Christmas Dog of the Week: Tiger @ Dogs Trust Evesham

Although our Rehoming Centres do not send any dogs home during the upheaval of the Christmas period, there are some dogs who are hoping that, as much as they love their carers, this is their last Christmas without a family of their own. One such is this little fellow, who is about to celebrate his 2nd Christmas at Evesham Rehoming Centre.

Introducing... Tiger!

Age: 4-5

Breed: Terrier

Likes: I'm a bouncy, energetic chap who loves toys and needs plenty of long walks and an active family. I was found as a stray in June 2007 and no-one can work out why I've been overlooked for a new home so far!

Dislikes: I am not very keen on kennels; I'm so ready for a proper family life that it's stressing me out a bit. As a result I don't want to share my space with other pets.

Needs: I'm told I'm a very bright boy, so people who like to train and teach dogs tricks would find a very rewarding companion in me! I'm happy to live with older children (12+), too.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Evesham on 01386 830613 or see more dogs needing homes online.

Previous Dogs of the Week: Isobel @ Ilfracombe | Dollar @ Canterbury


REHOMING UPDATE: Tiger found a new family and as now settled in with his forever owners! Thanks all for your interest in his progress.

Dog saves kittens from fire

Australian media has provided a few really good animal stories in recent months! First there was the dog that saved its owner from a kangaroo attack, and then the rabbit that saved its owners from a fire (same link). Now Leo the Terrier cross has come to the rescue of some feline pals.

Having risked his life by standing by the kittens in a smoke-filled building and refusing to leave until they were rescued, Leo had to be revived with oxygen and a heart massage after the incident. Both Leo and the kitten family are now safe and well, and he is rightly being lauded as quite the canine hero.

Well done, Leo! You join Angel, another Terrier, as a courageous and clever kitten rescuer.

[via Pet Connection]

Dog of the Week: Sunbeam @ Dogs Trust Bridgend

Introducing... Sunbeam!

Age: 18 months

Breed: Terrier

Likes: I have a sunny name to go with my sunny disposition! I'm completely full of energy, and love swimming and agility.

Dislikes: Sometimes new situations make me a bit nervous, but with a little patience and support I'm soon back to my normal, feisty self.

Needs: My carers say I could do with training classes to make me a bit more disciplined. I can't imagine why, I'm just a typical exuberant pup! I would prefer owners with children over 11 and who understand how energetic Terriers can be.

Contact: Call Dogs Trust Bridgend on 01656 725219 or find more dogs for rehoming on Dogs Trust's website.

Previous Dogs of the Week: Poppy | Lucky

Happy Dog Stories: Chico @ Dogs Trust Shoreham

From time to time, our centres report stories that really warm out hearts. Here, Tracey Rae of Shoreham Rehoming Centre tells the story of Chico and the battle to save his eyesight and find him a home...

"Chico is an adorable 6 year old wire coated terrier. He came to Shoreham in May this year as part of a transfer of 10 dogs from South West Scotland. Despite his long journey, Chico was full of beans when he arrived and he continued to woo the staff with his cheeky personality.

"Before he had his vet check we believed that he was quite elderly because he had cataracts in both eyes that were progressing quickly and his eyesight was already severely impaired. We were astonished to discover that he was probably only about 6 years old and it was upsetting for everyone to think that he might lose his sight completely at such a young age.

"Luckily Grove Lodge, the vet practice that we use at the centre, has an eye specialist, Denise, who was convinced that she could help him. We made arrangements for him to be admitted but we knew that his aftercare would be critical. It was essential that he be kept quiet and still so that the surgery could heal properly. If he continued to bounce around his kennel, he could very well bounce his way to blindness.

"So began ‘Operation Chico Time’. Lisa Haynes (pictured left, click to enlarge) the centre’s vet nurse decided to take him home with her for the first couple of days after the op and spent a sleepless weekend as Chico had a very different idea about what constituted keeping still! Her dedication paid off and Chico got through those critical first days with a fighting chance. Lisa then converted an office at the centre into a padded boudoir for Chico and cancelled a holiday so that she could give him his eye drops (which he wasn’t very keen on) and lots of attention (which he was very keen on). Everyone crept around outside the room so that we wouldn’t disturb him and the reception staff came running, primed with hot dogs if they heard him start to bark.

"All the staff and volunteers at Shoreham rallied round to help him recover and a wonderful new home was found for him with a lovely couple who were happy to visit and sit quietly with him during his recovery. Finally 2 weeks after his operation, he had a check up and was pronounced ‘sighted’ once more! Shoreham was a very happy place even though he was still on strict bedrest.

"Denise, the vet who treated him has now nominated Chico for the Grove Lodge ‘Braveheart’ award which is given to dogs who have undergone extensive and complicated surgery. So fingers crossed, he will be ‘Chico the Brave’ by the time he goes to his new home."

Tiny terrier helps street cleaner clear trash

We all see working dogs out and about sometimes; most of us will have seen a Labrador or Retriever type working as a guide dog for those with visual impairment. Tiny terrier Marlow is a hearing dog for street cleaner Robert Jones, who lost his hearing at the age of 21 after contracting menigitis.

Cute Marlow has a very important job, which enabled Robert to safely keep Britain's streets clean. Wearing his special high-visibility coat, Marlow patrols the streets of Brighton with Robert, alerting him to alarms, ringing phones and sirens.

Read what Robert has to say about his four-footed pal on The Sun's website.

Happy Dog Stories: Jo and Daisy

We like to share our new happy dog story updates on our Facebook page, and this prompted Jo to leave us a message and then send us some very cute pictures, at least one of which I couldn't resist publishing above. Here's what she had to say about her rehoming experience:

"I just wanted to share my experience from Dogs Trust Snetterton. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. They matched me with my puppy who had been found abandoned along with her sister a few weeks before. Her sister had been fortunate to have found a home and we're glad we were matched with Daisy as she has bought nothing but fun and excitement since bringing her home! She had been named Susannah but we renamed her Daisy. She is a 9 week old JRT Cross.

"Jo & Daisy (who is curled up next to me having a nap!)"

If you have a happy story about your rescue dogs (whether they came from Dogs Trust or not), please email me with a photo and your tale and it could appear here soon! If you're interested in adopting a dog, please visit our website for more information.

Previous Happy Dog Stories: Kim and Jake | Sarah and Alfie