All about Ellie

Hello my name’s Ellie.

I love this photo of me and I hope you love it to.

I love waking up every morning, I love being praised but best of all, I love being loved.

In July 2013 I was one of the many, unloved, and uncared for, abused abandoned dogs found straying in the south west of France. I ended up in the SPA in Bergerac, well at least I was safe and getting regular meals. But I was frightened and sad as my litter of puppies were no longer with me,  I laid there trembling whenever anyone came near me because I thought something bad would happen to me. One day a lady called Sheelagh came over and spoke to me and gave me a cuddle, she put a collar on me and lead me to her car. I was taken to a home where there were other dogs, but the man was pretty scary, although he never hurt me. He realised that I had been badly treated and beaten with a stick so he thought I would be better off in another foster home where I would receive one to one care. A week later following a visit to the vets I went home with my new foster parents, it took them twenty minutes to coax me into their car, and another thirty minutes to get me through the front door of their house. I can remember her gentle but firm arms holding me close to her side as my body shook with fear with my tail tucked firmly between my legs. I hated being put into new situations, it was a frightening experience, the only way I can explain it is to say that the only place I felt safe - was the place I was in at that moment in time, I was too scared to move in case I got booted. Meeting new people was a big issue as I didn’t trust anyone and I would cower down and try to hide. My foster mum was so patience with me and she was always there to comfort me.

The weeks passed by and I gained more confidence, I enjoyed the good food and I put on some weight, my coat was brushed every day until it shone in the sun shine. I really had fun on our walks, but my favourite place was lying on my bed which was placed on the balcony every morning, I could lay there for hours and watch the world go by. But my foster mum would look at me with sad eyes and tears rolling down her cheeks, I didn't know why. She explained to me later that she was writing my story which would be added to the Phoenix dogs seeking a permanent home. Any way I never did reach the adoption website page, my foster mum and family had fallen in love with me and now she’s my forever MUM.

A special Mum – she’s the Phoenix Association membership secretary.

And now I’m a special girl because I have been chosen to be one of the eight Phoenix Forever Friends, an ambassador that represent all the past present and future rescues. We even have our own fundraising web page http://phoenixasso.com/?page_id=90

In May I will be joining Mum on her pilgrimage and hopefully helping to raise lots of sponsorship donations to help future Phoenix rescues like me.

Thank you Sheelagh for rescuing me. 

Hey my tail wags now I’m a Phoenix Forever Friend. 

Licks from Ellie