Diesel – Now Adopted!
Diesel is home!!
We know you are all going to adore this news – Diesel is staying put in his foster home and is now officially part of Georgia’s family.
We were all heartbroken, astonished, and downright angry that Diesel was cast aside by his former owner at the age of nearly 14 ½ years old – but Georgia offered to take him into foster with herself, partner Chas and Fur Bro Stevie, and he has settled with them so well, we were thrilled when they asked if he could stay.
Diesel is able to navigate his way around the home and Stevie is always nearby which gives Diesel a huge amount of confidence its truly heartwarming!
We want to thank everyone that applied for Diesel, taking on a blind dog in his twilight years is not for the faint hearted and we were humbled at how many of you were prepared to offer Diesel a loving home.
But we know your hearts will melt (as do ours) knowing this boy is already ‘home’ with a family that want to have him in their lives and who will love him unconditionally!!
Thank you so much Georgia & Chas you have huge heart’s, and we are very grateful for the lifeline you have provided for Diesel!!
So welcome home Diesel – you are safe, and you will never be discarded again!!
Dogs name:
Diesel
Age:
14 years old
Current location:
Bourne, Lincolnshire.
I CAN LIVE WITH
Children:
Extremely dog savvy.
Cats:
Untested.
Dogs:
Yes, calm and laid-back dogs.
A BIT ABOUT ME
Personality:
Diesel is our wonderful Grandpa Bulldog. He has reached that period of his life where his favourite hobby is napping and tummy rubs.
A gentle giant, he loves all affection, being stroked and hugged.
Diesel is the perfect couchbuddy.
He is incredibly trusting and adaptable. He will work so hard to settle into any home.
Behaviour:
Diesel does not have a lot of energy but does like the occasional game of play of gentle tug and loves a real bone but gets tired easily.
Diesel is at the slower stage of his life and needs his humans to advocate for him.
Losing his sight means Diesel detects only shadow so if there are too many sudden movements i.e. Children/dog constant running about, he could be confused/startled and freeze, unable to move until his humans can get to him and nudge him in the right direction.
Needs:
Diesel needs a calm quiet home environment to allow him to get plenty of rest and not too much excitement that may startle him.
Diesel needs a family who can shower him in love and adoration while being patient and understanding of his stage in life.
Diesel likes playing tug of war and has a big heart. Very trusting despite everything that he has been through. Diesel is elderly and should be treated as such, making sure to give him plenty time to rest and relax and playing as gently as possible.
A garden is a must, now he has lost his sight his smell is all the more important so giving him plenty to explore and enjoy will be so important to his happiness and wellbeing.
His new family home must be willing and able to accommodate a blind dog, home must be uncluttered without any trip hazards. He won’t attempt to climb “up” stairs but if there is any “down” steps in the living area, it must be gated to avoid falling.
A calm and laid-back dog in the home may benefit him greatly, not only for company but to help him learn his new environment and be his eyes for him.
Walk/exercise:
Diesel is great on lead.
He likes a gentle walk and will be slow as he loves to take his time to sniff and “map” the area.
It is important he is never led off lead as he is blind and lack road awareness and can accidentally slip off the footpath.
Diesel is happy to meet other dogs whilst out, If another dog is near him, he will acknowledge them by leaning forward to sniff then be on his way.
He must be walked everyday maximum 15-20mins in exact same route and routine.
Diesel is very easy going.
Toilet trained:
Diesel is a very good boy; he has had one accident in foster when the door was shut. If he has access to garden, he will always go out.
He is completely dry overnight.
Can be left:
Diesel is happy to settle himself down in his comfy bed and snooze whilst left home.
He can be left alone but he drinks a lot as a result of a lot of “mapping” so he may wee in the house if no access to garden for more than 2 hours.
Travel:
Diesel travels very well but due to his age we would like to put him though a long journey because of this we will be restricting the applications within a 2-hour travel time from his current location.
He must be given the opportunity to take breaks if needed and we recommend using a seatbelt restraint and allowing him to sit comfortably on the back seat rather than in a crate in the boot.
Things to be aware of:
Diesel has some age-related ailments, none of which require or can be treated.
He has cruciate ligament rupture that sadly was left untreated and is now to late to repair, his hips are arthritic both can be managed, with supplements like youmove and pain relief if and when he needs.
