My name is Cassie and at four weeks old I was rescued with two of my sisters by The Hull Animal Welfare Trust. I was fostered until I was eight weeks old when my new owners took me home, so I was lucky never to have to go into kennels.

My new mum and dad got me as a new friend for Barney who also came from the Trust. He was only fourteen weeks old when they got him as a friend for Sam but after only six months Sam, unfortunately, died and Barney was totally lost without his best friend. When I arrived at my new home I met Barney and we got on straight away and we are now totally inseparable.

My mum says I am a special dog with a wonderful loving nature and a great personality. I like helping around the farm. I love walks and we go all over in the fields and when I was little I wanted to jump on the big bales of straw but I couldn’t because I was too small so I insisted on being picked up and put on top but now I’m bigger I easily jump onto them and I sit there waiting for my favourite treat – a gravy bone.

I love to play with my ball on a rope and I fetch it back when it’s thrown for me. I’ve got used to riding in the car and sometimes I go to Scarborough but my favourite place is home!

One of my favourite things is cuddles and when it’s cold I like nothing better than cuddling up to mum in front of a lovely fire. When it’s bedtime I jump into my bed and I get covered with a cosy duvet and you never hear another squeak out of me until morning.

My mum says my greatest achievement to date is to have won the Top Dog prize in the ‘Your Dog’ magazine photograph competition. I won a big dog bed. She is very proud of me (and Barney of course)

Mum says every day is a pleasure with me and Barney and we know we are safe and loved and have everything we want.

We adopted Huckleberry - known as Morris at the Hull Animal Welfare Trust - in September 2008. He has settled in well with our other cat who is eight years older than him.

He was in a cage with his two sisters when we saw him, we knew he was the right cat for us straight away. Our living room has a large selection of leaves as these are his favourite toys and brings a new one in from outside everyday. He is a very loving cat and likes nothing more than jumping on you for a cuddle and falling asleep on your lap.

Thanks
Sarah and Alex

This is Joker's story.

He was handed in to H.A.W.T. South Cave by travellers. Life was anything but a joke for him as he was very, very nervous and frightened of people and shot to the back of his kennel every time he saw someone refusing to do anything but cower in his bed but with the gentle care he began to be a little braver.

Barbara and Andi adopted him on the 11th January 2009.

Barbara and Andi contacted us to tell us how he is going on :

Anyone thinking that greyhounds need lots of exercise will find, like us, they are wrong. We take him out twice a day for about thirty minutes each time and he has the run of the garden and he's very happy with that. The rest of the time he likes to lay in his bed or come to us for lots of cuddles. He walks at heel, he's quiet in the house and we feel very privileged to own him, he's fitted in just right. If any one is thinking of adopting a dog give the greyhound a chance you won't be disappointed. The staff at South Cave have given us a lot of advice they deserve a medal as big as a dustbin lid. Good luck with the work they do.

We're happy and so is Joker. We are looking forward to him growing old with us.

Barbara and Andi

Jackie lives in Bransholm. She had a dog called Shep from H.A.W.T. and when Shep passed away past away she thought she could never love another dog again.

The Trust called her and asked her to consider a German Shepherd that was at the centre and had come from a broken home. She was called Jan and that was May 1998.

Jackie tells us:

I decided to take her and re name her Tess.

From the start she was my best friend, she became the most loyal friend I have ever had, my soulmate. Up until November 2007 we spent hours walking in the country side were I live. That's when her back legs had started to cause her problems and she was put on medication.

We could still enjoy our walks but just not as far. Sadly on December 29th 2008 she began to have more medical problems and despite a stay at the vets failed to respond to treatment.
I was inconsolable but I knew I had to let her go. I know I did the right thing for her but she was a star to the end.

I miss her so much I feel like I've lost half of my heart.

All my dog walking friends loved her too she didn't have a bad bone in her body. I'm totally devastated. One day I maybe able to get another dog as I know there are lots of German Shepherds need loving homes and I'm sure she wouldn't mind beause she will always be my beautiful girl.

Back in September 2005 Denise and her mum adopted two dogs, one called Josie and one called Mortimer.

They took them home and although Josie kept her name Mortimer was re named Roly.

Denise says:

Just to let you know that they are both extremely spoilt and very happy dogs. We took them from you on the same day back in about September 2005. The story with Josie was that she had been returned to the shelter because the woman who had taken her had cats and Josie hated cats and consequently made their lives a misery! She also used to growl and bark at anyone and anything!

Having had her just over three years Josie is a loving and loyal pet. We all love her to bits. She no longer chases cats and can be left off her lead when passing one. I just tell her "Don't you dare" and she never does! She likes to chase squirrels but is too slow for them. She has put on a lot of weight because she is spoilt rotten by myself and my mum and dad but we try to give her lots of walks. Her only real problem is she hates being left on her own - which I might add does not happen very often - mum and dad doggy sit for me the two days I am at work.

I also have to say that my mum's dog, Roly, has also turned out to be a lovely dog although he is a fussy eater, hates fireworks and any sort of banging noise (probably something from his past!). He came in to you as a stray named Mortimer. He is also a very loving, loyal dog and loves his girlfriend, Josie.

All in all, a real double success story!! Thanks for looking after them whilst they were with you and thanks for trusting us to care for them.

This is a photo of Roly, Josie is shown below

This is Josie see above for her story.