Visually impaired Roy relies on Bess and the two are best of friends
A border collie who is losing his sight is looking for a new home with his best friend - who acts as his guide dog.
Nine-year-old border collies Bess and Roy are the best of friends and arrived at the RSPCA’s Westmorland branch, in Cumbria, on 7 November.
They were rescued by an RSPCA inspector who found them tied up in the woods in the South Lakeland area. It’s believed they’d previously been working collies on a farm but had been abandoned when their owner could no longer take care of them.
RSPCA Westmorland branch manager Christine Lowe said: “The most important thing for this pair is that they are rehomed together. They’re extremely close and Roy relies heavily on Bess.
“Roy is blind in one eye and has seriously impaired vision in the other so he relies on Bess in many ways, she’s essentially his doggy guide dog!
“They are both lovely, friendly, happy dogs who deserve a home where they’ll get all of the affection they crave as they come into their senior years.”
Bess and Roy are up for adopting under the branch’s elderly animal rehoming scheme - or EARS - which means anyone who takes them on will receive ongoing financial assistance with their veterinary needs.
They are both happy being left home alone for short periods of time and know some basic commands such as ‘sit’. They’d be best suited in a home with no cats but would be happy living with a family with older children.
Christine added: “We believe they’ve never lived in a domestic environment and are not house-trained and have lived outside most of their lives so we’re looking for new owners who are prepared to work with them or who have suitable outside accommodation for them.
“They need a home where they can live out their days in comfort with someone who understands their unique needs.
To find out more about Bess and Roy please visit their online profile or contact the branch on rspcawestmorland.dogs@btconnect.com or 07584 571398.
Help the RSPCA this winter
It costs around £670,000 to run an RSPCA centre for a year. You can make a generous donation to Stock the Sleigh and help animals in our care:
• £7 could keep an animal warm with a soft and cosy blanket
• £15 could give the gift of comfort - a warm blanket, treats and toys
• £25 could give the gift of safety - to help answer a phone call, provide a safe bed and food
• £40 could give the gift of care - providing essential veterinary care and medicines
This winter, the RSPCA expects to take in more than 10,000 animals in need. To help us deliver vital supplies to thousands of abused, neglected and abandoned animals left out in the cold this Christmas, visit www.rspca.org.uk/giftofkindness and watch your virtual gifts fill up our sleigh. To donate directly to RSPCA Westmorland and help them care for more animals like Bess and Roy this Christmas, visit https://www.rspca-westmorland.org.uk/fundraising/.