New Opportunity Finally Comes for Senior, Visually Impaired Dog

Aanifeira has several visually impaired dogs and it is not always easy for them to live in a shelter with other dogs.  We try to ensure that total harmony prevails during their lives here with us and this often means placing them with either other visually impaired dogs or senior and calm dogs.  It is always our greatest wish to have them adopted or fostered out to families where they can receive the special love, care and understanding that they so much need.

Tuka is one of these special needs dogs.  She has been in the shelter for many years, blind from the time she came in and now a senior girl.  It would be always be sad to walk past her box and see her just slowly walking around her kennel area or lying in her bed with her other companions.

In April of this year, we received, through our Aanifeira Volunteer Internship Program, a qualified vet from Holland called Mascha.  Mascha was experienced with large animals and came to Aanifeira to work alongside our vets with the hope of attaining experience with small companion animals.  During her three week stay with us, Mascha enjoyed all facets of her work with the dogs and cats but one animal touched her heart and she decided that she was the one who could make a life changing difference for this animal.  Her solution was that as she lived on a farm with other animals, she would be able to give Tuka the freedom and special care that this little dog so badly needed.

Upon her arrival back in Holland, Mascha made all the arrangements for Tuka’s travel and our volunteer Animal Care intern Christa, also from Holland, would take her back in the plane with her at the close of her internship with us.  All the paperwork preparations were made and Christa spruced-up Tuka the day before in readiness for the trip the next day.  Last Thursday, Victor took Tuka and Christa to Porto airport to catch their flight to Brussels where Mascha was waiting for them both.

All went beautifully as planned and today Tuka is enjoying her new farm life, has met her new companions and Mascha confirmed that she loved her first day just wandering slowly around taking in all her new surroundings.  Our sincerest thanks go out to Mascha for adopting our Tuka and to Christa for escorting her over, we are eternally grateful!