|
Location: Scottish Borders
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 48
|
|
Millies Story
One of our favourite recent success stories that we would like to share. Written by one of our foster carers
**************************************
Millie was my first foster for NESSR in April 2006, when i went to pick her up both Cynthia and I thought it would be a straight forward rehoming of a 4 year old girl. The moment I walked in the door it was clear it was not. Millie was hiding from me and I saw this little black and white face attached to this enormously overweight springer.
the day she was picked up
Millie was clearly petrified but also clearly was also having her needs neglected by the old couple who had her, not through cruelty but more through ignorance. She needed not just to be rehomed but to be rescued.
She was about 8.6kg overweight, he nails were overgrown and curled back into her pads, she was so fat that when she piddled it went into her fur causing her to have a sore bottom! She went straight to the vets for her nails to be clipped, to be weighed and to have the fur on her bottom shaved so the skin would heal!
A week earlier I had been on holiday and met this lovely woman who was fussing spec and through our conversation it transpired she was looking for a Springer to rescue. I rang her to say i had a girl in but that she was a sorry case and very shy and nervous. She came to meet her and Millie would not come out of the crate. BUT despite this the lady fell in love with her and arranged to come and get her the week later. Over that week I took Millie on lots of walks, put her on the start of her diet and she slowly came out of her shell.
The first time I threw a ball near her it was like a switch had been flipped, she dashed about and her tail started to wag, I knew I'd had a break through and I knew how her new mum would be able to bond with her.I rang her new mum to tell her and I think she was relived and even more determined to take Millie.
Her Mum arrived and this time Millie shyly came up for a pat, I then sent her off in the car with her new mum.
Over the next few months I got lovely updates, in September 2006 I met them for a walk and Millie was a different dog,still shy but 8.6kg lighter, full of energy with a tail that never stopped wagging and clearly both she and her new mum adore each other.
Millie now