Rescue Stories

HI - HUGO here.....or should I say HERE TO STAY!!

You might remember me....the notoriously "unfriendly" Boxer who nobody seemed to want (just because I was unsure of strangers and growled nervously at them) - WELL what can I say? Despite all the odds being stacked against me - I've finally cracked it - I've managed to con my way into the Farley fold! Its taken 10 months to convince the foster parents (Pat & Roger) how unhappy I'd be to leave them and, more to the point, how sad they would be to see me go....(just can't think why it's taken them so long?).

That's not to mention how much Jake and I would miss each other. You see he is my bestest friend in the whole wide world now. We sort of understand each other 'cos he's a rescue too (and he also came on a "temporary" basis 2 years ago!!). We get on OK with the resident Boxers, Dudley and Oliver, but they haven't lived in the real world like us. They're what you might call "PAMPERED" (and that's putting it mildly) - never been left alone, put into kennels or smacked, and they've always had someone around to pander to their every whim, and take them for regular walks in the woods... and you should see their toy box PHEW!! - I could go on and on.... so you see it wasn't hard for me to decide that this was the life for me (it just took me a little while convincing them!).

When I first arrived there were five of us - Oliver, Dudley, Jake, Tessa and Me. Sadly, in October we had to say goodbye to Tessa 'the bitch' as she was fondly known, a bossy old bag but we all loved her and miss her. You see she kept us boys in check and taught us respect... none of us messed with Tess and we always let her have the spot nearest to the fire!!

We were just getting used to the place being a bachelor pad (real men behaving badly stuff) when the phone rang about another old 'bitch' who had been found wandering the streets of London. They said she had lots of health problems and it seemed as if she was about ready for "the big kennel in the sky"...it took my foster mum all of 10 SECONDS to say "bring her to us - we'll love her and look after her to the end of her days" - (the words SOFT and TOUCH spring to mind don't they?).

So....within a few days a weak and puny old girl named Bess arrived. She looked around at us all as if to say "am I dead yet?" To which our response was "No - but you've certainly arrived in Heaven dearie". In no time at all she was part of the family and like her predecessor Tessa, she lets us know who's boss around here. Oh dear - bang goes the nearest place to the fire again.... I rather fancied that for myself.

Poor old Bess - she wouldn't have lasted a day in kennels. You see, unlike a few of us who kind of accept our lot and resign to kennel life (that is until lovely people like Pat and Roger happen along), she and lots of others cannot cope and just end up pining their lives away. That's why foster homes and sponsor schemes are SO important as without them many unwanted Boxers will die prematurely, lonely and unhappy.

I am so happy here in my new PERMANENT home....with my new PERMANENT family....I get taken for regular walks in the local woods, enjoy good food and lots of love and even look forward to seeing some visitors now, especially Uncle Derek who always brings us a cream cake to share (naughty but nice!!)

AND ... that's why I want to say the BIGGEST THANK YOU to everyone who has sponsored me over the past year and to all those wonderful people who are continuing to either sponsor or foster Boxers like me (and Jake), giving us the chance to prove what loyal and loving friends we really are when that love is returned by caring people like our New Mum and Dad (boy that sounds GOOD!!!).

Well that's me signing off now folks - think I'll join my siblings for a nap by the fire - see you in my dreams

HUGO (to the Manor Born) FARLEY..xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx