Kildare Rescue Tails: Blind dog Stevie needs a home 

WE have had a very special boy at our shelter for the past while and are finding it difficult to get him a new home.

The reason, you see, is his blindness. Aptly named, Stevie Wonder is a 5-year-old Collie who is the sweetest boy, but is tormented by all the busyness of the animal shelter.

Sudden noise understandably scares him, and strange dogs passing by his kennel or outdoor run constantly upset him.

Even though he has a quiet room in our house for nighttime, where he doesn’t have to endure the sounds, smells and movements of the other dogs, he doesn’t like this long 14-hour period of isolation from his humans and is fretful when being moved here in the evening.

He needs to live in a home where he can feel secure and protected at all times.

Stevie has spent some time in a foster home, but the sounds from a nearby motorway and railway line didn’t suit him. He also needs to be in a home without other dogs that might invade his personal space too much. Perhaps a home with an older, quiet dog who would know to keep its distance would work for him, though.

Stevie loves human interaction and is always welcoming to our shelter volunteers, who are aware of his special needs and who always talk to him when approaching or taking him for his walks.

His blindness doesn’t affect his walking once we avoid gates, and we find that he actually loves these walks where he can immerse in nature.

He knows all his routes at this stage, and we often use a long training lead to allow Stevie to move more freely in the fields or lanes.

The KWWSPCA will look after Stevie for as long as necessary but, for his sake, the sooner he gets a home, the better. Although he is in good health, we are quite open to finding a permanent foster home instead of an adoption if this is the only solution for him.

If you live in a quiet, rural home with no small children, and would love a faithful companion and are prepared to facilitate a blind dog, then Stevie might just be the one for you.

Please call us on our helpline 087 6887136 if you would like to discuss or complete the online application form on our website.

The KWWSPCA is a registered charity no. CHY 6280 and can be contacted at kwwspca@gmail.com. All our details can be found at www.kwwspca.ie.