My husband and I applied to adopt with the PDWRA in 2024. We filled in the form, had the zoom call interview and were really happy to be chosen to adopt 10-year-old George. George came live with us in late August 2024 and was a real sweetie. He didn’t like walking, loved a pup cup and a café and tummy rubs. He also coped well with my two elderly parents who lived with us. Unfortunately, in January 2025 my mother was taken into hospital and then into a care home and more upsettingly George stopped eating and was diagnosed with liver and blood cancer and a week later we made the heart-breaking decision to have him put to sleep.
We thought we would wait a little but before getting another dog but the next week the amazing East region coordinator Lisa called us and said would we like to go and see 4-year-old Dotty. Of course, we went to meet her and took her home with us. The first few days were a little fraught as she barked at every car, bus, lorry, bike, person on her walks and she liked walking, which was a shock after George. She soon settled down and three weeks later we took her on her first holiday to Devon, oh how she loves to zoomie on a beach, but has to be carried over any water! Hilarious.
After a few months we thought she would like to have a friend, and in July 2025 Bertha joined us. We took Dotty on a number of walks with Berta and her amazing foster mother Lou before making the decision to adopt her. Bertha needed to be spayed and was in heat, so it gave us and Dotty time to get to know her.
We are really lucky, they get on so well and both love to be out walking. What has changed for us since having Dotty and Bertha live with us? Both of my parents are now in care and the puggies are so good with them and the other oldies in the care home when we visit.
We had to get a bigger bed, as they take up so much room! They both love a pub and Bertha likes the froth on a beer when you aren’t looking. And, no more foreign holidays, but they are well travelled and will be starting a book on the beaches of Britain!
They are both such great characters, Bertha is very bouncy and gives the biggest face licks but is wary of strangers and won’t go far from our sides. She also loves sitting on the back of my chair when I work and is a very good neck warmer. Dotty is a little princess, she loves meeting new people and greeting them with a bark, she gives the best snuggles and very delicate face licks.
Thank you PDWRA for the work you do and for letting us adopt them.
