Hi, I'm Monty, I was with you from January till early March this year (2010). I thought it was time I let you know how I'm getting on.

It was my second time at HAWT (I was there seven years ago) and as I'm 10 years old nobody was interested in taking me home till Christine and Peter came and saw me in at the beginning of March. Now I know I'm very special because they chose me as Christine's 50th birthday present. Christine says I'm like Mary Poppins as I'm practically perfect but I haven't a clue who this Mary person is so I couldn't possibly comment!

I've successfully trained Peter and Christine to throw my ball for me whenever we go for a walk (usually twice a day) and Christine is trying to get me not to tug on my lead - she is having some success but I'm holding out and only sometimes behave myself! Everyone who comes to the house says I'm a wonderful dog and very quiet and well-behaved so I'm trying to live up to my reputation and so far haven't been found out doing anything very naughty!

You were very kind to me when I stayed with you at South Cave but I'm not expecting to ever need to come back so thank you for having me, I'm very grateful for all your care.

Christine here - We can't imagine how anyone could have parted with Monty, he's such a lovely chap and has become a much-loved member of our family. He settled in as soon as I brought him home and apart from his lead work (see above) he is (practically) perfect. He is gentle and affectionate, really enjoys his walks and loves to cuddle up on the sofa in the evenings. So, as he says, he won't be needing to come back.

Thank you from the Webb family in Beverley .

Roma as she came to be known was picked up by the dog warden at the end of last year, she was very quiet when she was in the shelter but that is common for a newcomer.

When she was taken to the vets with a bout of diarrhoea they detected a serious fault with her heart, she was scanned to find the problem, she had an open vessel which should have sealed itself after she was born, unfortunately in Roma's case that never happened and consequently it has left her heart irreversibly damaged.

We were told it was very unusual for a dog to live as long as Roma with this condition.

The vet informed the trust that Roma would have to be operated on very quickly to seal off the leaking vessel if she were to be saved. The op took place and she was hospitalised for 10 days.

While she was in the vets we were looking for a foster home for her, somewhere quiet were she could recuperate and build her confidence, a lovely lady called Heather offered but she was going away for Xmas so could only have her a week. I myself have three dogs and didn't really know whether my existing bitch would take to Roma cos she is not very good with other bitches, but unfortunately there was no where else for her to go, so many of our dedicated volunteers have even more dogs than me, the shelter wasn't an option, she was on so much medication and no staff on cover to administer her late night dose, with all the noise and comings and goings, not the best place for rest.

So after lots of thought I decided she could come to me, I had the facilities to keep her separate if need be ...... but from the very start my other dogs were very good with her I think maybe they could sense she wasn't well.

She was very frightened at first, to the point of running out of the room if someone sneezed and also of any man approaching her, she wasn't house trained and the diuretics she was prescribed made it nigh on impossible to try and house train her, but after a lot of wet floors and a reduction in the frusemide we did it, as the the weeks passed she became more relaxed and her confidence grew, the more confident she became the more her lurchery traits began to appear, she reminded me so much of Wilf my other lurcher as he was settling in, she even started roo-rooooing in a morning when she first saw me "those of you who know lurchers know what I mean".

Right from the beginning she was brilliant with other dogs be it large, small, and even very tiny, she just wanted to be friends with everything even cats.

I was definitely only fostering her I told myself and everyone else who asked "have you got another", and I really intended to give her up if the right home came along, but as the weeks passed and no interest was shown in her, little by little she was finding her place in my heart, she was part of the pack and part of our family.

She has been on holiday with us to Cornwall to meet my daughter and up to see grandma in Sunderland, she loves it in the camper, it is a tight squeeze with four dogs but we manage and have fun as well . The first time she was on the beach she couldn't contain herself and knocked me over doing a twirl.

She has had another scan on her heart it has improved very slightly, she is still on medication and will be for the rest of her life, she enjoys her life here getting up to mischief, but most of all she loves Floyd and they have become inseparable she likes the other two as well but Floyd is definitely her favourite.

As I am writing this she is snoring away laid next to my feet.

Roma will never be able to run free which I find very sad there is nothing quite like seeing a lurcher run, "they don't call them running dogs for nothing" she has a long lead which enables her to play and run a little bit whilst leaving me in control. I don't feel I can stop her playing she enjoys it so much her face is a picture, she is so happy when she's playing.

