complex but successful two-hour operation that involved two procedures.

Lawlor told the BBC that Ariel was also found to have only one kidney, and an additional vulva that he previously told the British public broadcaster would have to be removed down the track.

A deformed pelvis meant her working back right leg had little muscle tone and there was concern it would have to be removed, but this was avoided as it had strengthened over recent months, Lawlor said.

He hoped Ariel would soon be discharged to her foster family, and after "several weeks" of rehabilitation and recovery the search for her "forever home" could begin.

"The response we've had to Ariel's story so far, including calls and emails from as far away as New York and Australia, has been incredible — so I've no doubt she'll be snapped up," Lawlor told the BBC.

"I just can't say enough of a thank you to everyone who's contributed to helping her."