Success Stories

WEST CORK ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP

Some of our rescue dogs and cats in their new homes

Murph is an Airdale x who went to his new home in January 2010. His owners say " Murph was a very strong-willed and excitable fella for a while and we decided he needed a very firm hand! He was very strong on the lead and we spent loads of time pulling him back into line and getting him to sit at lights and wait outside our front door because he would just burst in ahead of you. He was dominant towards almost all dogs he met but one of the things that helped hugely was taking him to dog classes in hop island equestrian centre in rochestown. He has learned to love water and is an amazingly good traveller in the car which is superb as we cover a fair bit of ground. He's almost consistently mannerly around other dogs now, sniffing etc. He loves playing with bouncy balls but is not terribly playful with other dogs yet but he's getting there - I think he's beginning to realise he can have good fun with them rather than getting all dominant. In fact in the last couple of weeks he's begun to get down on his belly when some other dogs approach him!
Anyway that pretty much sums up murph at this point. we're still working on him but he has come a long way. He has enriched our lives big time and we get great satisfaction out of seeing him respond to our training efforts.

Molly is a young black retriever x who went to live with Vicky & Arthur in West Cork in Spring 2009. In June 2010 she was joined by a new playmate Bob, a beautiful golden lab/retriever. Her owners, Vicky & Arthur have been organising regular music fundraisng evenings and busking for us at Schull and Skibereen market since early summer 2009 - see our fundraising page. Molly is often seen eager to help at the daytime fundraising events and this year will have her companion Bob with her to join in the fun. They're pictured here like 2 fashion models posing with the current season's headgear!

Bobbi (right) went to her new home in West Cork in April where she met her companion Shadow who was also adopted from our rescue in November 2005. Bobbi was very an extremely nervous dog when she came to our rescue and very frightened of people but she has settled well into her new home and Michael says, "She is doing great, still very nervous but not as bad and she is a great watchdog. She is very gentle and loving and no bother with our cat or Shadow. Bobbie is enjoys sleeping on the bed and sometimes in her own chair. She is eating fine and getting long walks when the weather permits."

Angel is a stunning lemon and white Bassett Hound who went to her new home in Cork on 3rd July. She is pictured here with her new buddy Archie, both patiently waiting in the car ready to leave our rescue centre for Angel to start her new life.

Cherry was a stray who has settled well into her new home in Skibbereen and is amusing herself keeping an eye on the cat! Her owners say: "Just wanted to thank you for Cherry - she lights up our lives! I think she is pretty pleased with us also".

Ozzie went to his new home Autumn 2009 and very quickly settled into his new family of four kids and three cats.
His owners sent us some photos and an update in June 2010 to say: "Ozzie is doing fine and is enjoying the company of his new buddy Dakota, a husky we adopted last February.
They have accompanied us to surf competitions during the winter, come along to beach and wood walks and even entered in the dog show at Bandon Show where Ozzie was NOT impressed with the judge..."

Rosie came to us as a young pup in may of last year. She was found with her distressed mother Izzy (also pictured below in her new home) who was struggling to find enough food to be able to survive and produce milk for her 2 pups. Looking happy and healthy Rosie and her new owners came back recently for a visit.

Boy went to his new home in Douglas with Bronwyn and her husband earlier this year. Boy was a long term dog in our shelter due to being severely abused before coming to us. With a lot of patience and care boy became a much loved character and we were all delighted for him when Bronwyn gave him the wonderful home that he for so long deserved. Bronwyn also recently adopted a little sister for Boy called 'Mindy' and says that "she gets on well with Boy, they sleep next to each other at night although they have their own separate beds!"

Jack was an adorable little chap who was very lucky to go to his new home with Marie and Raymond earlier this year. Marie says that "Jack has settled very well with us and is much loved by all who meet him. My 6 year old nephew makes his mother drive an hour round trip most Saturdays so that he can come on the walk with Jack and I. I would like to thank all involved in the caring of Jack because it is obvious to us that Jack was well looked after and we hope we are doing the same for him". Pictured here obviously very happy indeed in his new home.

Freda and Jessie are two lab sisters who are now 7 years old. They went to their home in Wiltshire, England as young pups in 2003. Their owners decided to visit Ireland with their camper van this year and bought Freda and Jessie to our rescue for a visit. They are pictured here, lying together quite happily in their camper van.

