'In my darkest hour, I reached for a hand and found your paw'
When Nicola found Buddy, abandoned and broken, she vowed to do all she could to help save him. What she didn't know at the time was that this little dog would in turn save her.
Monday morning, 27th April 2009.
The sat nav told us we'd reached our destination. The rain was pelting down, the kind that feels as if buckets of water are being chucked at the windscreen.
I'll never forget that day. The horror, fear and the uncertainty of what was to come are still etched on my memory. But I didn't know that in that moment, somewhere off the M1 in a place that seemed as unnerving as it was eerie, I would find something so precious that would change my life forever.
That was the day I discovered my Buddy, abandoned in a crate, unable to move and so frail that he only had moments to live. He stopped me in my tracks, and without pausing to think I scooped him up and quickly ran from the scene. This was no place for people or animals.
Slowly, as I learned to take care of this broken little dog, I began to realise with each new day that as I was saving him, he too was helping to free me from my past.
This is the story of Buddy and me: a remarkable true story of survival, hope, and never giving up, no matter how hard life gets.
Purchase a copy on Amazon.
About the Author:
Nicola Owst is a busy working Mum. She was born and brought up in Leicestershire and lives with her husband Jon and toddler son Toby. Together they love the outdoors and exploring the countryside with their beloved rescue dogs Buddy and Susie. This is her first book. Follow their adventures on Facebook: Buddy Dog - The Rescue Staffy
Review:
This book caught my attention right from the cute doggy picture on the front cover to the book synopsis. I have rescued my Buddy (or as we call him Budrick) about 4 years ago and more recently we adopted our beautiful Lachinia. We also open a spot in our house and our hearts for one rescue foster dog at a time. This is something I feel so strongly about and can't stand watching poor puppies suffer at a humans hands. I wish I rescue more at a time.
This book really resonated with me. I have been lucky that the couple dogs we have adopted came to us as they were not wanted anymore but no harm physically was done to them (that we are aware of), mentally I am sure they have went through tremendous hurt. Nicola has a heart of gold picking Buddy up and not worrying what might happen to her when she left the property with him. Fighting for Buddy to make a full recovery from his horrendous start in life. The bond and love that Buddy and Nicola share through their story is so heartwarming. Nicola shares her personal struggles in life and the joys, along with all the dog shows Buddy took part in. I don't know a lot about Staffies but that they are in the "bad" dog rep. espescially in Ontario Canada as we are not allowed any kind of Pit bull/Staffordshire Terrier or even a dog that resembles them. Unfortunately there have been a few dogs over the years that I wanted to adopt but can't because of the ban. I don't believe these dogs are bad and that some where breed for the wrong reasons.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars as it was a heartwarming story of love, companionship and survival. I did find the author over used telling us that Staffies are not mean dogs and that they can be trusted. A couple mentions would have sufficed. Overall I did enjoy this book and hope all the best for Buddy and Nicola as they both have been through a lot.
~*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *~
