DANNY	ISABELLE	JIM	PERRY	KIMBA	KELLY	SAMMY	POPPY	JUMBLE
LORRAINE	SANDIE	RITA	VANESSA	PAM	ROSA	IAN	DAVID	ANNE

Much to our delight Jim and Rita Turner were able to lead our Parade of Rescues from 2005 again but this year they were accompanied by Perry and Vanessa Leon. Both dogs, together with dear old Darcy and a small black dog, were the first dogs brought over by the newly formed Irish Retriever Rescue UK group at the end of 2004.

JIM TURNER

Jim is now about 6 or 7yrs old. This lovely Labrador came over with Darcy, Perry and a little black terrier on the boat to Holyhead on 27th December 2004 and went to live with Rita and Fred in Southampton. He was given the name Jim as he was destined to live with Rosie, a black Labrador, so it was quite fitting that he arrived on a boat, having been named after a puppet character that lived on a barge.

PERRY LEON   (winner of the 2009 Shannon Memorial Award)

PERRY was found roaming around Cork and he was absolutely petrified of everything and everyone. When he arrived at Sandie's, he was a quivering wreck and had to be carried in through the door and, even with the help of her dogs, there was still a long way to go for him.

Vanessa says. "It has been a long but rewarding road. Perry now plays and loves life like any other normal dog, although when out of his comfort zone he can return to what I term as his RSPCA demeanour. It just shows that they never fully forget the trauma.
 
He has so much love to give and becomes beside himself with excitement. Joey has been a wonderful 'older brother' to him and shows him the way to conquer all fears. He has a lovely coat, bright eyes and a great zest for life and is a shining example that even the worst cases can be helped to lead a normal, happy life." 
 

SANDIE BISSETT is our founder and Co-ordinator

Sandie has rescued golden retrievers from Ireland for over 13 years and has never been known to refuse help to a retriever in trouble. She will drive the length and breadth of Eire to save one and she fosters many dogs in her own home before they make the long journey to the UK. Recently, many of those dogs have needed complicated operations and much veterinary treatment but she is always there with care and compassion and TLC in spades for all her charges.

A small group of us got together in January 2005 to try to help Sandie with what we thought would be a few dogs in distress(little did we knok the scale of the problem) and that is how Irish Retriever Rescue was born. Although we concentrate on distressed Golden Retrievers, we also often help Retriever Crosses and Labradors.

So many beautiful dogs have been saved. Ireland’s loss is definitely England’s gain.

Apart from the Golden Retriever girls that have been hers since they were puppies, Sandie also has 5 rescue dogs Barkley, Jessica, Monty, Molly and Isabelle, 4 of whom she was able to bring with her this time to the Reunion.

ISABELLE BISSETT

 Isabelle, a Dachshund, was found roaming the streets with her pup and was taken to Ashton Pound.  Her pup found a good home and Sandie put her name on Isabelle as soon as she saw her beautiful face.  She's a larger than life character and certainly knocks all the retrievers into shape, especially all the rescues who stay within Sandie’s home. Recently, Isabelle had to have an eye removed but she remains as jaunty as ever, bless her.

Sandie says “Isabelle and I have loved each other for 7 years.” 

  LORRAINE CANNON is our UK Co-ordinator

Lorraine heads the team on this side of the Irish Sea with calm efficiency and great compassion. She  is responsible for finding the very best homes for the Golden Retrievers who come to us. This often involves lengthy conversations with prospective adopters but she is very thorough and  takes her time to get it right which is why she has an excellent track record for perfect matches.

Despite being the youngest member of our team, she has a very wise head on her young shoulders (often keeping the over-enthusiastic oldies in check) and she always remains dedicated even whilst coping wither own personal problems. 

DANNY JEFFEREY

Danny was taken into the Parade by Lorraine.

He is now about 11yrs old and is owned by Pauline and Steve who failed as his fosterers and adopted him themselves. He is a wonderful dog who was very, very sad when he first arrived but he is absolutely brilliant with all the foster dogs that they have passing through as he understands doggy body language so well and he is always there to help the more nervous ones to settle . He is always the first dog they introduce to any newbies when they arrive.

Danny was a stray who ended up in the pound and, unbelievably, this lovely, gentle, well bred golden retriever was never claimed. As he was clearly once well loved and knew many commands when he arrived, we suspect his owner may have died and the other family members did not want him, which is a very common story.

SAMMY JONES

Sammy is a GSD cross who Sandie couldn't resist and she went out on a limb to help him. He came to the UK and was adopted by Ian & Lynne shortly afterwards.  

Sam had a lot of behavioural problems because of his abusive past but, with the help of flower essences and modern gentle training methods, he has now become a model citizen. He was awarded his Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze Award at last year’s Reunion with Ian and regularly does obedience and agility for fun with him whilst Lynne teaches him a few heelwork to music moves. 

He lives with Jilly May (a rescue Bernese Mountain Dog) and another IRR rescue Lola, a Golden Retriever. 

KELLY ELLIS

Kelly, who was 4yrs in May, is owned and loved by Rosa who, following Kelly’s successful adoption, decided she would like to help others by fostering for us. Kelly was one of 8 dogs who we were asked to help at a moment’s notice following an ISPCA raid on a puppy farm.

