LuLu's Second Chance

New adopters Robert and Lindsay gave LuLu the safe space she was longing for

We sadly lost our lovely Lurcher boy called Harley, leaving just one remaining from our original four. Twiggy (also a Lurcher) having always been part of a 4 pack, was baffled when we came home without Harley which quickly turned into a subdued, uninterested and generally lethargic dog. After advice we worked to include her in more of our daily routines and whilst there was improvement, it soon became clear she was missing canine companionship.

We began looking at possible companions for Twiggy however we were not convinced on having another dog. We then saw a Facebook promotion for a group called Greyhounds in Need who brought dogs into the UK from Spain for better lives and love. As it happened one of these trips was already organised for a couple of weeks later and we saw a video of the Galgos that were coming on this trip and that's when we first saw this rather shy, scruffy, shaggy haired, long legged girlie. After what turned out to be a very short 'home' discussion, we agreed that contact with G.I.N was necessary to establish what had to happen next. We completed our initial application and were contacted by a lady called Susan and after a detailed conversation were invited to have a home visit which was very exciting. The dogs from Spain were scheduled to be arriving at the end of April so we met with Susan and were thankfully accepted as suitable adopters.

We kept in touch from then until the arrival of the dogs and after the required Veterinary checks and tests over a couple of weeks at G.I.N's hub of operations, we were able to see this particular shaggy Galgo and introduced her to our now curious Twiggy to check that all would be convivial between them, which it was straight away, so we brought her home with us. We were a little unsure how the first night's sleep would go but she was very quiet, probably due to all the huge changes she was experiencing in her surroundings, and she was very pleased to see us the next morning. In those early days it was clear she was taking everything in carefully, watching us, learning the rhythms of the house and beginning to understand that this was a safe place. The patience and gentleness she showed during that settling-in period was remarkable for a dog who had known such an uncertain life before arriving in the UK.

After a couple of days we named her LuLu which we thought was fitting. The first few interactions for Twiggy and LuLu in more relaxed environs showed us two dogs, both in their own way finding their feet again, easy and naturally comfortable in each other almost immediately. It felt like a sign that we were doing the right thing.

After what's only a few weeks now, LuLu's character is coming out a bit more every day. She loves soft toys, charging up and down the garden with Twiggy, 'talking' moments between her and Twiggy that can turn into full on chins in the air howling contests. Shoes and slippers are a particular favourite at the moment so eyes in the back of the head are sometimes required. It is wonderful to watch her confidence growing — from the shy, almost hesitant girl we first saw on that video, to a dog who bounces into a room and makes her presence very much known.

LuLu is fitting in very well to our household ways and life and enjoys her walks and experiencing new sights, sounds and smells. She is always pleased to see us and likes to be near us or able to see us, and like most dogs is at her happiest when everyone is sat down together in the evening, often stretched out with her long legs taking up considerably more sofa space than seems mathematically possible.

We can only imagine what her first years were like and are amazed at how resilient she clearly was and how adaptive she clearly is. The bond forming between the two of them is helping them both — Twiggy has a companion again and LuLu is finally able to develop her own character and has found her people. We are so pleased to have found and be able to support G.I.N in the fabulous work they do to help find loving homes for these dogs that deserve so much more than they will have had to date in Spain. If you are considering rehoming a dog, we cannot recommend the experience — or Greyhounds in Need — highly enough.