How Tailends Began...

It all began on a very cold January day in 1990. We were visiting an animal rescue with some treats and food for the animals. We already had a couple of rescued dogs but had not thought to take any more. We arrived at the car park and observed a woman walking back to her car. I thought she looked rather incongruous, as she was dressed in smart clothes and high-heeled shoes. The lane leading to the kennels was extremely muddy and more suited to Wellington boots and scruffy clothes.

I reached the gate leading to the yard where the dogs were housed and found everyone in great consternation over a very old overweight Labrador who had just arrived. She was a pathetic soul who could hardly keep a foothold on the icy path. Her owner had just brought her in, as she did not want to keep her anymore. She had left a plastic bed and all her pedigree papers, which showed that she had been in her home since she was just 7 weeks old. She was now thirteen years of age! The reason for taking her to a rescue was that they did not have time for her anymore as the children had just gone off to university. It was such an outrageous thing to do to a loyal old dog. How could they just dump her in a rescue kennel in the middle of winter after such a long time? The woman in charge of the rescue asked if I could advertise her locally to try to find a home for her. The outlook was grim, as she was not going to be rehomed easily. It was decided to keep her for a few weeks to try to find a home and then, if all else failed, to have her quietly put to sleep. It would have been cruel to keep her in a kennel indefinitely.

I took one look at Sandy and knew I had to help her. We put her in the car with our other two and off we went. She missed her former home dreadfully and it took nearly six months for Sandy to start to enjoy life and forget the people who had betrayed her so heartlessly. She lived another two and a half years with us and enjoyed herself immensely. She loved to swim so we would seek out safe places where there was water deep enough for her to paddle around for a while. She came on holiday with us and became a much-loved companion to the other dogs.

Sandy was the first of many old unwanted dogs to find a home with us and so Tailends was formed. During the 15 years since we brought Sandy home, we have expanded to try to take in as many dogs as we can safely and comfortably accommodate. We have had Jack Russells, Lurchers, Spaniels, an Airedale, a Poodle, Collies, a Retriever, Labradors and various crossbreeds of all shapes and sizes in addition to many Greyhounds.

We only take in dogs who are terminally ill or who are unhomeable because of their age. We now normally take dogs who have spent their entire lives in bleak kennels rather than those who have known a loving home. It is always easier to rehome a dog of any age if they have been in a home before. Sadly few people consider taking an old dog who has only lived in a kennel environment. The only criterion that we have is that the dog must be able to live in relative harmony with the other dogs already here. The important thing is to keep everyone safe at all times.

Some dogs arrive in a very frail condition. Others are so excited to find themselves living in a home at last that they are given a new lease of life. We have to ensure that they do not bounce around too much and make their condition worse. We are lucky to have soft sandy footpaths next to us. These are invaluable for dogs with poor mobility due to arthritis or spinal nerve damage. We recently took a 14-year-old greyhound, Barnie, who had such a bad injury to his front foot that it is pointing out at right angles when he walks. Apparently he was raced after losing a toe and as a result the tendons were completely damaged. He also has very wobbly back legs and severe heart failure needing drug treatment to keep him stable. However, since recovering from an illness that needed drip treatment and antibiotics, he is now always full of beans!

We are close to the beach and are surrounded by lovely countryside. The dogs all benefit by living in such an environment. It always amazes us how they stand and stare at the sea and the expanse of dunes. They all love to watch the rabbits and foxes which are both common here. It all helps to stimulate these dogs and give them a better quality of life. They deserve the very best which we can give them.