Linda Sweeney and husband Neil had no intention or interest in getting a new dog when they attended the Sydney Dog Lovers Show in August 2015.
Primarily there to support the Military Working Dog tribute, which acknowledged war sacrifices made by man’s best friend over the past century, Linda and Neil’s mentality about owning another canine companion was along the lines of:
“Nope. No more dogs. That stage of our life is over.”
However, an Australian Red Kelpie puppy by the name of Cherry had other plans for them.
As the couple walked past the Working Breed Rehab (WBR) exhibitor stand situated in the CANIDAE Rescue Dog Zone, a ball of russet fur caught their attention.
“Cherry, who we have now named Rosie, was the runt of the litter and when Suzanne Matthews (from WBR) put her into Neil’s arms, she promptly snuggled in and fell asleep,” Linda said.
“Suffice to say, she stole our hearts from the get go.”
Not about to make an impulse decision, the couple went away and had a coffee to think about the reality of adopting Rosie and whether they were prepared for that kind of commitment again.
But they were instantly smitten and suddenly couldn’t imagine not bringing her into their home.
Linda and Neil lodged the application for Rosie’s adoption at the show, which was processed the following week.
Suzanne then went to Linda and Neil’s home to assess the property and ensure that it was suitable for raising a puppy.
“Suzanne has been so incredibly supportive throughout the whole process. We were actually finishing landscaping our yard and she took Rosie in for a few days while we completed the work,” Linda said.
Once construction was done and Rosie ‘officially’ moved in, there hasn’t been a day where Linda and Neil regret their decision to add a “four-legged child” to their family.
“Each day Rosie teaches us something new. She’s also brought a whole new element to our lives and to our relationship.”
“Instead of coming home and sitting on the couch to watch the news, we now sit out on the back deck and talk about our day while we watch her frolic around the yard,” said Linda.
The couple has also discovered that Rosie’s energy and youthfulness has rubbed off on them; she keeps them much more active and they sleep better at night.
According to Linda, Rosie has also given them the opportunity to meet and mingle with other dog owners when they take her down to the park.
“We’ve actually become quite close friends with another couple who also have a Kelpie puppy. The dogs run around while we chat away. She’s helped boost our social life.”
All in all, Linda and Neil couldn’t be happier with their decision to adopt Rosie; she brings joy to their life every day and they can’t imagine their home without her in it.
Working Breed Rehab (WBR) is a rescue group focusing on the working breeds of dogs and their crosses. They work hard to ensure the dogs they rehome not only go to great homes, but each dog is the best possible match for its new family.
Visitors to the 2016 Melbourne Dog Lovers Show will have the opportunity to meet the WBR team and their dogs in the CANIDAE Rescue Dog Zone.
Add Comment