Deaf dog and friend rescued two years ago set to spend festive season in new home after finally being adopted
A pair of dogs who have spent more than 18 months being looked after by the RSPCA will spend Christmas in their new home after finally being adopted.
Salukis Dasher and Eve, who is deaf, were rescued with two other dogs just four days before Christmas in 2019 when they were found living in a shed and being used for hunting.
While the other two dogs, Angel and Tinsel, were offered new homes within a few months, Eve and Dasher have been being looked after by the RSPCA Southridge Animal Centre in Hertfordshire ever since.
But despite the 18-month wait Eve and Dasher finally found a new home in June and will spend Christmas in a loving home for the first time in their lives.
The pair now live with Kelly Coupland, 39, and Scott Marshall, 51, in Staffordshire, along with the couple's ex-racing greyhound Biscuit.
The couple, who decided to look for another dog after losing their 16-year-old Saluki cross, Fawn, in February, have been training Eve with hand signals and taking the dogs on long countryside walks so they don't get startled as they are both nervous.
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Coupland said: "They have settled in really well especially considering how long they were in kennels. Evie loves to be with somebody a lot of the time so she loves to sit on the sofa with me. Dasher is a bit more timid. He can be scared of his own shadow sometimes but he’s getting better and when he gets excited he can’t keep his paws still and just dances around.
"They will all be getting their own doggy-friendly advent calendars and will have to pose nicely for photos so we can make our own Christmas cards!"
She added: "I usually cook a ham and prep some of the food on Christmas Eve so I’m sure they’ll have to check the ham has been cooked properly and I expect some of the pigs-in-blankets and veg will end up in their bowls as a festive treat!
"All three will get their own stocking filled with presents, we’ll head out for a lovely walk and they’ll get a very special Christmas dinner for their tea too.
"I’m really happy that they’ll finally get a Christmas in their forever home and will be spoiled rotten but it does really upset me to think that there are still lots of doggies out there that won’t get the Christmas they deserve."
Cathie Ward, from the RSPCA's Southridge Animal Centre, said: "We always go the extra lengths to ensure the dogs have a nice day at Christmas but nothing compares to a loving home.
"We found new homes for Angel and Tinsel within a few months but, sadly, Eve and Dasher proved more difficult to match with the right family."
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