Story & pictures by Kym McDowell
Daisy welcomes me with a bark at the door. She is waiting for me as Caroline lets me in. I nearly miss seeing Daisy as she’s just a little thing! A chihuahua in stature and attitude, she follows me to the sofa where I sit down and greet her inquisitiveness.
As Caroline chats to me about Daisy, it’s obvious that they enjoy each other’s company. Daisy is very relaxed around Caroline, even with a new person in the room. It hasn’t always been easy for them both, though. Caroline tells me that, “Daisy was taken away from a backyard breeder and she’d had a lot of puppies. I fostered her originally when she was pregnant and helped her through that.” It bonded them together though, as Daisy weaned her final litter of puppies and settled into life with Caroline.
Caroline continues, “Daisy is well behaved now, but she wasn’t when I first got her… She was malnourished and underfed by her previous owner so she is very food driven. Now I feed her 5 times a day so she never feels like she is missing out.” It’s clear that Caroline cares for Daisy and is focussed on her wellbeing.
There was a time when Caroline wasn’t sure if Daisy would be able to stay with her though. Caroline’s health took a turn not long after she adopted Daisy. “I used to walk Daisy myself until an issue with my hip meant that I couldn’t do that any more. I was worried about what would happen to her if I wasn’t around”, Caroline tells me, “but she is actually very adaptable and loves people, so that helps.”
Daisy watches on from her soft, pink doggy bed as we chat back and forth. I’m pretty sure she can tell that we’re talking about her. Her eyebrows move up and down when we mention her name, or look towards her.
Not only did Caroline support Daisy through her pregnancy, but Daisy was a huge help to Caroline through her illness. “Daisy saved me, she really did. When I was sick and was having chemotherapy, and I had other health issues that were causing me to feel down, she was a reason to get up.”
Caroline first heard about POOPS 5 years ago during a stay in hospital, “I was worried about not being able to walk Daisy and I might have to rehome her. The social worker gave me the details of POOPS and I reached out.”
Caroline has a lot of gratitude for her POOPS walkers, “Daisy gets out most days of the week. I’m not able to walk her very far and it’s just a stroll to the end of the street. The POOPS walkers are able to walk her briskly, which keeps her weight down and she just loves it.”
Daisy is grateful for her walkers too, she gets a short term home with a familiar face for a few nights when Caroline is admitted to hospital. Caroline tells me how much Daisy enjoys meeting new people, “she gets to socialise with many people and she just loves them. The walkers are so different and they give her different experiences and walks in different places.”
The support that POOPS provides is invaluable to keep Caroline & Daisy together. “I wouldn’t be able to keep Daisy without my walkers.” Caroline explains, “she’s only a young dog and she needs to get out. I say thank you so much to my walkers, and I say that to them every time.”
If you, or someone you know needs support with their pets please head to our Get Support page and complete your details.