Holly is a boxer x pup who went to her new home a few days before Christmas. Her owner Louise says "She is a very bouncy and energetic dog. She spends most of the day out on the yard with me, and loves to play fetch with anything she can find, her current favourite being the biggest stones she can manage to pick up! She has developed a taste for horse feed and will clear up any scraps the horses don't finish. She has also recently discovered that she can swim, and loves playing fetch in the river and the sea. She has managed to make friends with the cat, and is really settled here. She has grown lots already and I think she still has more to do! By the end of a busy day she curls up in her bed indoors for the evening.
Thank you for letting me take her home!!"

Pumpkin is a an extremely friendly, energetic shaggy terrier who went to his new home with Margaret & Conn at Easter. He has settled into his new life very well and can be seen here sunning himself in the garden.

Barney (pictured right) is a male springer spaniel who came to us so badly matted that his hair had to be completely shaved off. He seemed to be an elderly dog who was hard of hearing and stumbled frequently when he walked. A lovely family in Cork who already have a spaniel decided to give him a home and he is doing exceptionally well with them. Deirdre says "His hair is all grown back so you would barely recognise him. When he came to us first his hearing was very bad but it has since improved. His walking has also improved and he doesnt fall over as much! He's getting on great with everyone because he's such a friendly gentle dog and we are all glad we took him."

Ruby is a bearded terrier whose owners Sally & Mike say "She is doing really well, settling in and making great friends with Milly the dog, and our cat Flash!"

Rainer is a lab x who was adopted in March 2010. His owner Roisin says "Rainer is a joy and we all adore him. He has settled into life and is such a wonderful dog. Thank you all for doing such a great job." Rainer is posing for a photo on the trampoline with Roisin's daughter Alva.

Bramble went to her new in March 2010 and her new owners have sent this update on her: "Just wanted to thank you for letting us take Florrie a couple of weeks ago. We've renamed her Bramble, which suits her down to the ground. I can't believe how easily and quickly she's settled in here - she loves to be out and about on the farm, either near us or off hunting in rabbit holes in the ditches! She's very good and never strays away from the perimeter of the farm. She's such a sweet dog, we can't believe nobody else wanted her! Our old dog Snapper loves her, too. By the end of the day, she's exhausted and curls up on the sofa with us or Snapper for the evening. I've enclosed a couple of photos of her in her new life with us!

Gwennie is an energetic brown lab who went to her new home in Jan 2010 and is seen here fast asleep after a long walk. Her owners say "Gwennie has settled in really well here in Cobh and become such a part of our family, we both adore her. Her confidence has grown tremendously and she's a real character.

She's enjoying lots of walks, and we've discovered a lot of interesting places in Cobh to bring her. Her favourite place is Marlogue woods on the east side of the island, which has miles of tracks as well as a stoney beach. Lots for a dog to sniff and inspect and also there are lots of other dogs to meet!

She has a bed in the kitchen and has fun extracting her treats from her favourite toy the Kong. However she also seems to really enjoy moving our shoes to the front door... a subtle hint perhaps!

Thank you so much for allowing us to re-home Gwennie. She's part of the family and its hard to remember what life was like before her arrival.

Leroy is a male Staffie who went to his new home near Liscannor in County Clare in April 2009. He has made himself very much at home in Co. Clare and is seen here looking very handsome.

Suzie is a female Rottie who went to Ennis in October 2009 as a companion for a male Rottie Tyson. The two dogs get on very well together and Suzie is pictured enjoying her bone and Tyson's by the looks of it.

Rufus (cat) and Rumble (dog) went to their new home in West Cork in January 2010. Their owner already has several other cats but Rufus wont have anything to do with them, he just hangs out with the 2 dogs. He and Rumble have become inseparable and Rufus goes for walks with the dogs and even goes to the dog sitter with them. If you look closely they are both on the chair!

