Four years ago, Joanna achieved her goal by rescuing a hedgehog who was caged with another male hedgehog. It’s common for male hedgehogs to fight if kept together. The hedgehog she rescued, Banjan, required medical assistance because he had lost an ear due to a fight with his previous owner and was infested with fleas and mites.
Joanna and Rory discovered their passion for rescuing animals after nursing one back to health. Their dedication has helped support several local rescue organizations such as Animal Rescue in Doolittle and Freshfield Animal Rescue in the UK. The couple also took in a variety of unwanted pets, including birds, ducks, cats, and dogs, despite making some grooming mistakes along the way!
The welfare of their pets is always a top priority for this couple, even during their travels to Bulgaria. While there, they made sure to bring dog food to feed the numerous stray dogs they came across. They even rescued one scrawny pup from a busy highway and brought him back to the UK with the help of a British foster family in Bulgaria, who collaborated with Doolittle’s Animal Rescue to ensure the dog’s good health. This lucky pooch, named Shook, is now living his best life and enjoying himself with his loving new family.
Although taking care of animals can be an incredibly fulfilling experience, it is not without its heartbreak. The latest addition to Joanna and Rory’s foster family has had a difficult start to life. They first heard about Migoi from a Bulgarian family and took in Shuck, who had been living on the streets, nursing him back to health. Migoi was just a puppy when he was subjected to unspeakable cruelty. Forced to be a “watchdog” in freezing conditions, he was chained up with a short leash. By the time he was rescued, he had been starved and physically abused by his cruel owner, resulting in stunted growth, loss of vision and hearing.
Maxime is currently taking care of Migoi, a blind dog who was supposed to be adopted by a family in the United Kingdom, but they had a change of heart and abandoned him because they found him “too ugly.” Fortunately, Joanna and Rory stepped in and offered to foster him. Despite the challenges of caring for a blind dog, they were determined to provide him with the affection and care he deserved. Unlike other dogs who are wary of humans due to past traumatic experiences, Migoi is affectionate and ready to receive love from anyone. According to Joanna, he is the sweetest dog and has already won over their hearts.
Joanna and Rory put in a lot of effort to make Migoi feel comfortable while he navigated through their home without sight. Despite the challenges, they managed to keep him secure and even got him the necessary medical help. However, they faced some unanticipated obstacles that left them feeling uncertain about how to proceed. Luckily, one of their relatives stepped up to provide assistance.
Whenever we took Migoi to the vet, we made sure to bring Shuck along, too. Shuck had grown quite attached to Migoi, and his calming presence helped make the vet visits less stressful for our furry friend. Migoi is such an important part of our family that we could never imagine abandoning him. We’re hoping that the medical procedure he’s undergoing will be successful and restore sight to one of his eyes, which will undoubtedly boost his confidence. When he’s feeling up to it, we plan on taking him and Shuck on a backpacking trip to Europe. There’s no doubt that Migoi will always have a special place in our hearts.
As his caretakers, we are firm believers that Migoi deserves to live a life like any other dog – one that is full of adventure and playtime with his furry friends. All he needs is to boost his confidence and learn how to overcome obstacles. We do not want his blindness to hinder him in any way, just as it should not hold back any other dog. If Migoi can enjoy life without limitations, any dog can too. However, ensuring his safety requires a bit more effort and care, but it is our duty as his parents to provide him with the necessary protection and love.
Our child has made significant progress in a short span of time, but there’s still a long journey ahead of him. We’ll continue to support him every step of the way.