I love my beautiful Border Collie, Bella, but

…due to circumstances beyond my control, I just cannot cope with her any more, as we’re about to be evicted from my temporary home.

I have nowhere to go, and it won’t be fair to have her live on the street, with me. So it breaks my heart to think of us parting, but I need to find her a loving home as soon as I can.

I am currently in the Charente - there is an SPA just down the road, but I would consider that as a last resort.

Can anyone help, please?

Chris

Have you posted in all the surrounding vets? Maybe think about a foster home for her while you sort yourself out.

I think you were originally hoping to find somewhere within quite a confined area - try looking across a wider area of France. What about house sitting while people are away on holiday? That may buy you some time.

Very best wishes for finding a solution for both of you.

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Sorry to hear about this Chris. Can you give me some more information please, such as:
How old is she
Is she spayed
How does she get on with other dogs, male or female
Does she live in the house.
How is her recall
Is she chipped
Are her vaccs up to date
Is it a temporary thing that you are looking for, a foster as Sue says, or are you looking for someone to adopt her.
What is your timescale, when is the last date you need a solution

There may be other things that come to mind but they are the most important things to know

There is a possibility that we could take her here as a foster and/or possibly later adoption. But first, the answers. :wink: :grinning:

With us there would be no charge, but if you have the wherewithall to pay I know a good kennels run by a friend near here.

We are in the north of the Dordogne and might be able to collect if you are not able to deliver, or meet halfway.

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Thank you, David

She is six years old

She is spayed

She’s never been any trouble with other dogs, and is ambivalent to cats, too…

She does live in the house

Not sure what you mean by recall, but she has a disobedient streak…

She is chipped

Her vaccine is due about now.

I don’t want to lose her, but as I am to be evicted, much as I love her, she could become an encumbrance – besides, it would be unfair on her.

My timescale is a matter of weeks.

Thank you for your interest. I would be happier knowing she is well cared for, and if I can reclaim her at a later date, that would be marvellous.

Chris

There are many people here and elsewhere who would give David a glowing character reference in connection with his offer!

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I haven’t canvassed local vets, yet. I am comparatively new to the area, and still finding my way around, even though it won’t be for long…

I was originally looking in the Dordogne, which I’d prefer, but was originally happily resident in the Correze. I don’t like this area much, at all!

The problem is the rising cost of fuel, so long distance house searches are becoming undesirable, plus the fact that all my worldly goods are now here, and are the contents of a large Correzien home, and are as unwelcome here, as me.

Thanks for your reply

Chris

Pleasure, glad @David_Spardo has picked up this thread - thanks David, I was hoping you’d respond.
I’m wondering if there is anyone on here who might be able to help you at least with something temporary? Or who might know someone who could help?
In your other thread you were implying it was four of you: current wife and two dogs, is it now just you? Sorry, don’t want to pry, just get the logistics clear.
Also, I think it would be useful to know whether you can be flexible with location, because people further afield may be able to help you - for example in Lot-et-Garonne. PM me if you prefer to keep some of this private.

How long is Helen6 suspended for or has her account been permanently deleted? She is such a border collie lover that even though she is in Brittany she may be able to help somehow

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It must all sound bizarrely confusing.

I have been separated from my wife, and we are now attempting reconciliation. She currently lives in a very small flat in the Dordogne, with her cocker spaniel. I am stuck here in the Charente under threat of eviction, with my collie. We are both diligently searching for somewhere to combine our future situation, but have to do so as separate entities, in view of the distance. She is OK where she is for now - it is me that is encountering the urgent accommodation problem, and therefore the problem of re-homing Bella.

Hope that makes it a bit clearer!

Chris

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Thanks Chris, yes.

All seems fine with your replies from a personal point of view. I have a male dog of similar size and age who is castrated and sociable with other suitable dogs. He ignores, or is wary of, a friend’s female Collie but she is 11 years old and he doesn’t even try to play with her so they get on fine. He is a Beauceron X and a foster we had here a year ago, a blind female Beauceronne became a good companion without being totally emersed in each others’ company.

By recall I mean does she come back to you out in the wilds every time you call? Or is she one who you could not trust to be off lead? It is not a great drawback if she can’t just more awkward and something to be handled with care. My dog, Jules, has strong scenthound in his ancestry and the odours of the ground take precedence over everything else, even though he is normally a very obedient dog. I get round this by using a 33 metre line so even walking amongst trees is possbile (I can let go if I see that I can intercept the line by taking a shortcut). In the field he has total freedom to run and wander in a great circle of 33 metres radius from me.

More awkward if Bella is like Jules because one long line in a forest is good, 2 is hopeless and with our last foster, who was like Jules, I had to walk them separately. As I say, not insurmountable.

If you would like to take this further, if you think we can help, I prefer to speak here in the thread. For various reasons I do not like Private Message systems, but if you are not happy with that I suggest you send me a PM containing your email address and we can communicate that way. :grinning:

Finally thanks to @Porridge and @SuePJ for all the kind words. :joy: :smiling_face:

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I don’t know how the university/college system works in France so no idea if this is practical - in the UK it would be. Colleges and universities are breaking up for the summer. Are there any dormitories that let out their rooms through the holiday period? Perhaps @vero or someone could enlighten please. Again, Chris, if you can buy yourself time it gives you are chance to find something more permanent.

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Some good suggestions, here, that I’d never have thought of!

Have you spoken to your assistante sociale? Or talked to the Mairie. Often there are mairie owned places that are rented out as presumably you have some income even if small.

And are you on Facebook? Not something that I love at all, but for things like this it can be great!

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Thanks, David.

Bella certainly has a wanton streak, but tends not to wander far from me. In fact, she’s more prone to stand and stare, but often needs to be “collected”, rather than obey…

Chris

OK Chris, well I’ll leave it to you, let me know if you think I can help. :grinning:

I could well be wrong but I suspected that she pushed her luck in pushing her antivax stuff into other threads that were nothing to do with covid vaccines and got the chop permanently, but that is complete conjecture so I could be entirely wrong and she asked for it herself. It’s a shame but she became so obsessed with that and I still knew almost nothing about her in the end unlike those who have been here longer than I have, as that is all she’d speak on almost.

Her account is currently suspended, it would have to be manually reactivated.

Well the anti vax stuff is less abrasive now so maybe she could be rehabilitated.

Hello Chris
It doesn’t seem that your post has brought you the answer you need, so far. I’d be happy to help. Although I don’t understand exactly why Bella cannot be with you, since you don’t have any clear plan/concept as to where you are going to live. You seem to just assume that she will not be ‘allowed’ . . . .
Whatever the ins-and-outs, your post is about your dog. I live in Dordogne, in what used to be a farm, out in the countryside. Amongst the (too) many dogs that I have loved over the years was a Welsh border collie called Neath. Exceptional dog. Most recently I lost my two labs, both in their 15th year. Now I’ve a Springer Spaniel.
It seems to me that ideally you need a safe home for Bella while you sort your life out . . . with no strings . . . because, I would presume, you want to be back together with her one day, whatever you & your wife decide. But - we must try to have Bella’s best interests in the decision making.
Maybe you would like to talk with me on the phone? As the old BT ad used to say ‘It’s good to talk’. Maybe we could meet up, and see what Bella makes of me?

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