I know she may not have a long life and maybe I have set myself up for heartache, but when we take on dogs be it from a rescue or a breeder we never knows how long we will have together, but what time she does have she will spend with us, and we will do our best to make it as good for her as we can, she soooooo deserves it,

I am so grateful she was picked up by the dog warden and the HAWT of which I have been a volunteer for the past 14years who had a place for her in her hour of need. She is my little miracle girl and I love her.

Irene

Hello to all my friends at h.a.w.t.
 
I thought I better send you a line just to let you know how well I have settled into my new home.  I have only chewed up a few kitchen mats and have had a little feast on the banister but hey! life is treating me good.
 
My new family  came to visit to look for another dog after losing their beloved dog Lady at the grand old age of nearly 15 years.  Every time they passed me by I gave them a friendly nibble "take me take me " I said  "I'll be good". Mum was upset and said she didn't think I was the one she was looking for. However on our final visit mum just couldn't make her mind up so with your help and support Dad chose me "yes".
 
I love my new family (including Molly the cat).  I go for great walks in the field and hide in the long grass, pouncing out at every one, making the children laugh.  My best friend is Callie who was adopted by my mums, mum some 8 years ago I wonder if you can remember her.  I also play with Alfie, Tigg, Ozzie and have lots of other doggie friends. 
 
Thank you all for being so kind and caring and I hope all my friends don't have to wait too long for a new and happy home just like me (especially Ruby) who has been in your care for some time now.
 
Take care, I will be in touch
 
Kempton xx      

Hello everyone its me Peter but now known as Doogle.

I'm writing to tell you that I've settled into my new home in Hornsea very well. When I left the centre my family was told that I wasn't very good on walks and didn't get on with other dogs and I didn't like moving objects e.g. bikes. You will be pleased to know that I have been trained very well and now am fine around all of these things.

I have started to socialise very well with other dogs and have lots of friends in the park, I get lots of long walks and enjoy spending lots of time on the beach and in the sea! I love water even the bath.

My family love me very much and I am very spoilt, as you can see from my picture this is my lion who sleeps with me on my bean bag every night and I also play with him throughout the day.

I just wanted to let you know that I am getting on very well and my family recommend your welfare to many of their friends. My family feel that we are all perfectly matched and it's the best thing they did to give me a good home and amazing new life.

I hope you enjoy seeing these pictures to see me once again, thanks for your help and getting me this perfect home and family, lots of love Doogle xxxx as well as Alec, Janet, Jade and Morgan.

To all the staff at Hull Animal Welfare

I would like to say thank you very much for looking after me during my short stay with you and for finding me a great place to live.

As you can see from the photograph I have made myself very much at home and enjoy going for long walks by the river.

I am very happy here and love my new family very much.

Lots of love

Albert

Hi we adopted Delany about 4 years ago from Hull Animal Welfare Trust. Me and my partner went to the shelter to adopt a dog and we found Delany sitting in his bed with his beautiful brown eyes and we knew he was the dog for us.

Delany settled in straight away and was already house trained but suffered from really bad nightmares where he would wake up crying and shaking. After a lot of love and patience the nightmares stopped and he is the most beautiful and placid dog that you could ever meet. He has given us the best 4 years of our lives and cannot imagine our life without him.

He loves being around people and children and all he wants is to snuggle up on the couch with you and go to sleep. He loves going on holiday in our caravan and enjoys going for walks and has been on lots of holidays.

We had to teach him to play as when we first got him he just looked at the toys we bought him and we encouraged him that it was ok to play and have fun and now he loves his teddy bears!

He has a best friend called Jack who is a border terrier and is my partner's mum and dads dog and they love to play in the garden together and sleep on the couch together. Delany is such a laid back dog and takes everything in his stride but he brings us so much joy and happiness and just seeing him everyday brings a smile to our faces.

He loves to play with our 2 nieces who absolutely adore him and they dress him up and they put bandages on him and he just lays there enjoying the attention.
As you can see from the photo he loves being on the couch and likes nothing better then having his own duvet on it and being asleep.

Just wanted to share our update story and to thank Animal Welfare Trust for all the hard work that they do and for letting us adopt our beautiful dog Delany.

Thank you from Helen and James and a big kiss from Delany xxxxx