Harry and Colin's Story - The Joys of an Older dog (or two!)
By Alison Fearn - adoptive mum to Harry 2 and Colin
I have two wonderful older dogs whom I adopted in November 2012. I didn't intend to have older dogs, but had originally wanted to rehome a puppy. However I had a new and fulltime job and it would not have been fair to have a puppy. I kept looking at the Animal Angels Global rehoming page and kept being drawn to a sweet-faced elderly Podenco Gentleman. I knew he had some health problems, but i researched them carefully and had some long chats with Elianne Reed. I already knew what a rough time dogs had in Spain, and the older and less healthy dogs had a reduced chance of a home of their own. I said I would take on the Podenco Gentleman - Harry. I also decided to take on another elderly dog from the same shelter as Harry, a frail old boy with the most unassuming and gentle expression. After a long journey from Spain to the UK I picked up my boys. Since then they have settled into their home and bonded with my whippets. They have accepted their changed life with calmness, they have blossomed and bloomed and asked for so little. They are grateful for every little kindness shown, Colin the other elderly boy has changed beyond recognition and humbles me every day. Elderly dogs are so much more accepting of new situations, so much more tolerant of change. They especially need a home until their end of days, , they repay your kindness with steadfast and unwavering quiet devotion. I would not hesitate to take on another elderly dog - adopting Harry and Colin has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.