micared

Hi,I wonder if any kind hearted animal lovers can help with this. We've been living in Crete for a year, and have been helping a local animal charity to re-home stray dogs in Germany.

We recently found a young dog ( about 9 months old ) wandering about on the motorway. Locals dumping animals is a huge problem here, and the motorway is one of the favourite locations for them to dispose of unwanted pets ( they usually get run over, hence end of problem ). We picked her up with the aim of finding a German home for her. However, because her appearance is part Staffy bull terrier, she isn't allowed to go to Germany, and the chances of re-homing her here in Crete are slim.

We're coming back to the U.K. in April, and need to resolve this. We aren't in a position to keep her long term - once back to work, all our spare time will be taken up with our elderly, incontinent, epileptic Border collie, who, just to make things even more interesting, doesn't like other dogs!

We named the stray Sophie. We have paid to have her vaccinated, and she will be neutered and ready to travel if necessary in about April when her final jabs and passport / microchip paperwork will be complete. She is perfectly fit and healthy. If a home in the U.K. can be found for her, we will pay the flight costs and bring her back for her new owner.

She's fairly typical in temperament of most Cretan dogs, in that she is very good natured, non-aggressive towards other dogs, and loves people. She's also undemanding as an ownership prospect, as she likes to sleep in the sun for the best part of the day, and makes little or no noise day or night. She seems smart, and is beginning to respond well to simple commands. She has brindle colouring, and is reasonably similar to a Staffy in appearance and size, although she doesn't really have the same broad, muscular stance. Hopefully we'll have pics attached when this is posted.

We'd like to find a good home for Sophie, and whilst still trying to find someone responsible and caring enough to want her here, are open to the idea of re-homing her in the U.K. with the right person. If anyone reading this thinks they can help us, please reply on here, and leave a contact number if poss. Alternatively, my U.K mobile number is 07909902828. If you can't help personally, perhaps you could just circulate the details amongst friends or family, and have them contact us should they be interested. Any help or suggestions gratefully received. We'll respond as soon as possible.

Thanks, Andy and Claire.

micared

Anybody give a friendly pup a new home?

MK5

piccies?

Stephb1986

aww what a sad story....

I'll have a word with my brother he might be interested he had a staff he had to have put down, he has 1 other dog at the moment thats a girl too so he might be interested if you could post some pics that would be brill

thanks
Stephb x

micared

Hi, thanks for replies, bear with me for pics, they might take a couple of days, as I need someone who knows what they're doing to get them on here.

Stephb, if you're brother could take this dog, or would like more info whilst I sort out the pics, let me know....if he's used to Staffys, I'm sure he'd like her. She looks quite like one, just behaves less boisterously!

I'll do my best to get the pics on here asap, cheers, Andy.

micared

Up!

Jamie

Here is the lovely sophie

micared

Jamie, you're a star mate, thanks for your help with this. Sent you a p.m.

Can anybody who reads this thread please help to keep it at the top, obviously the more exposure this gets, the better the chances of finding someone for her, cheers, Andy.

Stephb1986

Hi Andy thanks for the pics im seeing my brother later this evening and i'll show him this thread she is soooo cute!

i'll let you know either way

Many thanks

Stephb

Jamie

Up you go

micared

And again, thanks peeps!

Stephb, saw the thread about your dog, really sorry! Hopefully the other lumps will turn out to just be benign cysts....our collie's got loads of them, had them checked, nothing to worry about. Best of luck.

Thanks for your efforts with ours, nice of you to bother when you must be so worried about your own.

Cheers, Andy.

Clarebabes

She looks lovely. If I could ever have a dog - we're out at work all day - I'd love to give a stray a home.

My aunt and uncle did the same sort of thing with a stray when they worked in Dubai. They brought her back over after befriending her and lessened her nervousness. She was very scared of people raising their arms, she used to chase bikes and the first time she saw snow, she dug down into the earth and cut her foot on a sharp stone! We looked after her for 6 months after she'd come out of quarantine and she was a fantastic dog. Must have cost my aunt and uncle a fortune!

She died quite a few years ago, but I still have very fond memories of her.

I don't know if you mentioned it, but does Sophie need to go into quarantine?

micared

Hi, when/if Sophie comes to England, she won't need to go into quarantine, as, in effect, she serves it here....the vet has given her a rabies jab, amongst others, and it needs to be checked periodically by him to make sure it's worked. At the end of a six month period, when he's happy she's fit to travel, she's issued with a pet passport. This, along with her microchip papers, is her ticket to ride, and she can be collected from her destination and go straight to her new home.

We do this sort of thing often for a local animal charity, albeit with the dogs usually going to Germany. We don't have any problems regarding paperwork or travel arrangements generally, and don't foresee any with Sophie. Thanks for highlighting this though, it's something I should have made clear from the start.

The unfortunate aspect of all of this is that if anyone in the U.K. sees her on the forums and would like to take her, it means being patient until the last week in March, as she can't travel before then.....however, she's worth the wait, she's a lovely dog.

Thanks, Andy.

micared

Btt!

Jamie

Jamie

up

Stephb1986

bump

micared

Lol, nice touch, Jamie, thanks everyone.

cos500

Would love to but cant at the moment as too busy with work and just wouldnt have the time. sad story that but keep up the good work, without people like you i think the world would be an aweful place to live.

micared

Thanks, it's a nightmare here in Crete for this sort of thing, and you can't help them all, but she's a deserving case, so we'll do our best. We'd keep her ourselves if possible, but our collie just won't tolerate another dog, and she already has enough problems to deal with.

I think, in a world where people generally didn't have so many other commitments to work, family, etc, we'd have found someone by now, but we'll keep at it. No choice really, we're coming back to the same commitments as everyone else in April!

Cheers, Andy.

micared

Top!

Ms Gooner 1

awwww - she's lovely! I may know of someone who's possibly interested - they are of the "older" generation so they wouldn't want something thats too mental and boistrous. Out of curiosity - whats she like with cats?

little-ginge

Aww she is gorgeous - my dog wouldn't like it if we got another one

bttt for a good home for sophie!

TopBanana

I noticed this last time I was there. You can only do your best

micared

Hi, that first picture of Sophie lying on the steps is pretty representative of her, she seems to like nothing more than a spot of relaxed sunbathing.....unless there's the offer of a walk or some fuss!

She's only 9 months, so she is still playful, and gets excited when you greet her, which means she jumps up initially. We''ll be making a point of modifying any behaviour we feel is excessive, as it's obviously in everyones interest that she appeals to as many people as possible. Even in the couple of months she's been with us, we've noticed marked improvements in her ability to understand instructions, of course, knowing she gets a treat afterwards makes a difference!

Our only experience of her behaviour towards cats was when she saw one whilst out on the lead. It appeared a few yards in front of us, and she showed obvious signs of interest, but aggression doesn't seem to be part of her character. She's submissive towards other dogs, and her over-riding character trait is friendliness, even when provoked by the other dogs she goes for walks with. There's never been any sign of her wanting to retaliate. She just lies down and rolls over until they go away, which is typical of a Greek dogs temperament.

She's very affectionate towards people. She'll make someone a lovely pet.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

BTT for a great dog

micared

Cheers, and again!

Jamie

BTT for sophie

Kirsty Towler

Up you go

Jamie

Thank you kirsty