A New Year wish.

Six years ago, on New Year's Eve, a sad and confused old dog joined our family as an emergency foster. Jasper Bear, as he became known, had been separated from his poorly owner and his doggie friend and taken to the vets to be put down :-(

Thankfully for Jasper (and us), the vets got in touch with Oldies Club instead and there was a mad NYE rush to get Jasper to safety. Here's where my wish comes into the story - you see, the day before, I had wished for another dog. When I woke up to hear about Jasper, I felt very drawn to him, but one of our fosterers had stepped in and I felt very glad someone was helping him. However, the next day, on New Year's Eve, I heard that the foster home's transport had temporarily conked out and they were not able to take him immediately.

I had never fostered for Oldies Club before, because quite frankly I'm much better at fundraising than fostering, but the vets were closing for New Year, circumstances had conspired, fate had got itself involved and I found myself volunteering to foster on this occasion. For one night. (Stop laughing, those who know me). It was meant to be, I'm completely sure about that. We met up with another volunteer part-way along the motorway on the afternoon of NYE and put this sweet old dog in our car and home he came.

Jasper was understandably a rather stressed boy that first night. After all, he'd been uprooted from the human and doggie friend he knew well and spent a night at the vets. He paced backwards and forwards and basically wanted to go 'home'. He relaxed with the help of lots of Reiki and some flower remedies and, I'm sure, the company of our existing dogs, who were extremely welcoming, bless them.

I spent the whole night on an armchair so I could keep an eye on how he was coping - and spent much of that awake thinking about how we could keep him and wondered how on earth I was going to hand him over to someone else and never see him again. It quickly became apparent that Jasper wasn't going anywhere. I think he was ours the moment he was in the car really. Well he had a white paw and he was a dog ... and stuff. So he was home, officially adopted as a forever part of our family, a few days later. I think there might be something rather magical in the 'water' at Oldies Club, because Jasper went from looking and feeling like a rather sad, old dog, to a younger seeming dog with a big grin on his face and a huge zest for life.

We celebrated one more New Year with Jasper after that, before he had to leave us for Rainbow Bridge, but what a wonderful nearly two years they were, for all of us. He was a VERY sweet dog, with a bit of a cheeky side and he became very much a part of our family. I wish he could have stayed longer, but every day with him was a blessing and he got to live until it really was his time to go, thanks to Oldies Club.

Oldies Club makes an incredible difference to the lives of many older dogs. The charity has taken in other dogs like Jasper who were facing being put down before their time - and also dogs from many other situations that made it impossible for them to stay with their previous families. It really does give dogs a second chance at life.

I've set up this page today to remember Jasper, six years on from the day he came into our lives and to ask, please, if you would make a donation today to support Oldies Club's wonderful work in rescuing and rehoming older dogs in the UK. In memory of your own beloved animal companions, in Jasper's memory, and for all the older dogs Oldies Club continues to help. We are all volunteers and we are very grateful for all donations.

Wishing you and yours a Happy New Year and all the best for 2016. Give your animal companions a snuggle from us ... and be careful what you wish for, or you may one day find your life blessed with the wonderful love of an older dog too.

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