National Dog Day: South Yorkshire couple share story of rescue dog that helped them

Bruce and Lynn first fell in love with adopting senior dogs to help give the overlooked rescues a new chance at a happy life.The couple used a service called, TrustedHousesitter, which offers unique homestays in exchange for caring for pets.The joy of rescuing senior dogs came after Bruce began experiencing a rare health complication that forced him to retire early.In 2017, the couple welcomed two new members to their family: senior Lhasa Apso dogs Gracie and Milo.However, heartache fell upon the family in the following years when Gracie passed in 2019. Shortly after, in 2020, Milo—who was blind and arthritic at the time—spent his final few months with his beloved rescuers.Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, demanding Bruce, Lynn and much of the population to isolate inside their homes to remain safe from further health complications.However, during this time, the couple knew their home was missing something: the sound of paws tip-tapping on the floor and the warmth of a furry cuddle so they quickly decided to adopt Teddy.While many people visiting the shelter overlooked Teddy because of his traumatic upbringing, Bruce and Lynn saw that Teddy, who had been caged for over 12 hours a day, just needed a second shot at life.As Bruce’s health matters began to complicate, Teddy, the once neglected rescue dog, stepped into his role of bringing comfort to his family throughout rough times in a pandemic.“Bruce had spent the past 18 months in-and-out of [the] hospital, and sometimes [for] three to four weeks at a time. Teddy has been my company [as he is] a very loving dog, and quite protective, making me feel safe when I’ve been home alone,” Lynn said.With his smiling snout and waggy tail, Teddy now takes his place on the bed with Bruce and Lynn, returning the favour to his adopters by providing a sense of peace throughout any challenge“Dogs are great healers of the mind and soul—Teddy really fits the bill,” Lynn said.