Lara – 2 year old female Cross-Breed

Lara is a small to medium-sized female crossbreed aged around two years old.

Lara fostered Norwich, Norfolk.

We initially met Lara on a trip to the Botosani public shelter in March 2023. She had a skin condition caused by a poor diet and looked terrible. She arrived here a few weeks later and looked even worse.

She was terrified of us for quite some time but gradually her skin condition healed and she grew more confident around us.

Sadly the damage left by the skin condition has left her scarred but it causes her no discomfort and requires no further treatment. Of course, it is noticeable and people do ask about her appearance but this just provides an opportunity to educate people on the poor conditions that she originated from.

Lara is still quite hand-shy with humans but she is continually progressing in this area and this process can be speeded up in a more one-to-one environment. She is loving her walks now and this too is improving her confidence. Lara will need another dog as a companion in her new home and has lived happily with cats. She can live with respectful children aged twelve plus.

Lara is still a work in progress, she probably suffered tremendously in her early life and she will continue to flourish in the weeks and months ahead. She will not be an overnight cuddle companion but has huge potential to be a wonderful family member if time and love are invested in her.

When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead. This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog. If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness).

It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period.

Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and in situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night). Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a backup safety measure.

The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool. Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging. If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm.

Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted. Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer.

Retractable/extendable leads must never be used on our dogs.

Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a crate.

Fences and gates must be 5 feet minimum in height and secure.