20th May is National Dog Rescue Day. During the month of May, we will share Second Chance stories. Today is Allie’s story as told by Valeria Fiaccadori.
My name Is Valeria, I’m 41, I’m from Italy but I have lived in London for the past ten years. I’m a doctor and I work with young people with blood cancers.
I’ve always loved dogs, but it never felt the right time or the right situation to have one – too much travelling, too much uncertainties, not enough space….then, a few years ago, I decided to start looking into adopting a rescue dog. My job is extremely demanding, especially on an emotional level, London is a challenging city in so many ways and I felt the impact of the recent pandemic, like everyone else, so deeply. I thought that having a furry friend would give me companionship and support and that it was time I’d gather the courage and go for it.
Well, two years on, I can say It turned out to be so much more than that!
Allie came into my life in June 2023; she is a little toy poodle on three legs, and I adopted her through SHS Harbin. They saved her alongside a number of other dogs from a local shelter in China that was abandoned when the caretaker died, so we don’t really know anything about her back story before that.
SHS Harbin was founded in the city of Harbin in China in 2016, as a spontaneous rescue of a handful of dogs from a local slaughterhouse, and over the years grew into a truly remarkable organisation. If you don’t know them, please look them up. The work they do and their dedication, in the face of constant struggles and adversities, is truly inspiring.
Allie is the simply the most loving and affectionate creature one could ever imagine. From the moment she entered her new home, it felt like she had always been here. We immediately developed a very strong bond, and every single day she shows me what unconditional pure love is and how happiness really can be found in the smallest things. She is so sweet and gentle and everywhere she goes she makes new friends and brings some instant joy in people’s lives.
We live in a small flat in London, with a terrace but no garden. That, alongside the fact that I live on my own and don’t work from home full time, meant that all UK rescues rejected my initial application with no further questions. I really don’t see the point of buying a dog from a breeder when there are so many dogs in shelters that need a home, so I’ve never really considered anything different that adopting a dog.
SHS Harbin took the time to get to know me better, sent someone to my place to meet me in person and see my flat, and matched me, my lifestyle and my requirements, with their dogs, that they know so well (despite looking after over 1000 at any given time!) – and that’s how I was introduced to Allie.
When we matched, she was already in a foster family in Belgium – SHS fly dogs through their network of volunteers to their trusted fosters in EU and US every time they have the opportunity, so that they go through all of the required processes and are ready for adoption when match with someone.
Allie and I spend a lot of time together – we love going for long walks in the marshes and in the woods, but we also love going to cafes, sit at a table and just relax with a coffee and a pup-cup, respectively. She comes along when I go out with my friends, when I travel in the UK (this country is really dog friendly!) and we also have our established routes to travel to the EU, when we visit my family in Italy (so yes, that’s doable too!). Being on three legs doesn’t slow her down a bit and she absolutely loves being out and about.
On a practical day to day level, there are so many dog-loving-people who will be happy to help out when a dog-sitter is needed – friends you already know, but also people you can meet via dedicated apps and websites, and I can say they work really well! There are so many solutions for the days I work on site or I’m on call or when I go away and Allie cannot join me.
It takes some work and planning, but it can be done, and it’s so worth it!
I couldn’t recommend adopting a rescue dog more. Meeting Allie really changed my life!
Thank you, Valeria for sharing Allie’s story.
We met Senem and Ollie at our @RescueDogsofLondon meet-ups and it is so wonderful to see the various dogs from all over the world adapting to life in the UK.
Adopt, don’t shop. Over 75% of the world’s 9 million dogs roam the streets. There are animal charities around the world working endlessly to sterilise dogs to help curb the population growth. And there are shelters full to the brim with dogs who need a second chance. Please consider giving one of those stuck in shelters before buying a puppy.
