A couple of weeks ago we received a call from a man who had come across a very bedraggled, scared, abandoned little Saluki girl, just standing in the middle of a road alone, confused and at risk of being killed as cars drove around and by her.
Thankfully this kind man, Enda, didn't drive past. He stopped and he gently coaxed this little girl over to him until he finally had her safely in his car. And it this act of empathy that not only saved her life but it was the moment it changed her life too.
Dawdle arrived the next morning and while we knew straight away that she was just the sweetest, gentlest girl w e could also see how her past life had caused her emotional pain. She was nervous of our hands, our movements. She had no idea what a lead was and while she was desperate to be our friend she was also hesitant to trust us. Only a baby at 8/9 months old, we allowed Dawdle to chill and take life at her pace. She made lots of new doggie friends and we allowed her the space to follow their lead around us.
After just over a week in our care we received an application for Dawdle, even though we weren't actively looking for a home for her just yet, but when we read it we knew Dawdle had found her perfect forever home. In 2014 we rehomed a beautiful, gentle but shy Saluki girl called Nairobi to a lovely couple, David and Julie, a couple who were kind, patient and understanding of rescue dogs. Now they were back and asking about Dawdle and so a meet and greet was arranged.
Not only was it lovely to see David and Julie once again, the icing on the cake was being reunited with an old friend Nairobi, since renamed Molly. There is simply no better feeling than being reunited with a dog you once loved and cared for as your own and to now see them confident, proud and so loved with their family.
The rest as they say is history as Nairobi/Molly welcomed the young and unsure Dawdle to her. She sat and watched as her Mum and Dad chatted with Dawdle as though she knew the reason why it was so important. A couple of hours later we watched as, not one but, two cream saluki faces waved us goodbye as they headed off down our drive together.
We hear that Dawdle has settled in very well with her big sister keeping a close eye on her, helping her learn all about a world she has never known before and Dawdle is loving every minute of her new life.
We are so very thankful to Enda who, without a doubt, was Dawdles saviour the night he came across her and CHOSE to do something about the sad little dog in the middle of the road.
As we are to amazing people like David and Julie who also CHOOSE to change dogs lives by opening up their hearts and homes to not one but two.
These are the acts of kindness we need to remember when faced with acts of cruelty.
