BUDDY

‘MY FOREVER DOG’

“You can have no better friend than a dog”

In 2000, living in the local area, I found myself at the RSPCA in Leicester looking for a companion to share my life.  Amid the madness and mayhem of dogs barking, Buddy lay quietly in his bed.  He was 7 years old and was the only dog without a name.  He looked at me and his gaze never faltered.  I fell in love with him at that very moment.  I persuaded Buddy to come to the front of the kennel and say hello.  He wagged his tail gently but he looked so sad and subdued.  He had very little hair on his back or his tail and he had been passed by for weeks.  I heard people call him a ‘mangey dog’ and I could tell he had given up.

Buddy had been picked up by the RSPCA several times after running away from his owner.  This time he arrived in a terribly neglected state with a flea infestation and consequently a flea allergy.  His back was severely injured and the staff reported they had never seen so much blood in the RSPCA van.  Due to this Buddy was classed as a cruelty case and was not returned to his previous owner.  He endured many weeks of painful treatment before he was fit enough to be considered for re-homing. 

Just over a week later, following a home check, Buddy was running around my sitting room barking with sheer delight, a dog transformed from the sad little creature I had seen in his kennel.  There was no bonding required, no settling in – it was if we had always known each other.  Initially Buddy flinched at louder noises and sudden movements but with tender loving care and good food he thrived; his back was permanently scarred but his hair grew and in my eyes he was the most handsome dog in the world! 

Buddy was incredibly good natured and gentle.  In my opinion he was the sweetest, most perfect dog who ever walked this earth.  He was so friendly and happy, playful and cheeky, and very intelligent – he joined in conversations!  I chose his name because Buddy loved everyone and everything, and everyone and everything loved Buddy.  There was such a feeling of utter joy around him that he seemed to attract everyone like a magnet!  He loved people, children, other dogs and the family cats wanted to cuddle him and followed him on his walks.  Even dogs who were usually scared of other dogs enjoyed to be with Buddy.  He did not have an aggressive bone in his body and I never heard him growl.  Buddy was pure goodness and I am convinced he was an angel in disguise!  In fact I think Buddy would have welcomed burglars, invited them to help themselves and offered them a cup of tea!

Buddy was my constant companion and we were inseparable.  We shared holidays, days out, even shopping trips.  Of course the pet shop was Buddy’s favourite place where he was thoroughly spoilt with sweeties by the staff!  Buddy loved his toys, his comfy beds, his cuddles and rolling on his back to have his tummy rubbed:  he loved a game of chase and he loved his rides in the car (once he overcame his initial car sickness).  Buddy lived for his walks and would 'trot' up to greet other dogs like a little dancing horse!  People wanted to say hello to him and children asked to stroke him.  We did not use a lead across the parks and fields as Buddy never attempted to run away from me.  Buddy was full of fun and the joy of living, and thankfully this continued throughout his life even into his senior years.

Buddy was not a strong dog and had more than his fair share of health problems due to the many years of neglect he had suffered. But his vulnerability made him all the more precious to me.  I treasured every day I spent with him and he was an absolute pleasure to have around.  He was there for all the good times and all the bad times too.  Buddy was my truest friend and comfort; he gave to me a million times more than I could ever hope to give him.  I was devastated to lose my beloved companion in 2007 due to lymphoma.  Despite the heartbreak I don’t regret a second I spent with my beautiful, sweet, gentle boy and I am so grateful for the years of happiness we shared.  Buddy has left a gap in my life which can never be filled.

Buddy is my inspiration for creating this website on behalf of Three Counties Dog Rescue.  It is a tribute and a memorial to my very best friend.  Buddy lives on through this website, he lives on safely in my heart and he lives on through the memory and thoughts of all those whose lives he touched.  I have had many pets during my lifetime and loved each one of them dearly.  But the bond I had with Buddy was so special and so deep it was almost as if we knew what each other was thinking and feeling.  That is why I call Buddy ‘my forever dog’.  It is a once in a lifetime experience.  Through this website I hope to give other people and dogs the opportunity to experience the same joy I had with Buddy.

I wish you luck in the search for your own forever dog.  If he or she brings even half as much joy as Buddy brought to my life then you will be truly blessed.

Marie, Website Manager, March 2008

  "The bond between a dog and his owner

       can never be broken”