Wolfie’s Legacy, based in Flintshire, helps to rehabilitate and rehome ‘perfectly imperfect’ disabled dogs
Holly Willoughby was touched by the story of a disabled dog who was rehomed by a local charity.
Wolfie’s Legacy, based in Holywell, featured during a segment with Dr Scott Miller on This Morning.
The vet spoke to its founder Gill Daghistani about helping to rehome “perfectly imperfect” disabled dogs.
The charity was inspired by her own experience with rescue dog Wolfie, originally from Hungary, in 2013.
She’d agreed to temporarily look after him, at her home in Flintshire, whilst transport to a permanent home was being arranged – but his health issues meant he ended up cared for by Gill for the rest of his life.
Discussing her experience, she said: “I took him home and fell in love with him. Then [we] found out he had Degenerative Myelopathy. I decided to keep him and nurse him through the best life I could give him.”
Gill described his passing as “heartbreaking” but said that it left her realising that “there must be other dogs like Wolfie out there, that need help [and] that are just cast aside” due to their disabilities.
Wolfie’s Legacy became a registered charity in 2017. Since then Gill and her team have rehabilitated and rehomed more than 500 dogs, from all over the world, connecting them with loving families in the UK.
She commented: “These dogs have had such a bad start, they’ve suffered so much neglect and cruelty, to see that the British public are behind us, they want to adopt these dogs, that’s inspiring.”
The charity’s founder introduced Dr. Scott to four of the dogs she’s currently looking to rehome, including Nahar, from Saudi Arabia, who is a bilateral amputee – who we’ve previously reported about.
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The segment on This Morning yesterday saw the vet also visit retired solicitor Pamela Leadbetter, who had rehomed a disabled dog, called Faith, from Wolfie’s Legacy – which she said helped her through lockdown.
Pamela revealed that she’d previously suffered a mental breakdown and ended up in a psychiatric unit.
She explained that after eventually returning home she “didn’t go out of the house for years” because she felt anxious about social contact – though she eventually received more much-needed help.
Her son suggested that for additional support she should rehome a dog through Wolfie’s Legacy.
Sharing her initial thoughts, she said: “When I saw the pictures of the dogs that had special needs, I knew immediately, instantly, that one of those dogs was going to be right for us.”
She continued: “I [thought that I] could help the dog with her needs and she could help her with mine.”
Faith (left) and Pam (right) were put together by the charity Wolfie’s Legacy, based in Holywell.(Image: ITV)
The charity eventually partnered Pamela with dog Faith, from Bosnia, who had sustained an unknown injury to her leg. Faith has since helped Pamela through the most difficult period in her life.
She said: “I get so much out of having her. I need her more than she needs me. I absolutely adore her.”
And Gill added: “There’s someone for every dog. It’s just making sure it’s the right person for that dog.”
Holly Willoughby seemed touched by the segment earlier, responding: “Aww that melted us a little bit.”
Whilst her co-presenter Phillip Schofield commented: “What a beautiful story and look what they can do. She was in such terrible need and look at the transformation.”
You can find out more about adopting through Wolfie’s Legacy by visiting the local charity’s website.
Have you ever rehomed a rescue dog? Let us know your experience by using the comments.
