The news we never wanted to have to share with you has sadly come today.  The best boy and our rescue Ambassador Ileach has gained his wings and gone over the rainbow bridge.  He was the grand old age of 14 years 10 months and decided he had made enough people smile at his gorgeous happy face on this planet and has left a few hearts broken.

 Ileach came to us in 2017 aged 8 after his beloved owner passed away, the family were unable to keep him and asked us to find him his forever home.  Ileach had other ideas and when he arrived at our kennels his heart was broken and he was a bit of a grump.  Everyone who visited wanted to see 'Handsome Ileach' but then Mr Grumpy would come out his kennel and decide they were not the home for him, he would turn his nose up with disapproval and tell them to get lost in his own quirky way.  He disappointed many people who would have loved to take him home with them.  

After many failed meetings, and with a soft spot for a long coat our director Dorothy and her husband George decided to take Ileach on foster.  He would have a massive garden to plod about it and no pressure put on him to like or love anyone.  Just a place to call home.  Slowly though this boy mended his broken heart and won over both Dorothy and George with his quirky ways.

 He was a boy who hated anything going over his head, he hated going in the car, and for a long time he really disliked people.  Getting him to Dorothy's house involved trickery and good timing to get him in to the car - he thought he was going in one door and out the other!  He was wrong and so his journey and new life began.

 Taking him for a walk was the next challenge but he quickly learned that getting something looped round his neck and over his head(his lead) took him interesting sniffy places where he could splash in puddles and smell all the amazing scents the world had to offer him.  He never looked back and loved going out his walks everyday.

He even obliged one day and got back into the car for a special trip to the beach.  He ran and played and splashed in the water and simply had a ball.  Each night his bed time treat was a kindly donated (by you his followers) greenie chew. He turned his nose up at lots of other treats but Greenies got the paws up.

He began to play with toys, and enjoyed getting brushed, and loved human company.  His heart was mended.  This boy welcomed visitors with a smile and a waggy tail.  He relived his youth and lived his best life.  Ileach had found his own forever home.

 He's a dog that celebrated every year with a doggie birthday cake, sprats, liver, carrot scary looking creations but they went down a storm.  

You have all seen Ileach give back to the rescue by posing for photos, apealling for wishlist donations, saying thank you to you all for your generosity and now his head sits in our logo so we can all remember this extra special boy.

 Ileach enjoyed every minute of his forever home right to the end.  And when his eyes told Dorothy he was ready to leave Becky from ICR vet came to his home and sent him peacefully on his way.  We are forever grateful to her for saving him what would have been a stressful car journey.  He deserved the best and the best he got.

Run free handsome boy you have left behind more tears than you will ever know.