Cleo is a timid Jack Russell Terrier who went to her new home in January. Her new owners sent us this photo the day after they took her home and say "Cleo was fairly quiet and shy yesterday but came out of herself a small bit. Today was a big change, she is coming to us when we call her. It might take a few calls but she is getting used to us. Cleo is not that good on the lead yet, it will take a bit of time and patience . We gave her a bath as well this evening and it went better than I thought it would . She didn't cause too much fuss and she loved being towel dried . She kept coming back for more . As you can see from the photos attached, she loves her basket and loves her new garden. She is definitely relaxing more around us. We are very happy with her".

Jade is springer spaniel who came to our rescue because her family were finding her too energetic and lively for them. She went to a new home shortly before Christmas where she has a doggie playmate who helps to use up her excess energy. Her new owners say "We are thrilled with Jade, she has a lovely temperament and gets on great with our other dog Bella who is also a rescue. They constantly play together".

Ollie is one of a litter of 8 pups that came to us with their mother when they were 2 weeks old. His new owners say "My family and I would like to thank you for "Ollie" our crazy puppy we got from you just after christmas, we have been so sad after the loss of our collie who was 18 years old and this bundle of fun has helped us with that. Our house has turned into a playground and giant chew toy but we are glad to have him".

We received this sad email in January 2010 about Ritchie and would like to thank Mary & Dan for giving Ritchie such a wonderful home for the last 8 years. Mary says "I would just like to let you know that our beloved Ritchie passed away today. We got him from your sanctuary in 2002 and kept his original name. He spent nearly 8 happy years with us and I am truly heart broken today."

Elf is quite a unique little fella who went to a new home in England in December. His owners say "He is a wonderful quirky little boy and everyone that meets him thinks he is adorable. He has not been without challenges but we are really pleased with how he is settling in. He walks well on a lead and is learning to be trusted off the lead too. He likes to chase his biscuits around the kitchen floor but we can cope with that! He is still very nervous, particularly of cars and traffic but he is learning that when we take him to a different house or environment that we are not going to leave him there. All in all there is still work to be done but we all love him unconditionally and we would like to thank you all for bringing him into our lives."

Coco is a lovely looking collie who went to her new home as a puppy in August 2009. Her owners sent this photo at Christmas and say "This is just a quick note to say thanks and that ‘Coco’ is doing great. I’ve enclosed a picture of when she was still a pup, she’s a bit bigger now".

Zak & Tyrone's owners sent us an update and a photo of them enjoying a walk in the snow in January 2010. " Zak and Tyrone are getting on great. Tyrone has really come on in leaps and bounds ans though she will always be shy, she is very friendly and right at home this past few months. They are two wonferful family pets and we are delighted to have them.

We have Zak & Tyrone since July and they are now very much part of the family and are great with kids. Zak is the outgoing one, always greets anybody who comes to the house, loves people, interaction and spins in the car, he really has made himself at home. Tyrone is shy and likes to spend many hours lying in her safe places (behind the couch, under the table, in the utility or her kennel) while watching the world go by. With encouragement she is gradually coming out of her shell as she gets to know us better and though she is nervous, she is happy. They have stopped chasing the two cats while inside the house, which is good though outside in the garden it is still a free for all!

Bonnie is a lovely German Shepherd x who went to live with Joanne and Dave in East Cork in January 2009. They sent this photo of her and say: "Bonnie is very happy with us and gets on brilliantly with our Golden Retriever Bran. They are the best of friends."

When we got Sasha we had recently lost our 13 yr old retriever x irish setter and wondered if we would bond so soon with another dog . While she can be a mischevious adolescent, she is also a great joy and such fun. Sasha (who is at my side as I write, thrusting her toy-toy into my hand if it rests awhile) has very few faults and none that are serious. The only problem is that she is inexhaustable. Or maybe I'm getting older! Anyway, thank you so much for her. Without her this year, considering the weather and the economy, life would have been miserable. Annie (our other little dog) says thanks for her friend without whom she was miserable for a while.

Bruno is from a litter of 8 husky x pups and went to his new home on December 12th. He has settled in well with his new family and his new canine companion. Bruno is a lucky fella to be in a loving home for christmas. We still have 4 of his litter mates in our rescue centre looking for caring family homes.

Precious came us with her golden lab companion as their owner was moving house and both dogs were to be put to sleep. Sadly within a couple of weeks her gentle companion was diagnosed with stomach cancer and died a few weeks later. When Precious was spayed the vet found a mammary tumour but thankfully the lab results showed the tumour was benign and Precious is now enjoying life in West Cork with her new owner Tess and several dogs and cat companions. She's pictured here warming herself up by the fire after a windswept walk on the beach.

