Most people who walk through the doors of Dogs Trust Darlington comment that if they could, they would adopt all the canine residents at the rehoming centre. One woman has taken this one step further by adopting four overlooked dogs; all with interesting stories to tell.
Sharon Boult from the Stockton area is a Training & Behaviour Advisor at Dogs Trust Darlington who helps canine residents with their training and development but considers this a passion more than a job. 2017 is Sharon’s 10th anniversary working at Dogs Trust, and in that time she has adopted four dogs, all different shapes, sizes and personalities.
Her first dog was a 12-year old Foxhound named Cinder, who she adopted in 2007. Cinder had been a resident at Dogs Trust and was unable to find a loving home. Sharon spent six months helping Cinder to adjust in a family environment and has since become the matriarch of her family.
In 2009 Sharon adopted Raffa, a blind Labrador, who had also become a resident at Dogs Trust due to typical puppy behaviour. Raffa, who is now eight years old, is a perfect example of your classic Labrador who loves everyone.
Her next addition to the family was Kiki, a three-year old Shih Tzu who suffered from Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS) and required an operation to improve her breathing. Sharon and her daughter Ellie helped nurse Kiki back to health and she is a happy dog who has completed her puppy training.
The latest member of the family is a four-year-old Border Collie named Fudge who was an overlooked resident at Dogs Trust for a long time. Sharon initially fostered him for nine months on Dogs Trust’s Home from Home scheme. He gradually came out of his shell and has been given a new lease of life.
Sharon also has another Border Collie named Victoria and a cat named Darcy, who all get on well as part of their extended family.
Sharon said: “Adopting and fostering is a very fulfilling experience and one that I would definitely recommend. It is of course at times challenging but seeing dogs becoming part of my family is exceptionally rewarding.
“I still continue to help dogs through the Home from Home foster scheme and my pets absolutely love having more company around the house. This is really beneficial for the dogs being fostered too as we want them to be as comfortable as possible while they wait to be adopted.”
If you are interested in adopting or fostering a dog, please contact Dogs Trust Darlington on 0300 303 0292 or visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/our-centres/darlington
