Long summer days may be some time off yet but a day at the seaside couldn’t come soon enough for beach loving dogs who have found themselves in need of new families.
The team at Dogs Trust Merseyside headed to Southport this week to give their four-legged friends some fun, sadly not in the sun – but not even the drizzle could dampen their spirits.
Georgina Lowery, Manager of Dogs Trust Merseyside which cares for more than 70 dogs at any one time at its Huyton base, says: “It’s fantastic to be able to take our dogs on a day trip. Some love hiking through countryside, but others adore the beach and feeling the sand and sea under their paws, so Southport was our doggie destination this week.”
Five-year-old Greyhound Leo usually likes to take a bit of time to get used to anywhere new, but at the beach the team saw a totally different side to his personality. As soon as he had a sniff of sea air, he was immediately happy to speed along the sand and say hello to everyone he met.
Leo’s canine companion for the day was Foxhound Fran. Fran, who is three, was sadly found as a stray but proved herself to be a perfect beach-buddy alongside Leo, happy to follow in his sandy paw-prints, as she is much more confident when she has a four-legged friend with her.
Georgina adds: “Leo is very laid back and can often be found snoozing in his kennel watching the world go by, and because Fran was found as a stray, we have no idea what she loves to do or what she has experienced in the past.
“To see them both really come alive on the beach was fantastic and it has given us so much more information that we can pass on to potential adopters. It was great to chat to people about them too!
“They had a fantastic day and I’m sure we’ll be back soon, whatever the weather as to see our dogs so happy is what it’s all about for us.”
Neither dog needs a beachside home, but Fran would love to live with a calm canine chum as she is a sweet, gentle, friendly girl. She can live with children of secondary school age as can Leo, but he would like to be the only pet in the home.
To find out more about Leo and Fran and other dogs still waiting at Dogs Trust Merseyside to find their special someone, please go to www.dogstrust.org.uk/merseyside