Casey a female border collie went to her new home in November and is settling in very well with her Yorkshire Terrier sibling Harvey. He new owners Caryn & Rob say "She is so happy with us and every day her personality becomes stronger and brighter."

Deacon is a lovely rottweiller who had been very well cared for but sadly his owner moved to England and couldnt take Deacon with him. However fortunately for Deacon he had only been with us a short while when a couple from Dunmore East who are experienced with Rottweillers, saw him on our web site and travelled for almost 5 hours through the flooded roads to come and see him. He has been in his new home for just one week and is happily settled and fitting into his new family life extremely well.

Sean is a lovely terrier who went to live in with his new family, the O'Connors in April 2009. His family say "He quickly settled into his new home and although he was nervous of being taken out in the car initially, he soon lost his fear as he was taken on lots of trips to parks, forests and friends houses. In June he was washed and groomed and taken to the Cork Summer Show where he was entered into the dog show. It turned out to be the proudest day of his life when the judge handed Aoife a beautiful red rosette, Sean had won first prize. He then went on to another exciting event in September when he was entered to run the Cork Mini Marathon with his owners Catherine and Aoife. He proudly wore his number on his back and trotted along amongst nearly 11000 participants completing the four miles in just over an hour. He is pictured here with Aoife showing their medals and is already in training to run again next year." Sean is pictured proudly wearing his Mini Marathon number on his back on the fundraising page on our web site.

Jane is a very timid collie who had been badly abused and spent 2 years being re-habilitated with us before she went to her new home near Macroom in September 2008. Marc & Monika took on a big challenge with Jane but she has settled in well and a few months later they got a collie pup Leah who really helped Jane gain confidence with people. Jane and Leah play very well together and love to go walking at the reservoir near Macroom and to the waterfall in Killarney National Park.

Hattie is a female hound who came to our rescue centre in July when her owners bought a new pup. Hattie didnt like the new pup and her owners were going to have her put to sleep. We had no enquiries about her in Ireland and took her to Dog's Trust in Snetterton, England late September to give her a chance of finding a new home. We received an email from her new owners in England who say " We rehomed Hattie from DogsTrust at Snetterton in October and she is settling in remarkably well, she is completely housetrained from Day 1. She prefers to sleep in our bedroom and is the best dog we have ever had on the lead." Hattie is pictured here looking very happy and settled in her new life in England.

Humphrey (left) went to live with Mary in Sept 08 and was joined by Bella a female terrier this Sept. Bella is settling in very well and her confidence is growing each day. She looks up to Humphrey and copies some of the things he does. She is good for Humphrey as he is behaving himself a bit more now that he has to keep an eye on his new sister.

Jesse is a lovely gentle German Shepherd x who had been in our rescue centre for many months before she went to her new home in May. She is pictured here when she came back in October with her family to visit us. It would seem that Jesse has turned out to be a rather expensive dog!! Apparantly having come to this area to see Jesse they decided they liked West Cork so much that they've bought a caravan opposite the beach just a mile from our rescue centre. Now they're planning to buy a bigger car to accomodate Jesse on her future travels to West Cork!! It looks like we'll be meeting Jesse regularly in future as she's walked on our local beach.

Roxy a female Elkhound went to her new home with Lorraine a few months ago and is pictured here looking very sleek having had her coat groomed. Lorraine says" She is the best dog I have every had. She loves her walks every day and she is great with other dogs. Exactly what I wanted. She is getting on great we absolutely love her. She is fantastic with children, all the kids in the estate adore her too. I got her groomed and her coat looks much better and I bought her a special brush to keep on top of her shedding."

Agnes is a 7 year old German Shepherd who has been with us for many months. It's difficult to find older dogs homes so we were delighted when we were contacted by John who had recently lost his own elderly German Shepherd and was very keen to give Agnes a new home. She has settled in really well and John's daughter says it is 'a match made in heaven'.

Benji is a male Jack Russel Terrier pup who went to his new home in West Cork in September. He is now enjoying life with the Mulcahy family.

