WHEN SUZY the Merle Lurcher was handed over to Dogs Trust Cardiff in early 2023, not much was known about her background. At just two-years-old, the team was optimistic she would settle into a home quickly. Initially, Suzy was rehomed after two weeks but found herself back with the charity after struggling to settle in with her adopters.
Once back in the care of Dogs Trust Cardiff, the extent of Suzy’s medical issues and her struggles became clearer. Suzy was discovered to have Spondylosis, a condition that caused chronic pain in her spine, leading to significant discomfort and anxiety around people. Dogs Trust Cardiff supported Suzy with both regular physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, which she loved. The therapy not only helped manage pain but also began to ease her anxiety and improve her behaviour. Suzy became a lot more playful and affectionate, building a wonderful bond with her physiotherapist and discovering her love of curling up on the sofa. But with her medical issues and ongoing treatment causing her to often be overlooked, Suzy became one of Dogs Trust Cardiff’s long-term residents.
After waiting almost a year, Suzy’s perfect match finally came along, and she will be spending Christmas with them in her new happy place. Adopters Graham and Rachel from South Wales worked with the Dogs Trust team to build a bond with Suzy, taking part in training and meeting her regularly to help prepare for her adoption.
Graham and Rachel, Suzy’s adopters said: “When we visited Dogs Trust, Suzy was lying on the floor of her kennel and looked resigned to being there for good, and it was only when we asked, that we heard she had been there for over 200 days. We heard about her long-term medical needs, but after walking and playing with her that same day, we decided we couldn’t leave her and went ahead with the adoption.”
“When we had to put our last rescue dog to sleep last May we were absolutely devastated and couldn’t imagine another dog taking his place. But since being at home, Suzy has slotted into our house like a missing jigsaw piece. She loves everyone she meets and is friendly, sociable and healthy. Suzy has kept in touch with her physio at Dogs Trust and even has sleepovers with her! We cannot imagine our lives without Suzy, and we are so happy to have her in her happy place in time for Christmas, cwtching with us on the sofa.”
Kim Davies, Manager at Dogs Trust Cardiff, said: “We’re over the moon to see Suzy in her happy place this Christmas. Suzy is a lovely example of how the right care, treatment and training can help a dog get into their forever home, regardless of their background. We’re so excited for Suzy to spend her first Christmas with Graham and Rachel. We have many more dogs like Suzy still searching for their forever homes, so if you are ready to welcome a dog into your life, please pop over to our website and take a look.”
For more information about Dogs Trust Cardiff, and to find out more about the dogs available for rehoming, visit HERE.
