An animal lover has adopted a dog found 3,000 miles away in war-torn Afghanistan.

Rebekah Harriman, from Mountsorrel, fell in love with collie cross Joy after an animal rescue charity posted a picture of her on social networking site Facebook.

The starving two-year-old pup was found rummaging through a rubbish dump in Kabul, about a year ago.

She was taken to the only animal sanctuary, in northern Afghanistan, where staff at British rescue charity Nowzad found her.

They raised the funds to transport her to the UK, where they began searching for a home for the Afghan pooch.

After seeing her picture on Facebook, Mrs Harriman, 32, contacted the charity, Nowzad Dogs, and agreed to give the her a loving home. Joy has been in quarantine since March, and will be united with her new family on August 7.

Rebekah said: "I thought she looked cute. I have family in the Army, who have served in Afghanistan, so it added to the interest for me."

She has visited her in quarantine in Woking seven times since March.

Rebekah added: "We have built up a great relationship with her and all the family completely adore her.

"She is really fantastic with our two young children – playful, affectionate and gentle.

"Apparently, when she first arrived she was very scared and they couldn't get near her for about three days. Now, she wants cuddles, grooming and to be around people.

"She's affectionate, desperate for cuddles, loves being groomed, playful, intelligent, gentle and completely wonderful.

"She also really likes picnics and has been introduced to the joys of licking out yoghurt pots by our children"

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, founder of Nowzad Dogs, who rescue animals caught up in conflicts, said: "We help to support a small animal shelter in northern Afghanistan and from time to time the Afghan staff there will come across a stray dog that has been severely injured, or in a very bad state of health.

"Joy was one of the those dogs found starving, over a year ago, as a young pup amongst the rubbish of Kabul.

"She was transported to the shelter and cared for by the staff. With the help of many supporters, we managed to raise the required funds to transport her to the UK.

"For the first time in her life, Joy is being treated to two meals a day and made a fuss of.

She will now have a loving home to go to unlike the majority of Afghan strays that will know nothing but a short cruel existence amongst the dust of Afghanistan."