Kilty is a lab x who was homed to Jane and Jeff Dixon 4 years ago.
She was an extremely nervous dog when she went to her new home but with lots of love and care she is now very much improved. She has been at the music fundraising days in Schull and Skibbereen this summer helping to raise money for the dogs still at our rescue centre.

Buffy is a very sweet yorkshire terrier who was homed to Annely at
Inishbeg in June 2007. She is having a great life and is pampered beyond belief. She is booked into the grooming salon next week for a beauty treatment!

Bruno is spaniel who has been in his permanent home since March 2007. His owner sent Olwyn sent us some photos of him with his favourite duck toy and says: "He's amazing, very much his own boss but clingy at the same time. He absolutely loves the car and the only time he will stay on his own is while sitting in an open car in the driveway. He travels to Waterford regularly to visit my brother which for him is like a home from home. He's number one in our home and knows it. He is in excellent health but slightly overweight which the vet said that seems to be in his nature as he gets plenty of exercise. When he came first he was quite greedy but that has stopped now although he still loves his food. We'd be lost without him."

Finn is a lab x collie pup who went to his new home in south East England in August. His owner Karen says: "Finn has been keeping us very busy. The day he arrived home was difficult, but he has improved. He sits and goes down immediately and will go to his bed. He loves his crate and listens to Magic radio. He has what seems like every toy in the pet shop! He sleeps through the night as from the fourth night. He is house-trained and actually if I ask him to go to the toilet he goes on demand. Since being walked 5 times a day he has settled and we now let him in the living room on his play blanket and bed. He prefers water from the pebble fountain and he is hilarious standing up on his back legs. He has learnt a lot more and is getting bigger every day, he now weighs 10kgs."

Rusty is an adorable wiry terrier who was adopted by Robert and Collette from Bandon 5 years ago. Their daughter sent us this photo of Rusty dressed in his coat and tails ready to go to her daughter Carolyns wedding. She says this about Rusty: "He also has a Santa suit and a 'superdog' outfit! He is a natural show off and loves the attention he gets. He is the boss, only eats lambs liver. He's hand fed dog biscuits, loves being brushed and seems to understand everything my parents say. He has his own bed in their campervan and loves being driven around in the car.

Cherie is a golden retriever who was so traumatized that she was with us for 3 years before she was rehabilitated sufficiently to be rehomed. She went to her new owners, Billy and Ursula who say. "When Cherie arrived last April, we wondered if we had done the right thing adopting her. Having always reared our dogs from puppies, it was quite a challenge to have a 4 year old who ran for cover when you tried to rub her down, who wouldnt come through a door if you were near and who hid under tables. The only trust that she placed in anything was Switzer, our golden retriever. Today Cherie still adores Switzer but she now sits down to have her harness and lead put on, jumps into the car and shares the settee with Switzer. She is gaining confidence and seems to relax much more although she still gets frightened of things that she is not sure of. She still has quite a way to go, but she seems happy and we are confident that in time she will totally relax and accept this as her permanent home"

Jill (pictured on the right) went to her new home in Co. Kildare early September. Her new owners Aidan and Lisa sent us this lovely photo of Jill with their dog Jack who seems very happy to share his huge cuddly toy with his new playmate.

Lori is a loveable, cheeky little wiry terrier who went to live with her new family in Dublin in August. Her owner Teresa sent this photo and says "Just to let you know that Lori has settled in very well with us.Needless to say, there were a few incidents initially but they were to be expected. She's a clever little dog and loves attention and we love giving her attention.
I have attached some photos to let you see that she's well.
Thank you for all your help and for Lori."

Jack is a blue merle collie who was found with his litter mates wandering the roads in West Cork. We realised after a couple of weeks that he was deaf and he went to a Collie rescue Wiccaways in England who found a lovely home for him. His new owner Andrew says " Jack (named after Captain Jack from Pirates of the Caribbean) has just returned from his first holiday at the lovely dog friendly North Norfolk beaches and loves caravanning. He has been to obediance training and has come on in leaps and bounds."

We thrilled to hear Jack is doing so well despite his hearing problems, he will soon be registering for agility classes and like most collies we expect he will love agility training.

