Sep 20, 2017

Dora's Happily Ever After



I love a Happily Ever After. Love them in books, love them in movies, and love them in real life. And not just for people. Everyone deserves a HEA, even little girls like Dora.

Where Dora came from...
Dora, Reuben (middle) and Dougal (at back)

Dora is an eight-year-old greyhound who was rescued from appalling conditions along with five other greys. She was so thin her little hip bones stuck out, and she was scared and confused. All the rescue groups were full (one has a waiting list of 90 greyhounds), but somehow Dora and her group were still saved.


The first job was veterinary assessment, where she was desexed, had her teeth cleaned (and a couple of teeth beyond saving were removed), and some lumps removed. Then she came to me. We had first fostered an 11year-old girl, Cindy, from the same group, but she had died during her vet work as a result of her past treatment (her heart was damaged, most likely from drugs), and we were devastated. The next day, we picked up Dora. 


Despite being a senior girl, Dora had never lived in a house before, so she wasn't house trained, but she was also confused by things like the TV, and the reflective surface of the oven door, and sounds like the vacuum. However, for Dora, these were trifles. The big news was that she had soft beds, and discovered the joys of couches. Plus, food! All that food. To start with, we fed her three times a day to get her weight up. She was pretty thrilled with that.


Another favourite new thing was walks. She didn't know how to walk on a lead and would pull and jerk to try to get to all the exciting smells, but it didn't take her long to realise we'd meander over to where she wanted to go if she was patient, and she became a joy to walk.


Dora loves a fluffy toy to snuggle.
But her favourite new thing of all was love and affection. At first, she was wary even as she was desperate for pats. She soon learned we could be trusted and lapped up as many kisses and tummy rubs as we were willing to give her.

Dora and Reuben
Her profile was added to the adoption page of the group that had rescued her, Friends of the Hound, and she had her own adoption video, but sometimes the senior dogs take a bit longer than the young ones. After just over four months with us, her perfect home came calling. They had a seven-year-old male greyhound already, and were after a girl about Dora's age. And they'd fallen in love with her over the interwebs.



A meet and greet was arranged and we drove all day, from Queensland to NSW, so Dora could meet the humans and hound. It went even better than we'd hoped, and Dora is now officially on her two week trial period with them. Assuming all goes well, they'll adopt her at the end of the trial. 

On our road trip to her forever home!

Her new home has soft dog beds and couches and treats and yummy food and a huuuuuge yard to explore at pats and kisses and LOVE. I couldn't have dreamed up a better, more perfect home for her. There have been tears as I've had to leave her behind, along with a piece of my heart, but I know for sure that this is Dora's Happily Ever After. And I couldn't be more thrilled.

Dora with her new brother Cairo



20 comments:

  1. This is such a gorgeous story, Rach, and you've been the best foster-mum ever! I hope Dora lives a very contented, long and healthy life in her forever home with lots of soft beds, walks where she can investigate all the smells, and more hugs and pats than she knows what to do with. :-)

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    1. Michelle, that's a lovely wish! And, having seen her new home and met her new family, I'm pretty sure all of those things are in the cards for her. :)

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  2. OMG Rachel, you have made me cry. The work you do is so special - what an amazing person you are. Thrilled Dora has such a lovely new home.

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    1. Jennifer, I do pretty well out of the arrangement - I get heaps of smooches and cuddles and wags. :)

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  3. Poor Cindy was never going to survive that operation, regardless of when she had it. At least she got to experience a peaceful and loving environment before she passed away and thankfully it wasn't in that hole. Then along came Dora who turned your home upside down and ruffled a few feathers for good measure. lol

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    1. Therese, we're so grateful we had the opportunity to give Cindy that window of time where she knew love and comfort and enough food and safety. It truly was a privilege. And yes, Dora did turn the whole house upside down at first! Can't believe how well her story has turned out. <3

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  4. Made me cry too. Thanks for the love you give these dogs and for raising awareness around their need for care and good homes.

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    1. AJ, that's so true. Dora is only one of thousands who need love and hope and beds and food and a family. If only we could help them all!

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  5. So happy to see Dora enjoying her new forever home. Difficult for you, I'm sure, but Dora will be so grateful to you for all you've done for her.

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    1. Cheryl, it was really hard that first night, but now I'm mainly smiling at the photos from her new family. (Mind you, a couple of times I had a little start when I see the photos because part of me assumes she's sleeping in the next room!)

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  6. Hi Rachel

    I have loved following Dora's story and am thrilled to bits that she has found her HEA you are an Angle Rachel with what you do with these fabulous dogs I love seeing their photos and hearing about them woohoo hugs to you all

    have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Helen, thank you for saying that! I'm so pleased that they give other people all the feels too. :)

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  7. I'm so happy to hear that Dora has likely found her forever home, as much as I was to hear originally on Facebook. Love seeing all the photos.
    I think that Dougal might be cranky about the photo of him, Dora and Reuben as whoever took it missed his head (unless it's been cropped)

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    1. Lyn, that day Dougal thought he was far too important to stand around and wait for photos. There was supposed to be a walk happening and he had the important job of leading the pack! :)

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  8. Hi Rachel
    Having met Dora I'm so glad it looks like her forever home is here at last, she totally deserves it. You and Mr Bailey deserve hugs and kisses and high 5's for the work you do to make these things happen.
    Jody (YRFS)

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    1. Thank you, Jody! I totally agree that Dora deserves it - she's faced all her challenges with such bravery and her beautiful heart is still brimming with love. :)

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  9. She has such a beautiful expressive face! I'm so glad she's found her forever home, and that she was lucky to have you looking after her in the meantime x

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    1. Stefanie, I've been getting updates from her new home and they're totally in love with her. Makes my heart melt. :)

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  10. Beautiful Dora! And beautiful you for giving her so much love and learning to trust humans. It must have been very difficult to let her go, but what a great new home she has gone to.
    I recently visited friends who'd recently adopted a rescue greyhound. I don't think I've ever seen a more affectionate and loving dog. She has completely won over her new dad, guardian, master, owner (whatever is the best term!) who didn't think he was a dog person. She has him completely wrapped around her paw!

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    1. Kandy, I hadn't had much to do with greyhounds before a few years ago. I'd been involved in dog rescue and fostering before, and when the call came out that greyhounds were in need, I offered to help there. Like you, I'm still awed by how affectionate and loving they are! Sending puppy kisses to your friend's new grey. :)

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