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Case study: sharing a dog in Toronto, Canada |
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Six months ago Dr Barbara Langford and her husband Robert unexpectedly lost their beloved dog Charley.
He was a black Cookerpoo, one of a kind and they adored him – they were three of a pack.
When Charley died, they weren’t able to commit to the full responsibility of another dog at that time in their lives. Five weeks later, they saw a woman with a dog that looked just like Charley. Even his name was the same - Charlie! Barbara and Robert stopped and told the owner, Kristin, about their Charley, partly to explain why they were both fawning over her dog. Robert wisely gave her his card and said they’d be delighted to look after her dog if she ever needed. A few weeks later, Kristin called them. Barbara and Robert took her Charlie on their favourite walks to parks they knew so well. Kristin gave them the key to her home and encouraged them to visit and walk her dog whenever they wished, since Charlie was alone all day while Kristin worked. |
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 Barbara, Kristin and Charlie! |
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Barbara: "This dogshare experience has worked magic for us! Everyone considers this a win-win-win,
including our new dog! We are truly thankful to be able to share Kristin's dog as she works full time and sometimes travels. " Barbara: "When we have her dog he goes everywhere with us. If dogs aren't allowed, we don't go. This experience has been enriching on many levels. I need to walk to help maintain my bone density. Charlie provides company, increases my activity and helps keep me to a routine as well. Robert walks and runs with Charlie in the mornings. " Barbara: "My elderly mother loves a visit from Charlie at her retirement residence. The other seniors also delight when he visits, as many of them have had dogs of their own in the past. We all love having a dog in our lives again. Dog therapy works for me every time. Our shared dog now gets more attention and is less stressed with reduced time spent alone. I just love stroking his fur, cuddling him, and just having him around." Barbara and Kristin met through serendipity. If you would like to increase you chance of finding a like-minded partner to share a dog with, here is the current list of yours2share dog shares, and some important guidance on setting up a dog sharing agreement. |
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| Version 1.0 September 2009 |
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