Beth's Big Surprise!
Beth has been supported by our services in Inverness since September 2019 and from day one she has always spoken about owning her own dog – in particular a pug!
There has been ongoing discussions with Beth, her staff team and management about her getting her own dog and Beth started to gather a few things together for when the time came. Her local independent pet shop looked forward to her visits and opened their back door to allow Beth easier access with her wheelchair. Beth was hopeful to get her own dog later on this year!
So that Beth knew what was involved in owning her own dog, staff supported her to make sure she had the resources not only to buy the dog but also to feed it and pay for vet bills etc. One of the staff team also took her own dog to spend some time with Beth to see how she would manage to feed a dog and clear up after it. Beth had a great time and this was a very fast learning curve for her.
The staff team realised that the cost of buying a pug was not going to be cheap and Beth was prepared for the cost. However, when Senior Support Worker Cathrine was approached by someone asking if she would like to rehome a little pug called Beau, she immediately thought of Beth as Beau was such a placid little dog and exactly what Beth was looking for.
As Beth thought it would be still a long time until she was going to be able to buy her own dog, the staff team decided to keep the fact that Beau would be arriving soon a big surprise! Beth’s keyworker arranged a local socially distanced pick up of little Beau and took her straight to Beth’s. Beth thought that Beau belonged to someone else and was only there to visit. She was so happy when she realised that Beau was her dog and was there to stay!
Here, Beth tells us in her own words about her special surprise!
First day meeting Beau
On the 16th of February I got my covid vaccine and I took a bad reaction to it. At night I started to feel unwell and I started to shake and I had a temperature and I also had a sore head so Roslyn one my support staff phoned NHS 24 to see what she can do. I just had to take pain relief.
The next morning, the 17th I didn’t want a shower so and I just stayed in bed until the back of 1pm when my Keyworker Theresa phoned Ella who was on with me this day and said could she please get me up so she could bring the dog but I thought it was Theresa’s daughters dog which she was coming to show to me. When I got out of my bed Ella was in the staff sleep over room and she started recording “the rain” then said that Theresa was here, I opened the door and there she was with Beau. Theresa introduced me to her and I got cuddles from her and little did I know that Beau was actually mine. I couldn’t believe it I thought this was a joke and I didn’t believe it but Beau has changed my life so much. I love her and she makes me smile and laugh loads. I love Beau being here in my house, Beau is 2 years old.
The staff have loved watching Beth develop a really strong bond with Beau. There is certainly lots of laughter especially when staff member, Theresa, visits with her Chihuahua Benji.
Theresa had a phone call from Beth’s father, who lives in Newcastle, to thank us for making Beth’s dream come true!
Commenting is now closed on this article.