18 August 2023 , 16:51
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An elderly dog who's 150 in canine year had to be taken in by a rescue centre - after her owner gave up looking after her.
Holly the 21-year-old Labrador mix was taken in by Carrick shelter, in Northern Ireland, after being handed in by her former owner, in a move that the shelter’s boss described as “beyond belief”. She has been made comfortable and provided hearty food to help her settle in.
After the shelter put out a call for help, a rescue organisation in County Down, Almost Home, got in touch to help out. It offered to put Holly into their special retirement home for dogs - Heather House. The team at Heather House will now search for a new family and retirement home where she can truly settle for the rest of her long life.
Helen Hewett, manager of the Carrick Dog Shelter, Co Monaghan, said: "It is beyond belief that anyone could surrender their dog at the age of 21 and tell the dog warden to take her away and put her to sleep - with only strangers by her side.” She said that despite Holly’s age, “there’s certainly life in the old dog yet.”
"There's life in Holly yet", the dog shelter say of the Labrador mix (Helen Hewett)"She's thin and her eyesight and hearing are dull, but she's engaged and she ate a good meal, wagged her tail and leaned on us for cuddles. This dog was not ready to be put to sleep - anyone could see that.
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"We reached out for help for this special girl and the team at Almost Home in Moira contacted us and offered her a home in their elderly care unit, Heather House. One of our volunteers put Holly in the car immediately and drove to Moira and handed Holly over to the team there.
"Today she is settling into her new surroundings and I hope she may be able to move to a permanent family home where she can enjoy a gentle family life. There's certainly life in the old dog yet.
"As with all dog shelters we have heartbreaking days and moments that we just cannot comprehend. This was one of them. In dog years Holly is almost 150 years old and everything she was familiar with in her life was suddenly taken from her and she had to start again.
"To get to this age is remarkable and shows a love of life. She deserves the very best and every chance of life, and a good life and she will get that now, whether in Heather House or with a family.
"When we reached out on social media we had about 10 people offering her a home and now her assessment will be done by the team at Almost Home who will decide what is best for her.
"Our faith in the human race has been restored somewhat by the volume of hugely kind offers to give this girl a kind and loving final retirement home. Many thanks to everyone who helped and offered to make a new start possible to Holly. We are unbelievably grateful."