For the past few years a walk has taken place in memory of one of Cheltenham Animal Shelter’s ex-residents. The walk has been organised each year by the owners of Rufus. Written by his adopters, please read the reasons behind the walk and hopefully if you are available on the 22nd April you will join us! Please be warned that this is a sad story but it is so truly amazing that such good can come from this tragedy.

RUFUS
R.I.P OUR LOVELY BOY  
13.01.10

We don’t know much about your past before we got you Rufus, apart from you were found near flats at Princess Elizabeth Way in Cheltenham and by what we were told you were a very sorry state and your previous owners didn’t want you back (they must have been mad!) You ended up at Cheltenham Animal Shelter where they cared for you so well and made you better.

We found out that you were at the Shelter and came to see you on Saturday the 4th April 2009. At the time Holly (your doggie sister) had had some lumps removed and had some nasty stitches so although we said we would have you, we had to wait a bit as you had to meet her and we didn’t want her stitches to come out.  Holly had some stitches out on 8th April but not all the stitches, in this time I kept in contact with CAS to let them know what was going on and we really wanted to get you home.

On 9th April we brought Holly to meet you at CAS, nothing to report really, you liked Holly but she was indifferent! But didn’t see any real hatred, so was it was all good. We found out that day we couldn’t have a home visit until Tuesday 14th April as it was Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, so we came to see you every day with Holly until the home visit – all we wanted was to get you to your new home but we had to wait for a bit.

Well Tuesday 14th April 2009 came and we were so excited, we both had time off work, we sorted out the bedroom a bit to make more space for a bed for you. You arrived here at 11.30am, it went well, Holly was a bit snappy with you but she was bound to be as she had been the only dog until now! At 2pm that day we came to get you and had quite an eventful afternoon. Daddy took you out and I took Holly out separately so we could get you used to us and your surroundings – you were very good off the lead (which wasn’t always the way as we found out later).  

Dinner time was interesting and Holly wasn’t happy at all but in all fairness she was doing very well really. Bedtime was also very interesting but we got you both settled eventually and you slept all night.

The next day I got scratched to bits and a new t-shirt ruined as Ernie (our youngest cat) took a disliking to you! That wasn’t to last, you were good pals after a few weeks, I still have the scars on my arm to prove it though!

So what followed is us all getting to know you, such a lovely character but very head strong and demanding, you pushed us to the limit sometimes! We worried about leaving you at the beginning as you didn’t like being left but you got used to it in the end, I think Holly helped you with this. You loved going in the car, you loved your walks you loved food, you loved stealing food – half a cooked chicken, frozen bread, crisps, leftover takeaway .... never forget the crisps, every room in the house had empty crisp packets everywhere, even the big bag of chili heatwave crisps and not forgetting an advent calendar!  

You really loved cuddles and also getting into the bed, under the duvet and down by our feet! You didn’t jump up you always scrambled up, usually taking the duvet with you. We laughed one night so much at you as every time we switched on the light you were in a different position and the light would come on and you would stop, as if we couldn’t see you – so funny Rufus.

You were naughty sometimes, running in the bushes and not coming out and also people’s gardens but we still loved you so very much.  Then there was the times when you barked to get on the sofa as me, daddy and Holly were all on it, you always insisted on getting on our laps, we couldn’t breathe and there was no room but I’d give anything now for that to be so.  

All in all you were a good boy really and when you were asleep you were asleep, typical boy! You loved a cuddle with us and loved to cuddle up to Holly to – she let you in the end!  We took you on holiday in September 2009 to a cottage called the Pig Sty in Scurlage, Gower. Me, Daddy, Holly and you. Only for a few days but you had the most wonderful time, you loved the beach, you loved the sea and you both slept like babies from all the walking – we have some wonderful photos and memories of that holiday and so glad that you had that chance Rufus, you were so happy about everything. Christmas was also a very nice time, Me and daddy both had time off and you had lots of pressies and treats and wasn’t quite sure what to do at first, you soon picked it up from Holly! 

And so into 2010, we had snow, and you loved loved loved it, loved catching snowballs and running around in it – this is where your story gets hard for me but I have to keep going for you don’t I. I worked late on 13th January 2010, so Daddy took you out on a nice long walk with Holly.  We had had lots of snow and it was still very cold.  Around 4.30pm you disappeared at the gates of Tewkesbury Park Hotel, Daddy searched for you for about ¾ of an hour but no luck and he was forced to come and get me.  By this time it was getting dark – at the time I thought you couldn’t of gone too far but as the minutes ticked by we started to panic, we got your food bowl, I put it on facebook and within half an hour there were others that came to help us, it was dark now.  Val and her dog Ray, Julie and Nic, Teresa, Baz, and Grandad Terry. We searched for hours and there was nothing, we were paranoid about the pond but it was covered in ice and difficult to see anything and we thought that Daddy would have heard if you had gone in there.  I stayed up all night and went back every hour to call you; Holly came to but still nothing. I was so very upset.  

