Rosy O’Neill
ROSY IS RE-UNITED WITH LUCE (28.11.2023)
A distraught Ian has told us “On Tuesday evening at 6.10 our beautiful Rosy drifted peacefully into her final sleep. Carole and I had hoped that the thyroid meds were the key to her recovery but, unfortunately, events took a turn for the worse on Tuesday.
Carole noticed her breathing was very laboured in the afternoon so we got her over to the vets as an emergency. Because her condition was rapidly deteriorating, they x-rayed her chest and found a tumour around her heart which was seriously restricting her breathing. Surgery wasn’t an option so we had no other choice than to say goodbye to our beautiful girl. At this moment we are both in shock. Events ran away from us and our darling girl was just too ill to continue.
We have had the most wonderful 3 and a half years with this beautiful girl. She was just the most gentle soul and shared her love with everyone she met. Despite the cruelty of her first 10 years she never ever lost her faith in humans.
I wrote the following letter to her when she arrived in our house in June 2020:-
Dear Rosy,
The moment I first saw your picture back on the IRR Dogs for Adoption site in March 2020, I knew you were destined for us. You had a look in your eye that called out to us. Covid meant it was a further 3 months before you found your way to us on June 13th 2020. We knew then you were our girl.
We make this vow to you. It is a vow from our hearts and goes to the very core of who we are:-
1. You will never again be left on your own or tied up in a cold shed.
2. Our love for you is a constant. You have it for now and forever.
3. When you need comfort we will be there.
4. When you are afraid we will hold you.
5. When you are ill you will get the treatment you need.
6. When you are happy our joy will be yours.
7. When you are sad our arms will comfort you.
8. And when the time comes for us to say our goodbyes, you will feel the loving embrace of our arms holding you, hear our soft voices comforting you and taste our grieving tears as they fall on you.
9. Know that our love is eternal and that when our time comes we will all be reunited.
Your mummy and daddy xxx
I hope we fulfilled these promises darling Rosy”.
Rosy O’Neill 24th April 2010 – 28th November 2023
History
ROSY’S STORY (written 14.7.2023)
Ian tells us “In March 2020, the first lockdown had been announced. We were very scared but everyone was scared. So, together with Carole, Lucy and Henry, our little family prepared ourselves for whatever was coming.
Then, one day, Carole was browsing on her phone and said to me ‘have a look at this photo on IRR Dogs for Adoption.’ I had a look. ‘That’s our Luce,’ I said. Then I read her bio. Her name was Rosy and she was born April 2010 in Dublin, the same time and place as Luce. We were sure they were sisters.
I messaged Lorraine and asked her about Rosy. She’d only just been given up by her owner. She’d been used as a breeding bitch on a puppy farm and had at least six litters. She was in a bit of a state when IRR got her but, with Kathryn and Cathleen’s loving care, she’d been cleaned up and looked lovely.
I told Lorraine that Carole and I were certain she was Lucy’s sister and would like to put our names down for adopting her. She was happy to do so but warned me that all transportations from Ireland had been stopped due to the pandemic. So we had to be patient. I sent Lorraine the occasional message to see how things were going. She sent me some photos and our anticipation was building in hoping this lovely girl would be joining our family.
Then in early June, Lorraine messaged me. Rosy was coming across from Dublin on June 4th and she was ours if we still wanted her. June 4th was my birthday and she was the best present ever.
She was being fostered and assessed in North Somerset. Paula, the adoption coordinator, rang me to ask me a few questions about our family and a few days later she gave me the contact details for Shona and Pip who were the foster parents in North Somerset. I spoke with Shona on the phone and we arranged to meet Rosy on the 13th June. We drove up to North Somerset full of anticipation.
When we arrived we found Rosy asleep in their garden. We were greeted by their lovely Spaniel, Saffy, and her waggy tail!
Rosy was lovely. She was very calm and very affectionate. We took her for a short walk and then she jumped in the back seat of our car with Carole for the short drive back home. She was mobbed by Henry and Lucy when she walked into our house but she took it all in her stride. We fed her and she dived into her food. She was definitely Lucy’s sister!
Over the following days, she and Luce had a couple of spats but once they sorted out their relationship they got along fine. Most of the play revolved around Henry but it was lovely to see.
They became the Somerset Retrievers and went everywhere with us.
Rosy loves a walk, but not too far. She trots along at her own pace and is really contented.
I took her to the vet for a quick check over and he discovered lumps on two of her mammary glands. They were both removed and I’m glad to say were both benign. That was the last time Rosy was at the vet for anything other than her annual health check. And long may that be so.
Three years on and, I’m happy to tell you, she is still very happy and healthy. Together with her brother Henry, she is carrying us through our grief at losing Lucy.
I was reminded by a friend the other day that after we lost Murphy I said we would stick with two dogs then, six months later, we adopted Rosy. And Carole and I are so glad we did!”
HISTORY
Rosy is a 10-year-old Golden Retriever bitch who came to IRR in a really dreadful state but who knew she was destined to, very soon, fall on all four paws and have a wonderful life for the rest of her years.
