When Croydon couple Ellie & JP searched the RSPCA website looking for a dog to adopt, they had no idea that they would find their perfect match many miles away in Swansea.
They in fact drove to Wales three times to meet Meisie before taking her home. That 410 mile round trip was well worth it happily as they fell totally in love with her.
Ellie takes up the story. “It wasn’t love at first sight for Meisie though, she needed those three visits in order to build a relationship with us. The first time we met her she was too scared to interact with us, but on the day we came to take her home, she saw us and started wagging her tail and nose-dived into us for a cuddle.
Meisie is a ridgeback/staffy cross and we adopted her when she was about a year and a half, some two and a half years ago now.
We don’t know her full story, but she came to the RSPCA on a report of neglect. She was found shut in a crate with her brother and we are told that the dogs were beaten. She was very frightened of people when we first met her, the entire first visit I don’t think we even touched her. We just sat in a room with her and a trainer and walked in the field she was playing in.
She used to flinch if you reached over her head – we still don’t let strangers pet her without permission as it’s stressful for her otherwise.
The love we have earned from Meisie is one of the most remarkable achievements we have ever accomplished. I still don’t fully understand how she had it in her to trust humans again, but I’m so glad she did.”
You can certainly see how much Meisie is loved and how contented she is from the photo gallery below. Ellie informs me that her phone is absolutely stuffed with other such pictures! If you scroll down you can also see a short video of Meisie with Ellie & JP.
If you would like to adopt a dog, please visit the RSPCA main site ‘find a pet‘ section.
RSPCA South London - For Every Kind Of Creature 