Pip & Tommy are two lovely terriers who went to live on Heir Island last December with Christine & Gubby. Christine is an artist and recently sold one of her paintings (featured on our fundraising page) to raise money for the animals still at our rescue centre.

John Boy is a lovely gentle natured lurcher who went to his new home in Rossmore last November. He came back with his owners to visit us in August and is far more confident since being in his new home and was very happy to pose to have his photo taken.

Suomi is a Finnish Laphound who went to her new home in August. Her new owners say " Suomi is great company for our other rescue dog Seppie who had never spent any real time with other dogs so when Suomi came to stay he was a bit like 'what's that and when is it leaving!', but 4 weeks later he is learning to play like a dog and they've even started their own barking choir (much to the delight of our neighbours I'm sure!).

Suomi has taken up nightly residence in our bedroom either sleeping by the door or under Joe's bedside locker (big dog/small locker). The first week she spent most of her time upstairs during the day, a bit unsure of her surroundings, only coming down for food or walks but now she's like our shadow. Happy Dogs, Happy Family!"

Fred is a collie who went as a pup to live with his new owners on a farm. They sent us this photo of him having fun with his playmate Bodo in the hay field. The sent this about him. "We got Fred from you last November, we can't tell you how much we love him. He's brilliant fun and really friendly with anyone or any dog. We brought him to training classes for a few weeks when we first got him and even as a four month old puppy, he absolutely loved the agility course. These days he makes do with jumping up on big round bales. He gets a good run in fields or a swim and a run twice a day so is fit and happy and snoozes his evenings away then."

Rocky is a boxer who we adopted a few months ago and Frankie, we adopted as a pup a year ago. They both get on like a house on fire, Frankie is full of beans and never stops playing which gets on Rocky's nerves sometimes because all he wants to do is fall asleep on your lap but he is a bit to big and heavy for that. Rocky has put on a bit more weight and is doing well, he still isn't sure about men, it took him about a week to warm to Donal but he follows him everywhere now. and as for children I have never seen another dog like him. He is absolutely amazing with my one year old nephew even eating out of his hand he is so gentle and it still baffles me how anybody could have mistreated him. Thanks to west cork animal welfare we are a very happy family all four of us.

Izzy is a Pom x Terrier who was found in a very distressed state with 2 young pups in May. She had been struggling to find enough food to be able to survive and produce milk for her 2 pups. Thankfully for Izzy, her life has turned around and she has gone to a lovely home with the Farry family. They sent us this photo of a very relaxed Izzy and say "Izzy has really settled in now and any signs of nervousness are gone. We all love her to bits, even the neighbours adore her. She is no trouble and so easy to manage, she looks for nothing only company which she gets plenty of. When she came first our son Darren's girlfriend had to come and see her as she could not believe how a six foot young fella could talk so much about a small fluffy dog. When she met Izzy she understood---- Izzy is just adorable to everyone that meets her."

Boris is a Yorkie who went to his new home in July. Erika his owner sent this photo of him clipped and with his new friend Bobby. She says "Boris is doing fine and is already part of the family. Both dogs are really getting on and are playing a lot in the garden and in the house together. He is very attached to all of us but especially to me.
He still runs away if I take him off the lead but only when walking on the road. On the beach he doesnt go far and always comes back when I call the dogs. Thank you for Boris and best of luck to find homes for the others

Cooper is a Rottie who came to us in a very neglected condition earlier this year. He went to his new owners David & Marguerite in March who say this about him. A few photos of Cooper doing what he does best, posing and chilling out!
He is a true ambassador to his breed, not a bad bone in him. He is the most lovable dog we have both come across and loves his cuddles.
He is looking great and loves his walks now. He has gotten very used to our two cats and while he does tease one of them sometimes, he doesnt mind sharing a house with them in the slightest.
We are so grateful to have found him and hope that every dog will make someone as happy as Cooper has made us.

Lucy is a Border Collie who went to her family in January 2006. Tom sent this update on her: "She has brought much joy to our lives and is spoilt rotten, a full member of the family. Thanks so much again, Lucy has improved all our lives for the better!"

