Mally Rehomed March 2009 (RIP Feb 2010)
Collie Rescue????
Now that’s a forum thread title that will always get my attention. It doesn’t seem to matter what dog forum you go on, even if it is breed specific (or tries to be) it is almost a guarantee that no matter what the issue there will always be someone on there with an offer of help or advice. And so it was when this thread was posted on Lurcher Link
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: Collie rescue???
I went to the farm today to pick up some stuff for Christmas. The farmer's wife was telling me that the farm at the other end of the village has had a litter of b/w collie pups, from working parents. All the pups are gone or spoken for except one little boy who is almost blind. He is 3 months old and the vet says his sight is very limited. He tends to bump into things, and there is no chance that he will work like his siblings. He is quite shy on his own and reluctant to run around freely. However when he is with the young GSD at the farm he follows him carefully and plays etc like a normal pup. The farmer’s wife asked if I knew of anyone???? I don't but said I would ask around for rescue details.
The way things were with rescues being over-full and space a premium [and knowing how I feel about BC’s with problems] what else could I do? My reply:
‘I’ll have him. He’ll fit right in with my wonky lot.’
Spot was in no danger. He was well cared for and loved where he was but a working farm (where he would never be able to work) was not the best place for a collie that, although blind was extremely bright. So in January 2009, through a carefully planned operation this little lad was transported by some very special people half-way up the UK to arrive on my doorstep having won the hearts of all who did their bit of the run.
Quotes from the transporters:
‘It was hard to watch his mum say goodbye - an old woman, who just wanted one last pup to love, slowing down the departure by giving me little, loving bits of information about him and his routine’.
‘If I thought he was cute when I met him on Monday he showed me he was seriously cute on the trip North. You have probably gathered that OH and I bonded with the pup, rather more than was comfortable. It was truly difficult to kiss him goodbye and hand him over but she had prepared his travelling accommodation with such loving care, he just snuggled into his quilt. OH was quite choked up as we drove off.’
‘He seems to greet new people with a huge amount of wiggling and kisses.... it looks like he is looking for Velcro to stick himself to! His recall was quite sharp too, maybe better than a sighted dog, as he doesn't like to get too far away.’
Unlike so many dogs that come into rescue he’d had the very best possible start in life. He was house-trained, knew his name and basic commands and had fabulous recall – he was a typical, happy well adjusted little chap, secure in his own worth and just instinctively knew that everyone was on this earth to cuddle and play with him.
When he arrived he adored my girls from the start and even grumpy-boot Teija (who usually plays hard-to-get with new fosters for the first day or two) instantly fell for his charms. He needed little training and had a fabulous recall just homing-in on the sound of your voice and even if you couldn’t see him, he would find you if you just kept calling his name.
People never cease to amaze me ... and not always in a good way.
He was advertised on the West Yorkshire Dog Rescue site and we were contacted by a lovely couple who said it was, ‘love at first sight.’ They were not bothered about his blindness and listened (or so we thought) to all the advice we gave and then returned him within a couple of days for jumping-up and knocking into them.
So he was returned, but unfortunatly not to me as, due to mine having had scheduled operations I could not have him back here. He then went to a fabulous foster mum. She did wonders with him although he did play her up to start with by not listening and taking advantage to get his own way – I told you he was bright!.
Then things just fell into place for him.
He went to a smashing family with two young girls (hoomans) and another collie as playmates.
I am so pleased at the small part I played in getting him to his loving forever home.
Up-date: April 2009 (letter from his new family)
Hi Lee, I would love to let you know how Mally is doing. We have had him about 6 weeks now, and he is not the shy dog anymore but very confident and loves to be out and about all the time, he never seems to want to stop, and when we are out all he does is make new friends, which he loves and people seem to like to make friends with him (more women than men, he is such a ladies man.)
He has fitted into out family life very well and it feels has though we should have had him right from the beginning of his life. Our kids love him, they love taking him on long walks and to the park to play ball, and he does very well. Mally always seems to get the ball before our other dog, which sometimes amazes us.
Mally has a little Border Terrier friend of the same age which lives next door and they both love to play rough and tumble in the garden.
Even though Mally is more or less 100% blind, it doesn't stop him or us from having a good time, and it does not stop him from being a normal and happy part of our family. People ask us if we have regretted taking him on, the answer to that is a definite NO. We are so pleased that we are able to give him his forever home and he can grow old with us, and in years to come if we saw another dog with a disablity we wouldn't think twice about taking one in and loving it the same way we do a fully sighted dog, so thank you for our Mally. xx
It with a heavy heart that I write this ...
Mally had been having fits which were medically under control and he was enjoying a good life but on Sunday 21st Feb 2010 he suffered a massive one that he never came round from.
This little dog touched so many hearts in his journey to his new forever home where he was deeply loved.
RIP beautiful boy and run free in the SummerLands
Copyright © 2007 L Montgomery (All Rights Reserved)