Well Thursday turned into a hunt and a massive operation to get the word out there that you were lost. Over the 3 weeks we contacted vets, farmers, we postered, you were in the paper and on website, you had your own website and page on facebook, we told dog wardens, dog walkers, HPR group, Weimaraner rescue, WCGB , Doglost, Missing Pets website, Alfies lost pets, Local police, local shops, schools and the list goes on.  I had lots of help from people that I had never met and our friends – we had organised searches for you too. It almost went countrywide I was so determined to find you but the whole time it was really strange that you hadn’t been seen, we thought you were probably having a whale of a time hunting rabbits and things, well we hoped that, but there was always a bit of a nagging doubt. We had some sightings but now know it wasn’t you Rufie. I did have some time off as I was getting tired, was working so hard to find you.  The support we had was immense and you have 1080 friends on your facebook page!!  

On Thursday 4th February I had a feeling I was going to find you the next day, I really don’t know why, but something made me think it, id like to believe it was you. I went to work as normal on Friday 5th February but left at 12 for lunch as Daddy had gone to work early and I wanted to take Holly out. We went over the back field (near to your favourite garden that I could never get you out of and had to come and get you!) and up the lane, something made me want to go to the pond near to where we lost you. I have no idea why. It was a beautiful sunny day. I had seen things in the water there a few days before but dismissed it as a branch. Today was so different, I could see your back and I could see your legs underneath the water, the sun made you more visible.  I wanted to be wrong, but deep down I knew I wasn’t.  

Luckily Grandma and Grandad were in Tewkesbury and came to me; I rang my friends in Environmental Health at work and asked for help. I still said to them it could be a tree, I really didn’t want it to be you Rufus. Paul went round to the other side of the pool and I followed with Kathryn. Paul asked Kathryn to get someone to take me home.  I felt like the world fell from underneath my feet and I remember sobbing, until I couldn’t breathe, I felt sick and angry and hurt and I don’t  know what else, Grandma and Grandad were sobbing to. Grandma brought Holly home and then took me home. Grandad stayed to see the preceding.  I rang Daddy and he sobbed down the phone, we then picked him up from work, me and Teresa.  I know they had to get a big hook thing to get you out and you were then taken to our vets in Upton.

You were assessed and your chip was checked not that there was much doubt but its procedure. By all accounts you were found with a stick in your mouth, I really hope this means you were still playing baby boy. As it had been cold your body had been very well preserved and we were able to come and see you and say our goodbyes.  It was a moving experience as you looked like you were fast asleep and you would just wake up at any moment – how I wish that could have been true as my heart was breaking. We decided to have you cremated individually. And we wrapped you in your blankie the very same blankie we wrapped you up in every night.  

We are so upset as I write this, but the hundreds of messages we received do give us some comfort. I believe you fell in and through the ice that night trying to get back to Daddy maybe – I have been told it would of been quick, I really hope you didn’t suffer, I can’t bear the thought of you suffering baby boy. I am so sorry that we weren’t there to save you, it all makes so much sense now but way too late for you and losing you will be with us forever. We will never forget you. We put a beautiful, colourful (like your personality) wreath on the pond, it was a lovely peaceful moment for all of us, Holly and Sharni to. I plan to be a Doglost coordinator to help others when they lose their dogs and hopefully get some back home, I’ll be called Rufus.  

Around the pond has been cleared up and a fence put up with ‘Deep Water’ signs going up soon, I am having a plaque made to put there in your memory. I also intend to raise money in your name for the CAS with some help from some of your many friends, and all of us lot including Holly, she misses you I’m sure. You were nearly 3 (in March) we believe. The things that make us smile the most and bring us to tears to are the way you would greet us with one lip up, like a crooked smile, your really stinky farts, your snoring, your very gentle kisses, (only allowed when you hadn’t eaten too much poo that day!) the way you waited for your dinner, sticking your nose up the cats bums and lifting them off the floor, your total joy for life when you were running around the fields, your love of baby soap and eating a whole bar, stealing food, dribbling when we were eating food, sleeping like baby and your big cuddles sat on our laps, eating sanitary towels, running up and throwing the ball at our feet with a thud, barking almost all the time (so quiet now, the silence kills me), the way you leapt for the ball, your tireless energy that kept you playing, catching rabbits and being very very proud of yourself and for just being a total and utter wonderful and happy dog – God how we miss you :o( 

RUN FREE AT RAINBOW BRIDGE RUFIE, WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO VERY MUCH BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE HERE IN OUR HEARTS UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.

We put a plaque on the fence by the pond in your memory and raised nearly £1000 for the animal shelter on a walk in your memory which I will now be doing every year 

Love you and miss you xxx