A dog given up for adoption during the pandemic has found his forever home after a year in a rescue centre.
Lovable Labrador Ozzy was just 10 months old when he was handed into the care of the Dogs Trust at Ballymena Rehoming Centre in Northern Ireland in May 2020.
After a short time there, the pup was moved to Scotland to undergo training at the charity’s Glasgow rehoming centre.
From there, he was matched with his new owners in Elgin – and has been been getting to know his new scenic surroundings and bounding up munros.
‘We’ve reached every milestone’
John and Mairi, who have had Labradors for more than 30 years, say they can’t believe it’s the same dog they brought home a year ago.
“His confidence has grown as the months have passed,” they said.
“He used to be very wary of strangers but now loves a few of our friends and is comfortable visiting their homes. He is also more confident when he sees other dogs, rarely reacting as he previously did.
“In recent months he has slowly been introduced to friend’s dogs, and he now plays off the lead with his new friend Juno.
“We’ve successfully reached every milestone we had hoped for including climbing three Munros; Geal Charn, Beinn á Chaorainn and Beinn Teallach.”
Sandra Downie, Glasgow Rehoming Centre manager said: “It is fantastic to hear how well Ozzy is doing. He is clearly a much-loved part of the family and is loving life in the country. Our staff work so hard to achieve these happy outcomes for every dog that comes into our care, so it’s always a lovely boost to hear about happy dogs in happy homes.
“Thankfully John and Mairi were prepared to travel to meet and get to know Ozzy from their home in Elgin. We currently have lots of dogs like Ozzy who require a quiet location for their new home.”
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