Hello everyone! My name is Belinda, I live in West Hampstead, London with my no.3 son, Lars. We have almost always had rescue dogs but over the past few years the rescue's have been heartbreaking. So abused that they were permanently disabled and/or riddled with disease.

Nevertheless, they all got loved to bits until the very end and all went peacefully, in my arms.

So, early last year, we found ourselves looking for another dog. I had, besides the rescues, kept British Bulldogs for over 20 years and was searching for them on the internet when one of the strands led me to a rescue organisation called Many Tears, which had, among many others, a "Victorian Bulldog" looking for a good home. Well, for starters, there ain't no such breed as a Victorian Bulldog but one look at her picture and both Lars and I fell in love. Subsequent to applying for her we went to meet her at her fosterers and shortly after that, took her home.

She had been rejected by a South Wales puppy farmer because, at 10 months old, she didn't get pregnant. Now, not so long ago, that would have earned her a sharp blow to the head with a pickaxe handle and a swift kick into a shallow grave but Many Tears have persuaded these b*****ds to hand the dogs to them, instead.

Polly, as we called her, had obviously been starved as well as abused and was so terrified of everything that the first few months were a nightmare. Regardless, slowly but surely, she began to come out of her shell and by the time we got a 2nd rescue - a Pug, would you believe, she was at least 2/3rds of the way there.

But a week or so ago, I saw, on Animal Precinct, a dog that looked very familiar. I made enquiries about the "Cani Corso" and found the Cane Corso & Mollossus Rescue website, to whom I sent Polly's story and pictures. They came back to me and immediately confirmed that yes, she was a CC! Possibly, she has been crossed with an American Bulldog, but they don't think so.

We don't care - to us she's Polly and just a donkey-sized, loving lump we wouldn't change for the world. But, after watching a further episode of Animal Precinct which featured a female CC, a great deal of Polly's "odd" behaviour was explained. This was not just Polly - this timidity seems to be a breed behaviour, certainly for the females.

The more I look into this breed the more fascinated I become. They really are beautiful dogs and have such lovely natures. I am absolutely AMAZED to see so many looking for new homes, I can hardly believe it.

One thing that should be noted - these puppy farmers are obviously trying to breed CC into their mythical "Victorian Bulldog" and they must be getting them from somewhere. Are there sufficiant controls on the sale of this breed?If I knew how to do it, I'd upload a photo of our Pol so you could see for yourself.

By the way, I also board dogs (I'm a pensioner and need the income) so, if there are any other CC owners in North London and you are short of a holiday home for your dog - I'll be more then glad to help!