“It’s been almost eight months since we adopted Digby (was Barney) and it’s been the craziest but best eight months ever. Strays Without Borders were the only rescue that would actually consider us as we were living in a flat at the time, and we’ll always be grateful to them for that. Our home checker Suzanne took the time to understand our lifestyle and Snezana suggested a dog that would suit it best, and we’re so glad that we ended up with Digby!

We’d done a lot of reading before Digby arrived and were fully prepared for a nervous, timid dog who stayed in his crate while he built up his confidence. What we got was the total opposite – a ball of energy who ran around for weeks, wanting to sniff and explore and experience everything, never wanting to sit still or lie down. It’s important to appreciate that anxiety can show up in many ways, and in our case it appeared in a completely different way to how we expected. It took a lot of patience, (a lot of anti-chew spray!), and some support from Suzanne who checked in regularly with texts, calls and advice, but eventually he chilled out and learned the joys of cosying up on the sofa… it’s now his favourite spot. I can’t begin to imagine how much time each of the volunteers must spend giving advice to adopters like us – they really are the most dedicated and generous team!

We’ve since moved from the city flat to a house in the countryside, and Digby couldn’t be happier at home. He’s obsessed with sunbathing in the garden, and loves all the walks on our doorstep. He’s not perfect (and we don’t expect him to be!); he’s the most impressive Tigger-like jumper with literal springs in his legs, and his bark sounds like he should be 30kg, not 14kg, but he makes us laugh and smile every day. Everyone we meet comments on how sweet he is and how much he loves people, and we couldn’t love him more.

Taking on a rescue is hard work at times but incredibly rewarding, and we wouldn’t have done it any differently. We’re so proud of how far he’s come, and know how much further he can go. Thank you to Strays Without Borders for matching us with him!”

– Lorna