Battersea heroine finally finds a new home
Warren Higgs visited Foxy every day for two weeks to build her trust.
Heroic rescue dog Foxy has finally found a new home after spending more than a year with Battersea Dogs and Cats Home - nearly ten times longer than the average stay in kennels.
The young Akita became a Christmas heroine last year after sniffing out a starving dog on her daily walk.
Foxy alerted Battersea staff to the emaciated great Dane cross hours from death. She had been abandoned in a ditch but thanks to Foxy, Battersea staff were able to reach her in time and she has since been rehomed.
The rescue was featured on Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs Christmas special last year.
Her new owner Warren Higgs saw the ITV programme and thought the charity would be overwhelmed with calls about Foxy. However, she had no interest from potential owners. Foxy was at Battersea's Old Windsor site for a staggering 394 days.
Although Mr Higgs and his 12-year-old son wanted to adopt Foxy, one problem stood in their way - Foxy was afraid of men.
Fortunately, the pair were not put off so easily and visited her every single day for two weeks until they earned her trust. They began by taking her for walks and soon Foxy would bound eagerly towards them when they arrived.
Mr Higgs said: "The change in her is incredible. When we first met Foxy she wouldn’t come near us and now she cries when my son leaves to go to school.
"Every day she gets better and better, she loves other dogs and all the children in the neighbourhood. Sebastian absolutely adores her – they go for walks and watch television together. They both give me a reason to get up every morning.
"I can’t believe there was no interest in her for over a year and she spent all that time in kennels. I just wish I knew about her sooner and could have taken her home with me before now. She’s an amazing dog, she’s part of our family and we love her to bits."
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