Rua is a Pom and Sassy a Pug who went to their new home near Macroom in May 2009. Their owners sent this progress report. They are getting along great and have become the best of friends. Rocky our Boxer is in love with the two of them and pines for them if they are out. They are little bundles of fun and constantly play fighting. It's play fighting, going for walks or sleeping. What a life! They are such a tonic and a welcome addition to our family

Joe who we thought was a Blue Merle Collie went to a new home in England in April 2009 and has turned out to be a Welsh Cardigan Corgi x! His owner sent this: " Well it's been 3 months since we adopted Joe and we wouldn't swap him for the world!. He has started to paddle in our local lake and plays with a mini rugby ball, (he tried a full size one but just couldn't fit it in his face!) and meets and greets everyone with his tail held high! Still early days as new little personality traits creep out constantly, his newest trick is to pick up one of my trainers and take it off down the garden!,all in all no regrets in taking on this wonderful little chap!

Tigga and Millie are two lovely wiry terriers that have been with their owner Lillian for 2 years. Lillian says they have transformed her life and sent us this recent photo of her two devoted little dogs.

Sid went to live with Mary & her family in Cork. This is what she says about him "I got Sid my lovely labrador from you last June and we now have him a year. He has really settled in and is as happy as larry. He loves children, any type of food (seriously!!) tearing teatowels (we frown about that) and playing with our little jack russell Claude. He’s a fantastic addition to our family and I would like to thank you again for connecting us.

I enclose a pic that we took recently when he was recovering from a minor op on his ear (he had a button ulcer on his ear and had to get it removed and the vet thought it would be safer to take a biopsy). He was feeling a bit sorry at the time but I can assure you he is back in fine form again."

Bramble is a stunning looking Springer Spaniel whose owner Jacinta says "We've had Bramble almost a year now and she is such a joy."

Paws is a Samoyd Husky who came to us in a very poor condition with her coat very matted. She now has a home with Veronica & Emma in Cork and they sent this about her. "After her initial dislike to our spaniel, Leila she came around within a week and now they play for hours on end in the garden, chasing the cat and running after each other. She's not good on the lead and her recall isn't great because she gets distracted easily but shes great on the harness and loves the long walks we give her, plus the caretaker of the GAA pitch down the road lets us leave her off the lead in the enclosed pitch which is great for both dogs. Her weight was down and our vet gave us a supplement and names of certain foods to give her and as you can see from the pictures, she's come on loads. Her fur wasn't growing, just kept falling out in clumps so we got a mobile groomer in to shave it all off to start again from scratch. She loves her new crew cut and with the good weather we had recently she was certainly cooler and more comfortable. She loves sleeping on the leather sofa and would lie up on top of you if you lay down on it. Shes a great dog, very friendly and affectionate and is learning bit by bit as she goes along."

Lucy came to Sweden in October 2005. She is still a wonder eyed, sleek joy to have around. She finally posed after all these years and it was worth waiting for! Therefore I wanted to send the pictures to you so that you may see that she is doing fine. This is our daily long walk, the dogs run freely in the forest like lightening. Lucy has a friend since 2007 called Hollies, who thinks she was put on earth just to love Lucy, we got her from a farm down south. She is a giant loving pup whilst Lucy is the wise one, they are perfectly matched and beautiful to watch as they run together.

The Helleberg family from Småland, Sweden

Cookie & Muffin are two adorable young Yorkies who had a very bad start in life but their luck has turned around and they are now in a home where they are being well and truly pampered.

Lula is a staffie who we adopted in 2007 and Dude a schnauzer adopted in 2008. Marie says" These 2 dogs are like day and night and not just in looks. Lula is very clever and funny and communicates amazingly well. Dude is not quite as clever but he is always in a good mood and incredibly laid back. Together they are a great pair.

Lady & Maxwell. Lady (pictured right) and Tramp were adopted in 2000 and after 9 years of a wonderful life with their family in Cork sadly Tramp died from cancer in April this year. Tramp was desperately missed by everyone including Lady so the family came back to our rescue centre in May to look for a new companion for Lady. Maxwell (pictured left) an elderly wheaten terrier x who has been at our centre for a while proved a perfect match and is now enjoying his new life with a caring family.

Woody's owners sent us this photo of Woody on a walk in Killarney and said "We got Woody in 2007 and he seems to be the happiest dog that ever lived. He's a great companion and loves his walks especially in the mountains, swimming, playing, sleeping on the couch, oh, and eating.
We thought you'd like to know that he's getting on great and loves living in Killarney.

