Well here he is still sporting his twine rope and a jaunty smile. As many of you know the Arnscrofts pack up every summer and remove themselves for two weeks to the wonderful counties of Ireland. The first week the kids are on the Championship circuit and the second is just for fun. This year we decided to stay in Galway and as we had four dogs and our grand daughter Claudia the Range Rover for all its size was a squeeze. On the Tuesday we had taken the kids for a run on the beach. We kept a close eye as there were many fairs in town and we had already been warned re stealing of pedigree dogs. As we came back to the car it began raining and the light was going. We saw another group of tourists with a little dog following them, when he saw our kids he left them and came running to us. We asked them to come and get him but they said he was not theirs and had been running for hours around the town centre. Way over in the distance we could see the fair and as he had a rope of twine round his throat it didn't take a genius to work out what had happened. He was filthy and starving and obviously the worse for wear. Peter though was adamant he was not our problem and we left him and got in the car. We were half way home to the cottage when I said "This is wrong" and pete said what do you want to do? Go back! We turned around and drove the 8 miles back. We knew it would be a slim chance of finding him as it was now dark and pouring with rain if he did want to go home to his "Owners" he would be there by now. This is a million to one said Pete. As we drove into the centre about 3 miles from where we had last seen him I saw him dodging traffic running madly around trying to attach himself to someone. He was not having much luck everyone was rushing on and a puppy jumping up on their clothes was the last thing they wanted. Peter had hardly slowed the car when I jumped out and scooped him up. A very irate lady said "Is this your dog" No said I but he is now! He was thrown in the back onto Claudia's lap and off home we went. When you think we had the old lady, Claudius, Lilly in full season and babt Tusk you can imagine my worry that they would accept him but as usual the Arnscrofts came through for me and accepted him like the Boyoh he was. The next morning he went to the vets who scanned him, no chip, go figure. Wormed ,fleaed and innoculated him and he was then rechristened. The rest of the holiday he came with all the kids on their outings swimming in dogs bay, walking in Conemarra, running through the fields of Athenry. His only vice was his hunger which made him fight immediately any food was in his vicinity. Thankfully my lot just looked amazed at him and from then on he was fed on his own. He quickly fell in with the routine and was the first to pull toward the car or the cottage when we turned for home. I sent out a text to all the doggy folk in the UK and as usual they came through and when on the Sunday he left Ireland landed in Wales and went across England it was to his new owners and a life that will be full of love and food and caring.

So welcome Seamus Rafferty O'Flaherty to our heart and our hearths and our homes.

Lilly and Seamus