An emaciated Lurcher found wandering the streets in Reading is set to spend Christmas in a happy forever home.
Four-year-old Reggie was picked up by the dog warden after he was found straying, severely underweight and no fur on his back legs. He was then taken into the care of Dogs Trust Newbury weighing just 19kg (8kgs under his ideal weight), and he was suffering from sarcoptic mange, a skin disease which resulted in patches of his fur falling out leaving his skin red, irritated and sore.
The staff say that when he arrived he was in such a state, they couldn’t stroke him because his skin was too sensitive. For several weeks, his dedicated team of canine carers nursed Reggie back to health and went the extra mile to give him everything he needed to help him fully recover, including expert vet care and placing him with an understanding and patient doggie foster carer, until it was time to find him a loving new family.
Reggie’s wait for a forever home finally came to an end in July this year when Lidia Trahtman and Fergus Roper from Bramley adopted him and say they can’t imagine life without him.
Lidia said: “Fergus and I had been looking to adopt a dog for a while and definitely wanted to adopt a Lurcher as Fergus had grown up with this breed. When we saw Reggie on the website, we thought he looked so sweet, so we contacted Dogs Trust straightaway and went along to meet him a few days later. We fell in love with him immediately!
“We spent some time with him and started the adoption process, meeting him several times before finally taking him home – and I have to say, it’s like he’s always been here! It took him a little while to settle in and at first, he didn’t leave our side. But within a few weeks, he gained in confidence and found his feet. Reggie is an absolute sweetheart and steals the hearts of everyone who meets him. He is gentle and remarkably communicative – he lets us know what he wants is not afraid to tell us!
“He loves to do zoomies in our paddock and has developed impressive speeds. But 20 minutes a good run he’s ready to go back on the sofa. Seeing him happy is a wonderful feeling and we’re so delighted we were able to give him a loving, safe home. A huge thank you to Dogs Trust for looking after him when he needed someone the most.”
Claire Rowe, Manager at Dogs Trust Newbury, said:“When Reggie first arrived it was so shocking. His ribs were almost poking through his skin and he was practically bald in several places on his body. It was a very sad sight to see.
“After several weeks of lots of TLC, vet treatment and being cared for by a wonderful foster carer, his luck changed when Lidia and Fergus came forward to adopt him. To see him now is just fantastic – he’s like a different dog – and to know he is as happy as can be in his new home is wonderful.
“Seeing our dogs go to their new homes is why we do the job we do, and we are all delighted for Reggie. We are currently looking after more than 35 dogs who are ready to head off to their forever homes and we really hope they’ll all be with their special someone this time next year.”
To find out more about the dogs being cared for by Dogs Trust Newbury, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming.