Poppy is a young golden retriever whose new owners Brid & Tiernan sent this about her. " Poppy is a dream, everyone loves her. She is getting on superbly with our 2 Cockers and loves Mom & Dad's 1 yr olds Cocker. She was scared of the stairs in our house initially but there's no stopping her now! She is a little gem and will never want for anything with us."

Charlie is a black Cocker Spaniel who came to us because his owners didn't have time for him. He is now in a new home with a Golden Cocker Spaniel as a companion. His owner says "Benji and Charlie are getting on great and he is having a great time on his walks going to the local woods and the local beach".

Ditch is a greyhound who was found in a poor condition in a ditch last summer. A couple who came to look at a golden retriever we had saw him and fell in love with him. They came to collect him over Easter with a bed and harness already fitted in their car. Here he is looking very happy that his days in kennels at our rescue centre are finally over and at last he has a home of his own where he will receive lots of care and attention.

Jessie's owner sent these photos to show us happy and settled she is in her new home. They said "Jessie is such a wonderful dog and is very much a part of our family. She is such a happy dog and so playful and loves her treats, walks, cuddles and jumping into our bed for a sleep. Thank you again for giving her to us."

Tallulah is a female cat who after a hard life has gone to a caring home with the Walsh family in Bantry. This is what they say about her. "Tally is ''the princess'' of the house, she settled in really well and has become so vocal. She is now part of the family and we all love her to bits. Thank you so much for giving us the chance to show Tally that not all people hurt animals, she is such a sweetheart and we love having her in our home."

Google is from the same litter as Honey (below). He has gone to a lovely country home in the Bantry area of West Cork and is settling down very nicely on his comfy bed with his new toys.

Honey a female collie x pup who was about to be drowned with her litter mates in January is now looking forward to growing up in her new home with her big 'sister' Jessie.

Sheba is a collie x who went to her new home in December 2008. She is now 8 months old and full of energy. She is a very gentle dog and enjoys her morning cuddles. Her favourite pastimes are making human and doggy friends, chewing bones, going for walks and dancing with us. She is very intelligent and even the cat Scampy has grown to like her. She is part of the family and we wouldnt be without her.

Doffo is an adorable shaggy terrier who is now living in Co. Kerry with Suzanne and her family. The girls asked their friends to donate money to our charity instead of buying them birthday presents this year which is a wonderful present for the dogs still at our rescue centre who haven't been as lucky as Morris in finding a home yet.

Sam is a collie who went to his new home in September 2008. His owners Alan & Tanya say "He is a great addition to our family. Damien (our two year old son ) and Sammie are two little rascals!" There's certainly plenty of interest over what's in Sam's feeding bowl.

Logan was the 1st dog we homed in England in 2002 and sadly he died in September 2008. Mary & Dave sent this. " We have very sadly had to say goodbye to our lovely big black bear. Logan came over to us when he was about 3 years old with a somewhat tarnished reputation! He was however the most gentle dog and very loving. His only downside was he would not tolerate another male dog neutered or not but understanding this we were able to never put him in a situation that would create a problem. He adored his first Flatcoat companion Trixie and has for the last 5 years been taunted and loved by Kizzie his second Flatcoat companion. He tolerated all her puppy loutishness and never once told her off.

Logan was a wonderful ‘ambassador’ for the Black Retriever X’s and thanks to him there is now the Black Retriever Rescue which finds loving homes in the UK for many dogs. He will be sadly missed but we are grateful to everyone at West Cork for giving us the opportunity to have this super boy in our lives.

Daisey is a beautiful little dog who lives with John and Rachel in Macroom. They say "She loves country life and as you can see from the photo, its a daily challenge to keep her clean, to say she is a muck savage is an understatement. She is absolutely spoilt and demands to be centre of attention when anyone visits our home. She is a fantastic dog and our lives would be a lot duller without her.

Freisa went to her new home in in Rochestown, Cork in November 2008. Her owners Owen and Mary say "She is a fantastic dog very friendly, smart and full of energy. She is having a great life in a home where she is much loved. Thank you for putting us together"