Meet one of Britain’s oldest dogs - a 20-year-old terrier
Meet one of Britain’s oldest dogs - a 20-year-old terrier
Meet one of Britain's oldest dogs - a 20-year-old terrier rescued from cruel owners who threatened to drown her puppies.Terrier-cross Ellie belonged to irresponsible owners who allowed her to become pregnant without a thought for her welfare.In 2001, help arrived from the Scottish SPCA which launched an intervention and took Ellie, her puppies, and her sister, out of the hands of the people who owned her.The heartless owners had contacted the animal welfare charity threatening to throw the litter of newborn puppies into a canal unless they were collected.Ellie, aged one year old, was taken to the Scottish SPCA centre in Balerno, Edinburgh - and she captured the heart of assistant manager Kenny Sharpe.Kenny, 44, and wife Karen, 39, adopted Ellie in 2002 and attribute her long life to mountain hikes and walks along the coast.Ellie is now beginning to lose her teeth, but her doting owners, from Temple, Midlothian, take her for regular check ups at the vet.Kenny said: "Ellie came from a household where there were too many animals - they just kept on having puppies."The owners contacted the SPCA threatening to throw them into a canal if we didn't come and get them."She was protective of her puppies but when she wasn't near them she was lovely."Ellie shares her home with two huskies and two cats, and is taken good care of by Kenny and Karen, a professional dog walker.Kenny, who has worked at the rescue centre for 18 years, added: "She comes to work with me and comes on holiday with me as well."She's been up a few hills, including five or six munros, but she loves the beach."She's been a healthy dog but is a bit incontinent now."She's lost a few teeth through age but apart from that she's been healthy."She still loves her chicken and beef. "She does like more softer foods now she's lost teeth."
Meet one of Britain's oldest dogs - a 20-year-old terrier rescued from cruel owners who threatened to drown her puppies.Terrier-cross Ellie belonged to irresponsible owners who allowed her to become pregnant without a thought for her welfare.In 2001, help arrived from the Scottish SPCA which launched an intervention and took Ellie, her puppies, and her sister, out of the hands of the people who owned her.The heartless owners had contacted the animal welfare charity threatening to throw the litter of newborn puppies into a canal unless they were collected.Ellie, aged one year old, was taken to the Scottish SPCA centre in Balerno, Edinburgh - and she captured the heart of assistant manager Kenny Sharpe.Kenny, 44, and wife Karen, 39, adopted Ellie in 2002 and attribute her long life to mountain hikes and walks along the coast.Ellie is now beginning to lose her teeth, but her doting owners, from Temple, Midlothian, take her for regular check ups at the vet.Kenny said: "Ellie came from a household where there were too many animals - they just kept on having puppies."The owners contacted the SPCA threatening to throw them into a canal if we didn't come and get them."She was protective of her puppies but when she wasn't near them she was lovely."Ellie shares her home with two huskies and two cats, and is taken good care of by Kenny and Karen, a professional dog walker.Kenny, who has worked at the rescue centre for 18 years, added: "She comes to work with me and comes on holiday with me as well."She's been up a few hills, including five or six munros, but she loves the beach."She's been a healthy dog but is a bit incontinent now."She's lost a few teeth through age but apart from that she's been healthy."She still loves her chicken and beef.
"She does like more softer foods now she's lost teeth."
