Timmy's happy ending

Fate has a strange way of dealing out the unexpected, and Timmy's story is one such case. Collie-cross Timmy arrived at Southampton adoption centre late in 2004 as a stray. Sandy Willis and her partner Ron often visited the centre in the hope of adopting an older, female dog, as Sandy explains: "Having lost our previous rescue dog six months earlier, we were still trying to decide whether to go through the pleasure and pain of having another one. However, on this particular day, we decided we would just have a look and called into the centre at Southampton."

Sandy and Ron were invited to look around. "As we entered the kennel block, we had no idea what impact the last dog on the row was to have on us. The minute we saw Timmy, we instinctively knew he was the one but he was male, two years old and still undergoing assessment", she explains.

A new home

The couple went away to think about whether Timmy was right for them. "All we could think about was Timmy", says Sandy. "We discussed the commitment of having another dog, and upon returning to Southampton five days later, we found he was ready for rehoming."

On their next visit, Sandy and Ron were in no doubt about Timmy being the dog for them. "It could have been the way he looked us in the eye with a wag of his tail that took him straight to our hearts, but it became harder to leave him each time we visited. We took him out as many times as we could before Christmas and awaited the home visit," says Ron.

Settling in

Timmy's adjustment to his new home took a while: "He had been a stray and was not housetrained, so would snatch his food from his bowl and eat it in a corner", Sandy explains. "He was nervous with traffic, and also had the habit of snatching the nearest thing to hand to destroy it, including remote controls and radiators!"

"We had many doubts about whether we were the right people for him, but without the support and help from staff at the Southampton adoption centre, we might have given up."

The happy ending

A year on, much has changed. Timmy is a happy and relaxed dog, no longer bothered by traffic. "He is excellent in the house and although he still likes to steal, he brings it to you before attempting to destroy it," says Sandy. The family have all benefited from attending training classes, and Timmy responds well to basic commands.

Ron and Sandy love Timmy's gentle, but cheeky nature: "We can't imagine life without him."

If you have a pet from The Blue Cross with a special story to tell, we would love to hear from you. Please send your letter and pictures to: Happy Endings, 7 Hugh Street, London, SW1V 1QG. Alternatively, email editor@bluecross.org.uk