Rags to Riches Romanian Dog Rescue
Charity reg: 1171592
Lordy
Rags to Riches Dog of the year 2021and 2022 Calendar boy
Lordy was rescued by our Romanian friends from the Angels 4 Animals Rescue. The poor boy was found in a dreadful state after wandering the streets for who knows how long, his fur was matted and filthy and he needed some medical attention. I was asked by Carmen if I would consider fostering him, you see he is the little terrier type that I really do love and it was thought he had sight in one of his eyes and his other did not work due to a birth defect, yes definitely one for me.
Transport day duly arrived and he was delivered to me along with two other fosters, I brought him into our house first and left him to get acquainted with my husband. On my next trip back into the house with foster number two my husband quite casually said " I think Lordy is blind Jane" So our journey with this feisty, stubborn, brave and lovable boy began.
My husband was correct, Lordy was blind, however he is so used to it that it means nothing to him, he navigates very successfully by smell and after bumping into a few things he had got the lay of the land and was away, actually that was where the trouble began. Lordy likes people and is quite happy bumbling about outside with other dogs, the issues began when he came into the house and was asked to share his abode with my pack of 6 and two fosters, now that didn't suit his lordship at all, he wanted to live with people and certainly not share them, whatever next!
I was faced with this 9kg blind ninja warrior whose sole aim in life was to see off every dog that came within 10 feet of him and me. I can laugh now but I will never forget my Ziggy weighing in at 40kgs fleeing the kitchen and hiding in the lounge, in fact it is safe to say my lot spent the du-ration of his stay either residing in the lounge or upstairs and only frequenting the rest of the house when he was firmly shut away, thankfully they are a very patient bunch.I always say there is a home out there for every dog you just need to find it, Lordy's new home came
about with one phone call from a couple called Saul and MJ, they were struggling to adopt from UK charities and all they wanted to do was give a dog a home that maybe no-one else would want. Saul and MJ were not deemed suitable by other rescues as they live in an apart-ment and had no garden, lovely balcony and views but none of the green stuff, this was the rea-son for the call, they didn't want to waste time applying if I was going to turn them down. Now this is the benefit of us being a small charity and fostering in our own home and really knowing our fosters. I knew Lordy wouldn't be bothered by lack of garden he just needed there to be a distinct lack of dogs, besides he is blind he has no idea what his home looks like, he just knows he has to go for a little walk to get to the toilet.
So the requirements for Lordy's new home, someone willing to take on a blind dog with attitude, most definitely no other dogs in the house, well let's be honest no visiting dogs either, someone in fact that would take him on every holiday with them, no boarding kennels for Lordy. I like a challenge.9Lordy continues to do very well in his new home and we get regular updates, he has just recently had a little op (reason for the sun glasses) on one eye to close it up properly and whilst sadly there is nothing to be done for the other and he will always be blind, it bothers us humans far more thanThe day of adoption arrived and usually a foster can be a little nervous about the change, not this boy, he soon realised he was on his own, he walked round the whole of the apartment, in-vestigating every nook and cranny and once settled promptly fell asleep on the rug. When it came time for goodbye as always I had a lump in my throat but this time was different, Lordy had quite firmly attached himself to MJ and happily stood with her and saw me off the premis-es, yes he had decided he was home, thank you Jane, you can go now, I could read it all over his face, I was so happy for him I wanted to cry.This brave boy, unwanted and unloved who travelled across Europe not knowing where he was going or what was happening and not even being able to see, has now found his for-ever, fantastic loving home and he is just one of the reasons why all of us here at R2R do what we do.
Jane Stacey: Rags to Riches fosterer and Trustee
