20th May is National Dog Rescue Day. During the month of May, we will share Second Chance stories. Today is Ollie’s story as told by Senem Alptekin.
We live in London, in a house with a garden now, but when we adopted Ollie, we lived in a flat with no garden access. Toilet training was certainly tough!
Ollie is a mixed breed, she is 65% Setter and has a total of 17 breeds in her! (One being 5% chihuahua which is ridiculous given her 20kg size!)
What made you decide to rescue?
We’ve always wanted to rescue. We lived in Istanbul at the time and there are many street dogs that live there. They all deserve a better life and rescuing one was our way of doing our small part.
How did you choose your rescue dog?
She kind of chose us really. We had just decided on rescuing a dog when my partner’s extended family messaged the WhatsApp group saying a street dog (who was looked after by the neighbourhood- a common thing in Turkey) had given birth and abandoned one of their pups whilst taking the rest to a different hiding place. They had tried to reintroduce the pup to the mother but she rejected her. She was only 5-6 weeks old at that point. The pup needed to be rescued and did we know anyone who would want to adopt before they had to take the puppy to a rescue/kennels.
How easy was it to get your rescue to the UK?
It was quite difficult and nerve wrecking but absolutely worth it in the end. Most of the things we were worried about (documentation, travelling in cargo etc.) were all fine and thought through by the people in charge. We had to work with an official partner that helps transport dogs to the UK from Turkey. We then went through the whole four month titration process before flying her into the UK. I’d say definitely look into what needs to be done in terms of documentation.
What is your message to anyone who is thinking of getting a rescue?
They are the most loving and full of life pets you could have.
What have you learnt from rescuing your dog? Has it changed your perspective about rescue dogs?
Patience. You have to learn to be extremely patient with them. They are all different and have their own quirks but I have seen most are nervous in some way and it is your job to help them feel safe and comfortable. I have learnt to be patient and it is so worth it to see them blossom when they do feel safe and comfortable.
What are your favourite things to do in London with your rescue dog?
Going on long walks in the many parks in London (Hampstead Heath, Battersea Park, Richmond Park, etc.) but also I love the fact that you can incorporate your dog into your daily life, they can come to almost all pubs/restaurants/cafes- you can even go to the cinema with them!
Thank you, Senem for sharing Ollie’s second chance 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 900 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.
