It was a dark and cold night...
At some point in early to mid-2007 someone to proud to admit they couldn't handle him, or too drunk to know what they were doing, left a 6 month old Pup tied to a lamp-post in a dark pub car park on a wet and cold night somewhere in Ireland.

Not long after closing time, some anonymous gentleman, to who I am eternally grateful, came out of the pub, found the pup, and had the good graciousness to take him to the safety of a local dog pound.

Now at least warm and dry, the little pup was not quite out of the fire yet. Despite lost dog posters no owner was forthcoming and he now faced Ireland's strict euthanasia rules for abandoned and stray dogs.

Thankfully the pound had an arrangement with a local vet who wasn't happy with this policy. This anonymous vet, who I am also eternally grateful to, had a system where he would give the dogs a check up and then send them over the Irish sea to rescues in the UK.

And so the little pup continued his journey this time inside a crate on a rocky boat heading for the UK.

In October 2007, my girlfriend and I, after putting it off finally decided to get ourselves the dog we had both been longing for.

We visited a local rescue (http://www.dbarc.org.uk) after seeing a particular dog on their website. Unfortunately/fortunately the dog we had arranged to see had already been booked with a new home, and so we looked at some of the others. A little brown fella was standing up-right at his kennel door, wagging his tail for all he was worth... and as they say, the rest is history.

Via a pub car park, trigger happy dog pound, and the Irish sea, Little Al has certainly landed on his feet. He spends his days getting all the attention he deserves, charming everyone in sight, and most importantly pursuing every cat he can in the vicinity.



Yes, I do apologise, you are looking at a picture of my dog, but I thought a bit of glurge might brighten up this grey and frankly crap Monday afternoon...
(stubbledchin, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:00, 11 replies)

A fine tale sir!
And a fine tail too I'd imagine!
( Jessie © needs pirate name suggestions, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:03, closed)

Awwww
he tucks his front paws in like wot cats do
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:09, closed)

Yay for dogs!
Cats are crap.

*runs*
(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:16, closed)

mmmm
Bit of garlic, some rosemary, marinated in a bit of port.

2 hours @180c, serve with roast potatoes.
( rofl harris, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:20, closed)

He's lovely!
And what a lovely story

-sniff-

I want a dog now.
(BearWithLittleBrain, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 16:45, closed)

my mate got his dog from dbarc too, from ireland
she's a lovely collie found in a shed on an allotment, thin as a rake but with 6 plump healthy pups. barely a pup herself.
she's a lot less timid than she was, she'd obviously been beaten, and by a woman too i'd guess, she was shit-scared of them.

she's abit of a hobo, she rifles bins in the blink of an eye, but she's lovely.
just don't let her near other smaller animals, she sees ANYTHING smaller than her that's furry as food.
(UppityDamnPrimate LET'S OPEN THIS F*CKING PIT UP, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 18:57, closed)

What is it
with the Irish and dogs? Both me and my sister, along with at least 4 people we know have all got rescued dogs that have come from Ireland. Do they not give a shit, or are we just better at re-homing? Either way, I don't care where my best friend came from, I'm just glad she did.
(Rsoles, Wed 12 Nov 2008, 13:16, closed)

Message from Mooshka

( stopmeandslapme Cometh the hour, cometh your mum, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 21:55, closed)

she's back
your cat has attitude
( Itsallsugar is made up of bits of names, Mon 10 Nov 2008, 22:41, closed)

Woo!
That's a great story, even if your dog does look like it's trying to stare directly into my brain.

GET IT OUT!
( Mike Fishcake teamfishcake.co.uk - better than your mum's face, Tue 11 Nov 2008, 15:31, closed)