A blind seven-year-old Cocker Spaniel called Griffin has recently started a new life with a family in South London after being cared for by leading animal welfare charity, Battersea.
Griffin arrived at Battersea as a stray and so the charity’s dedicated staff knew very little about his history or character. On arrival to Battersea’s Old Windsor centre, Griffin was a little worried of his new surroundings, but slowly settled in and loved nothing more than having a gentle fuss and snuggling up with his favourite people.
When out on walks and exploring his surroundings, Griffin was having trouble navigating the world and was repeatedly bumping into objects. After having some checks, the charity’s expert vets found that Griffin was partially blind and would eventually have no sight at all. However, the loveable Spaniel never let this phase him and would spend his days using his nose to explore his surroundings and have a good sniff of everything he could set his nose upon.
To help him get used to a home environment, Griffin spent some time with one of Battersea’s dedicated Foster Carers where he lived with other dogs and made lots of furry friends. With the help of different textures, recognisable features in each room and consistency, Griffin became much more confident in working his way around the home and relaxed in his surroundings.
After three months in Battersea’s care, the sweet Spaniel was ready to find a new home and was quickly spotted by Karen and Rob, who fell in love with Griffin’s handsome looks and loveable character. Shortly after meeting the couple, Griffin went home to start his new life in South London where he has been enjoying plenty of fuss and has even formed a special bond with a family friend’s Labrador.
Talking about Griffin becoming part of the family, Karen and Rob said: “Griffin is such a kind, affectionate and sweet natured dog and he has made our house a home again after losing our 15-year-old Springer Spaniel last year. While he never lets his blindness phase him, Battersea provided us with lots of support and reading on caring for a blind dog. We have equipped the house with an array of rugs and different flooring to help him navigate his way around.
“We can’t imagine life without this little chap now and we are looking forward to taking him on lots of walking holidays with the family. We are so grateful to Battersea helping us to find Griffin. The staff guided us through the process with ease everyone we met throughout was so lovely and helpful. We can’t thank them enough!”
Life at a dog’s height can come with lots of hazards, especially when they can’t see them. However, while they may not be able to see, blind dogs are able to play, run around and give just as much love as any other dog. While their care doesn’t differ much from caring for a sighted dog, Battersea has plenty of tips for caring for a blind dog to make sure they are as safe and comfortable as possible, whether that’s keeping things around the home as familiar as possible or using scents during play time.
If you think you could offer a rescue dog a loving home, find out more on the Battersea website: https://www.battersea.org.uk
