Having spent more than a year in kennels in Greece, Lottie (previously named Spitha, which means Spark in Greek) wanted nothing more than a comfortable, small sofa to curl up on. But good things come to those who wait and in July 2022 she captured the heart of Diana and family, who live in rural Worcestershire. A self-confessed ‘little pointer addict’ in the making, Diana then spotted Nora on the Pointers In Need website and she joined their family in February 2023.
“We emerged from pandemic lockdown a bit desolate, having lost our last beloved GSP in her sixteenth year. By the start of 2022 we were ready to start thinking about getting another dog, I didn’t want a puppy and was extremely nervous about adopting a dog from overseas who I’d never met. There were some important criteria that needed to be met too, not for selfish reasons but because I know how important it is to do everything possible to ensure a successful rehoming and avoid any heartache down the line. The dog had to be child-friendly as we have lots of children in the family; cat-friendly, we owe that to our beautiful old cat; and not an escapologist by nature!
I spent months trawling rescue sites, but once pointers are in your blood it’s difficult to drag yourself away. In May I happened upon Spitha, who up until that point had not a single enquiry – how could we resist! We nervously welcomed her home on 4th July and she’s been an absolute delight ever since. She didn’t respond to the name Spitha, and since I felt like we’d won the lottery she became Lottie.
I think Lottie has a lot of spaniel in the mix as she’s a very ‘busy’ little girl and takes everything in her stride – from children, cats, other dogs, horses, trips to London and holidays in Devon. Lottie loves playing ball and has perfect recall, what a star! She was said to be nine years old when we got her, our vets thought possibly a couple of years younger which I hope is right so that we get longer with this wonderful little girl.
When we decided in January 2023 to rehome Nora things moved quickly and she joined us in mid-February. She is a very endearing little dog, so friendly and affectionate. Nora is very English Pointer in looks just smaller. Perhaps English Point crossed with a Kangaroo as she pings onto worktops and the kitchen table with great ease! In the first week she ate the cat’s food on his worktop and devoured our bacon baguettes which we’d prepared to eat while watching the Rugby Six Nations!
On Nora’s arrival Lottie quickly and politely established her seniority. Both dogs settled in quickly, after eight months Lottie’s little personality is still emerging and it’ll be fascinating to watch Nora’s development.
The Pointers In Need team were wonderful to work with – kind, friendly, and answered my endless questions with great patience. Communication was excellent with countless updates when Lottie was on the road. With Nora the team got videos and extra information from the wonderful people in Turkey who help these dogs to get a better life, and kept me informed during her long five day journey to the UK. I couldn’t have asked for more.
What would I say to anyone considering adopting? Don’t act impulsively on seeing a pretty picture – consider very carefully what you can in practical terms offer the dog, and the characteristics you and your family need in the dog to make the rescue a success. Take the advice of those who know the dog…there will be the perfect match out there for you, and if you have to wait a little while to find the right fit be patient as it’ll be worth it.”