A happy ending for long-term resident Maz

A heartwarming happy ending for Maz, the Alapaha blue blood bulldog, who has found a new home after a long stay in Northumberland Dog Rescue's kennels.

We've been celebrating this week as one of our long-term residents Maz was adopted. Maz, the Alapaha blue blood bulldog, came into us at six months old. She had been picked up as a stray and was very nervous. As this wasn't a breed we had dealt with before we started researching the breed.

With the face of a boxer dog and the body of a bully she was an interesting looking dog. She was very stressed in kennels, giving her a very delicate stomach so we had to put her on special food. She was also highly reactive in her kennel so we had to move her to a quiet kennel where she wouldn't become stressed with passing dogs. Over two years, poor Maz waited in her kennel while many other dogs arrived and then went off to their new homes but the appropriate match for Maz just wasn't happening.

Maz had her key worker and volunteer buddy who both learned what a sweetie Maz was and worked hard on building her confidence and working on her reactivity. Finally, the application we had been waiting for came forward in a more rural area of our region, no other pets and working from home so Maz would get the company she craved.

After a couple of meets, once Maz had overcome her shyness, it became very obvious they were made for each other. Now, whenever we do a video call with Maz's new owner it's to see Maz sprawled across the sofa like she's been there her whole life. At NDR, we believe the right owner is out there for every dog we just need to find them. We love a happy ending.

This is the weekly column in the Northumberland Gazette and sister papers by the Northumberland Dog Rescue. The charity rehomes dogs to residents between Newcastle and Berwick. Visit its website https://www.northumberlandogrescue.co.uk/ or email [email protected]