Neo’s story is probably one of the hardest to write. Not only did he have one of the roughest starts in life, he was let down time and time again by adopters. Let’s face it, he isn’t the easiest of dogs but if you knew what he had gone through to get to where he is today, you could forgive him his ‘quirks’. Luckily for him, I decided after the third unsuccessful home never again and he has been safe with me ever since.
His rescuer thought Neo was dead when she found him. Maggots crawling out of a blood-soaked backside and a dog so frozen in fear, it was difficult to think otherwise. A piece of string had been wrapped around his neck for so long, it still leaves a scar to this day. Humans had broken his pelvis and hacked off most of his tail then left him to die. His rescuer, the amazing Aurelia told me it took a month before he trusted her touch. He was a broken dog. Nevertheless, I took the faith she put in me as a behaviour consultant and fostered him. He was only 2 years old.
I found a home for Neo pretty quickly. A TV producer had been in touch with me about helping with a new ‘dog’ series and after reading Neo’s story, she brought her Mum, a child psychologist, to meet him. All seemed perfect and Neo left for Wales and a country life. Six months later he was back, she couldn’t cope with him. Her vet had suggested he should be put to sleep because he had nipped a jogger. Thank God I nixed that but the dog that returned was even more withdrawn than before and it took me several months to get him back to a dog you could touch without him shrinking in fear again. Two attempts at rehoming later and despite Tony’s misgivings, I decided he wasn’t going anywhere. He was staying put.
It’s easy to say that a dog like Neo who will bark at most people he meets and has bitten a few (always behind the knee for those animal behaviourists) should be put down but for me, it would be unacceptable. He isn’t an aggressive dog but will strike when he feels under threat, always when the person is walking away or has their back to him. Yet he has no pattern in his distrust, he adores Steven with his Yorkshire accent and hob-toed work boots, he loves the diminutive Susan, he followed Pop everywhere even though he had an unsteady gait and more recently has decided that Denis the gardener is a really cool bloke. He once bit one of my best friends quite badly but since then has seen her as one of his inner circle of ‘fuss-me’s’. He is a complicated personality but one who will give you everything he has once he trusts you.
Six years on and in France and he is loving life. No muzzle for a start (I couldn’t take the risk in London) and acres of land to run free. There are still side effects from his injuries which will stay with him forever but nothing we can’t handle. Neo’s story is cautionary one. For all animal lovers, the desire to give a damaged soul what we think it needs can end up hurting the one we think we can help. Neo needs order and discipline in his life, being part of a pack means he follows rules and in return he has the comfort of knowing he is safe from harm. To see him race around the gardens with the other dogs and lie in the sun without looking behind him is the best feeling in the world.
Widow plus woofs 