Think before you buy

One winter’s day on Milken Lane, the hard-working RSPCA were called out to an emergency. A puppy had been dumped in a cardboard box. The RSPCA found the puppy, took it back to their centre and gave it all the treatment it needed.

Later that month there was a phone call from the owner of the puppy who said. “I lost my dog a month ago, he’s an eight-month-old Chihuahua puppy, I want him back immediately."

After checking their notes, the RSPCA discovered that the owner had admitted to dumping the puppy, because she couldn’t afford it, but in her mind still wanted it. The RSPCA contacted the previous owner and explained that the centre could care for the puppy and re-home it. At first the previous owner refused, but gave in after hours of help and explaining from a patient RSPCA officer.

That same day a disabled girl, who had a dream about this puppy in which it had made her better, came into the centre and wanted to re-home the puppy. She held the dog and said she that he was her hero. She named him hero there and then.

The moral of the story is, if you can’t afford a dog don’t buy a dog!

Charlotte Hamill, 13.