Emily was born in Romania and was imported along with her litter mates into a UK based rescue. She remained there until she was around 7 months old, when the rescue got into difficulty and we were asked if we could help by taking Emily and her littermates into our care.

We managed to rehome her littermates, but Emily was the most scared. She did not know how to walk on a lead and struggled to trust new people having missed out on positive experiences during her puppyhood. Emily came into our care before we had the rescue centre and so was looked after at boarding kennels supported by our then Rescue Manager and an incredible team of volunteers who slowly built up her confidence. Emily had a number of homes during this time but struggled to adjust to home life each time and was returned.

In April 2017 we purchased our rescue centre in Llanharan and Emily was one of the first dogs to move in. She loved the paddocks straight away and walking around the woodland. We continued to look for that special home for Emily whilst we cared for her at the rescue centre. During this time Emily proved to be a wonderful friend to many of the scared strays who would come into the centre. Emily was so relaxed at the centre that her influence helped many new arrivals find their feet.

In 2018 some wonderful adopters came forward to offer Emily a home. Working with the team at the centre she was slowly introduced, and they did everything they could to help her settle. But Emily continued to struggle and her behaviour continued to deteriorate over time in the home.  After extensive discussions with the adopters we bought her back to the centre. Emily settled back into the centre straight away.

At Hope Rescue we don’t have permanent residents as we don’t believe that, for the majority of dogs, a life in kennels will be best for their welfare. Emily however, was an exception. She enjoyed the routine the rescue centre provided, had many friends amongst the staff team and some extremely dedicated volunteers (including her previous adopter who visited her regularly and whom Emily adored) who ensured she had enrichment and got to go on regular day trips to the beach and for the occasional sleepover.

 

Thanks to a kind legacy and grant funding, in 2022 we were able to create seven double kennels which were set up with home comforts like sofas and extra enrichment and Emily moved into one of these, along with her very large collection of soft toys!  We were also able to create an outside run for her with a sand pit, paddling pool and summer house.

Whilst we would have loved for Emily to live out her days in a home, she had other ideas and she was happy and settled in her life at the rescue centre. As a team we always called Emily our Queen and we were sure she thought of us as her loyal subjects!

Emily was a sun worshipper and would always find the sunniest spot to rest in. She was also a water baby and loved her potters in the sea and the rivers. She enjoyed the sound of her own voice and you could always tell of Emily’s joy or displeasure at things by the bark she gave! At heart she was a sensitive girl and was never able to overcome completely her mistrust of new people. However if you were accepted into Emily’ club it was the best club to be in! Emily gave the best cuddles and the most gorgeous smile and trot over to you when she saw you. If she didn’t want you in her club though, there was no amount of persuading that was going to get you in!

Back in 2020 we noticed Emily started to slow down a little and she began pain relief for some arthritis in her hips. She responded well to this was able to be kept comfortable.  Early last year we noticed a lump on her front leg which seemed to be growing. Going to the vet was quite an ordeal for Emily but we felt it was important to investigate and a sample of the lump sadly came back as a soft tissue sarcoma. Amputation of her front leg was the only treatment option and with Emily already having joint issues and her dislike of the vet, we knew this was not in her best interests and so instead decided to continue to prioritise her comfort and well being. We thought we would likely only have a few more months with her but fast forward a year and she was still going strong, albeit on a cocktail of medications!

Emily was a very stoic character but we noticed over the last few weeks that she was slowing down further, the tumour was growing and she seemed to tire easily. Whilst she was still ‘Emily’ we knew that it was nearing the time to let her go. Over the last week Emily has enjoyed as many McDonalds and roast chicken as she wanted, gentle trips to the beach and beautiful evenings in her paddock with her favourite people. She left us on Tuesday, very peacefully falling asleep in the sun with all her friends around her.

We have never known the rescue centre without Emily and she will be missed so very much. We are so grateful to her team of volunteers and staff members who have helped to ensure Emily lived the best life for her. She was a very special character who will always remain a part of Hope Rescue and loved by all who knew her.

If you would like to leave a gift in memory of Emily, please visit her In Memory page here. Thank you.