Albie
Keeping an open eye on the Weeping Angels.
It was exactly six years ago to this day, that my wife and I (how royal does that sound? 
) ventured out to view (with the notion to rescue) a dog that needed a new home. The dog was a collie called Hovis. However, when we got to the rescue home, we then discovered that Hovis was already earmarked for another family, but they had his brother - Slip. We had a look at Slip, but straight away realised the dog was extremely hyper and would be the type of dog that would bolt as soon as the door was opened. We would loose him within a week. In addition, been that collies need a lot of mental stimulation, we felt it best not to tackle such a dog just yet.
So, we went to another re-homing shelter for dogs and here we found around 10-12 dogs all needing homes. This shelter had limited funding so could not afford to keep dogs there for too long - the more lame and/or older dog is generally put down after a certain time. That is the sad fact of it all. They did have one dog there that seemed to catch my eye - a black extremely scruffy, smelly (he had quite possibly rolled in some fox pooh), bald nosed (caused by sticking his snout through the bars) noisy dog. For all his "faults", he had the cleanest cell of them all - no chewed up blanket or whatever, just a neat bed in the corner. We took him for a brief walk under the guidance of the kennel maids and found him to walk on lead so placidly. Back we went to the shelters office and they gave us a run down of him: he had been in their kennels for around three months, he was found walking the streets with no collar and as he stunk to high heaven and was named Stinky by the kennel maids. Many a time, people had some to see dogs and he was always overlooked (although one person did suggest he would come back for him, but never did). The kennel maids also talked of having to destroy him as he may never be re-homed - but they never did as he was quite a lovable dog.
"OK", we said "what do we need to do?"
The kennel maids at this point were so willing to re-home him, they did everything they could to not stop us taking him home. So, after £50 was passed over (although they did throw in a lead, collar and a blanket), he was ferried into my car and away we went. And he made the biggest racket he could for the whole 30 mile trip home.
Although he refuses to be brushed (and he needs it done at least once a day), hates been touched, still barks like hell in a car and is very fearful of strangers, he has given us a lot of joy over these last 6 years. We are glad to have him.
And, a dog helps you stay healty.
p.s. This little story concerns the dog in my avatar, in case you did not know. But I'm sure you did.
) ventured out to view (with the notion to rescue) a dog that needed a new home. The dog was a collie called Hovis. However, when we got to the rescue home, we then discovered that Hovis was already earmarked for another family, but they had his brother - Slip. We had a look at Slip, but straight away realised the dog was extremely hyper and would be the type of dog that would bolt as soon as the door was opened. We would loose him within a week. In addition, been that collies need a lot of mental stimulation, we felt it best not to tackle such a dog just yet.So, we went to another re-homing shelter for dogs and here we found around 10-12 dogs all needing homes. This shelter had limited funding so could not afford to keep dogs there for too long - the more lame and/or older dog is generally put down after a certain time. That is the sad fact of it all. They did have one dog there that seemed to catch my eye - a black extremely scruffy, smelly (he had quite possibly rolled in some fox pooh), bald nosed (caused by sticking his snout through the bars) noisy dog. For all his "faults", he had the cleanest cell of them all - no chewed up blanket or whatever, just a neat bed in the corner. We took him for a brief walk under the guidance of the kennel maids and found him to walk on lead so placidly. Back we went to the shelters office and they gave us a run down of him: he had been in their kennels for around three months, he was found walking the streets with no collar and as he stunk to high heaven and was named Stinky by the kennel maids. Many a time, people had some to see dogs and he was always overlooked (although one person did suggest he would come back for him, but never did). The kennel maids also talked of having to destroy him as he may never be re-homed - but they never did as he was quite a lovable dog.
"OK", we said "what do we need to do?"
The kennel maids at this point were so willing to re-home him, they did everything they could to not stop us taking him home. So, after £50 was passed over (although they did throw in a lead, collar and a blanket), he was ferried into my car and away we went. And he made the biggest racket he could for the whole 30 mile trip home.
Although he refuses to be brushed (and he needs it done at least once a day), hates been touched, still barks like hell in a car and is very fearful of strangers, he has given us a lot of joy over these last 6 years. We are glad to have him.
And, a dog helps you stay healty.
p.s. This little story concerns the dog in my avatar, in case you did not know. But I'm sure you did.
Ike! I'd throw him a bone if I could. 