He has a grade 2 heart murmur, chronic inflammation of the left ear and dental issues.
None of which can be treated but he can be kept comfortable and happy.
Diesel is a typical old man not only has he lost the majority of his sight, but his hearing isn’t wonderful either. He can’t hear his name but can see shadows which the best way is to get his attention.
He will detect motion and move towards you. He needs a patient family as learns to differentiate between danger and friendly.
It will not take him long to understand he can rely on his family as soon as he does you will find he becomes your shadow, seeking you out for security and comfort.
Diesel should not be allowed to climb up or down stairs as this could be seriously dangerous without supervision. We will ask that his family make provisions to ensure his safety around the home. Keeping the home uncluttered, with consistent placement of furniture’s so he can map and baby gates in place where needed.
Diesel may not realise that there are any young children in the home, and he may knock them over if he doesn’t see or hear them. Young children must be supervised.
Children must understand that bulldogs need time to settle in and have space to rest peacefully and uninterrupted.
Additional information:
We want so desperately for Diesel to live out his days surrounded by people who love him and just want to make him happy. A family that can shower him in affection and adore him for the gentle sweet giant that he is. We can’t say how long he has but quality will always be more important than quantity. Could you give this wonderful Grandpa the retirement home he so desperately needs? That he earnt? That he deserves?
Diesel’s story below,
Long post …
Just when you think you have dealt with the lowest of the low …. You just get taken down to another level..!!
You will struggle with this … we have struggled with this…
Please can we welcome #Diesel back into our Springboard family.
Diesel was adopted by his foster family in September 2018 BUT today AT THE AGE OF 14 YEARS & 4 MONTHS …Diesel has lost his family because they have not been able to make provision for him… READ ON!!!
Yes, we will always provide Rescue Back Up for life for our dogs BUT this dog has come back to us ONLY because one of the Trustees saw the owner trying to get rid of him on a Social Media site. She obviously made contact straight away to find out why one of our dogs was being given away, only to be met with hostility from the owner which we assume was because he had been found out..!
So, let’s get this straight right here … none of this is Diesel’s fault, he has done nothing wrong.
The Family are separating and after 5½ years of living in his “forever home” rather than keep their dog they decide to put him out there on social media…. And don’t forget Diesel is 14 YEARS AND 4 MONTHS OLD….
We are horrified and heartbroken that this beautiful old boy has had to go through this trauma …. it has absolutely made our blood boil that the owner was prepared to give him away and to make things worse, he needs to see a vet because he has an eye condition that has been left untreated for 4 YEARS rendering him almost blind…. How cruel is that??
And he has come into foster with nothing but a collar and lead – that is the level of love his humans had for him, no bed, no blankets, bowls, food, toys….. can you tell just how angry we are??….. we are totally disgusted, fuming and heartbroken for this boy.
Diesel was collected today by Georgia who will foster him in the Midlands, and even more heart-breaking is just how trusting and friendly he is even having gone through this upheaval.
He is just a genuine boy with a heart as big as the moon who just wants to be loved and please. But this is a massive change for him so Georgia will keep a very close eye on him as he is disorientated in a new place because of his lack of sight.
Obviously, Diesel will have a vet check early next week and we will start appropriate treatment because whatever happens…. his final months, however long that will be, will 100% be filled with good food, a warm bed, comfort, company, and love.
We are having a fundraiser for a boy who should have had everything, but has come to us with nothing, and we hope his former owners hang their heads in shame if they are brave enough to read this post…. !!!!
If you want to gift anything to Diesel, please feel free to message us.
Previous information.
Diesel was being advertised online as his owner couldn’t give him the attention he needed. He was living outside, desperate for love and attention and in a sorry state. Diesel has a painful ear infection at the moment and he was also suffering from fly strike where he’d been living outside.
Name: Diesel
Age: 7 Years
Weight: 23kg
Current Location: Northampton
Neutered: Not Yet
Things to be Aware of: Diesel is going to need veterinary treatment, lots of TLC and a full assessment before he is ready for rehoming. Please keep an eye on the website and his details will be updated when we know more about his needs.
The Ideal Family: Dogs like Diesel need our help, if you feel you’d like to donate towards his care then please donate through Paypal: paypal.me/gbspringboard