Kelly (originally Kerry) was renamed after her mother Kelly who came to England in a dreadful state. They were both in foster together with little brother, Bouncer, at Joy’s house where they  were carefully and gently socialised  and were all were nursed back to good health

The other dogs were Aine, who needed tremendous amount of love and care from her fosterer, and her slightly older puppies, Ciara and Shannon, who were in a very poor state too. There was also another bitch called Lily and the stud dog, Rooney. Happily, all 8 dogs are healthy, happy and in wonderful forever homes now.  

 JUMBLE JONES 

Jumble, is almost 4yrs old and is a golden retriever X who lives in Abingdon with his family Anne, Alan and Alistair. Originally called Teddy, Jumble was the first born of our first litter of surprise puppies. Sadly, his brothers, Rory and Rupert, were unable to come this year as was his mum, Alice, who gave birth, prematurely, to the 3 pups the day after she arrived in England. His Aunty Lisa still lives happily in London but sadly, last year, Carrie, who we suspect was his grandma, went to Rainbow Bridge. Alice, Lisa and Carrie came into our care after an ISPCA raid was carried out on a puppy farm and Sandie was again asked to help.

 Anne says he is a very special dog with his one blue and one brown eye. Sadly, Jumble has been diagnosed with Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and his knees are crumbling so, really, he should not be able to walk but he, clearly, doesn’t realise that. When you see him running round the garden with Finn (who has a bad heart) or when he is leaping up at exciting things,   it is hard to believe about his bad joints. Jumble has regular hydrotherapy, which tremendously helped his joints

He has a special friend, Finn, a 3yr old Jack Russell cross, who came from Many Tears and they spend many hours playing together. Both Jumble and Finn are very much loved members of the family as are the ever increasing numbers of livestock in the garden, which include chickens and guinea pigs.

POPPY BROWN

We were really thrilled this year to meet up again with Poppy Brown and her dad, David. Poppy came over with Alice and co: and she was absolutely brilliant at reassuring them and she really helped us to coak the terrified dogs to come out of Colin’s van. She was fostered with Julie and Ken where she proved to be a sweetheart and she very quickly went to her forever home with David where she is very happy. She is clearly a very well behaved young lady as she went on to win class one of the obedience today. 

KIMBA MORRIS

Kimba was used as a brood bitch from a very young age and was handed over to Sandie with her 10mth old son, Toby, when she stopped having seasons. Her male owner had accidentally run over one of his other bitches and said he wished it had been her instead. She came over at the same time as Ricky and Molly on a cold and snowy day in 2005 and was fostered by Pam Morris who fell in love with her and adopted her. She used to be terrified of men but she had a new friend, Casey, to help her to rehabilitate. Sadly, Casey has now gone to the Bridge as has Silver who always used to walk round with Kimba in the parade.

She is now 7yrs and has had a few health issues this year but with Pam's healing skills and a great holistic vet (Nick Thompson) she is doing really well again.  Pam says “When we first had her she would pitch into a male dog if they came to close. Now she is a happy, sociable little golden who is the apple of my husbands eye (and mine), she has the biggest wrinkly faced smile you ever did see.”

 A few old favourites were missing from the 2005 Parade this year:- 

ALICE HOUGHTON. One of our favourite Sponsor Dogs was really missed but poor Brenda is recovering from a leg injury. 

RUPERT and RORY HOPPITT. Hopefully, they will be able to make it again next year.

 BOUNCER WARD. It was sad not to see dear Bouncer but it was his mum and dad's Silver Wedding Anniversary (congratulations) which they spent in Germany.  

JAKE & ELMO KOSSAKOWSKI. Two old favourites were missing due to their owners’ work commitments.   

 Some of the people who have fostered, transported dogs and done homechecks etc for us were unable to come to the Reunion this year for various reasons but we are extremely grateful to them and hope that they, and more of our doggy successes, will all be able to come to our 2010 Reunion which will be at the same venue. We then remembered all the dogs who are no longer with us.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF THESE VERY SPECIAL IRR DOGS  

HONEYBEE NUGGET  SILVER BOY PUDSEYJOSHIE

TOBY CASSIE  CHLOE CONAN  FREDDIE

AND NOT FORGETTING OUR NON IRR FRIENDS  

        DUKEEMMA GWINNIE           

JENNY LADY OLLIE

His Journey's Just Begun  By Ellen Brenneman

   Don't think of him as gone away--his journey's just begun
   life holds so many facets this earth is only one.
  Just think of him as resting from the sorrows and the tears
      in a place of warmth and comfort where there are no days and years.
    Think how he must be wishing that we could know today
     how nothing but our sadness can really pass away.
    And think of him as living in the hearts of those he touched...
   for nothing loved is ever lost--and he was loved so much.

  God Saw You

God saw you getting tired,
And a cure was not to be,
   So He put his arms around you
    and whispered ,"Come with Me"

        With tearful eyes, we watched you suffer
   and saw you fade away.
        Although we could not bear to lose you,
       We could not bid you to stay.

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©2008 Irish Retriever Rescue UK