HERE’S a waggy tail with a happy ending. Niko the dog has been given a second chance after being left abandoned in Reading.
In April, the pooch was found tied to a fence at Rivermead, off Richfield Avenue. A member of the public looked after him until Reading Borough Council’s animal warden could arrange collection.
The dog had been microchipped in France, but although the warden, Lisa Clements, made efforts to contact the owners, this was not possible.
Instead, the Weimaraner was placed into a foster home, thanks to the help of Margarita Booker of Weimaraner Club of Great Britain. And it was such a successful placement that it has now become his forever home.
“When I picked Niko up, he seemed very confused and frightened,” Ms Clements said.
“He spent some time in kennels and coped well, but Weimaraners are very sensitive dogs and love to be with people, so I limited the time he spent in kennels.
“Niko is the most loving dog and a real gentle giant. I am in contact with his new owner, and it seems he has well and truly made himself at home.
“His new owner has a great understanding of the breed, and they seem to be perfect for each other.”
She added: “If anyone is struggling to care for their pet for any reason, there are many specialist organisations who can help, such as the RSPCA, Cat’s Protection, Dogs Trust, or specific breed rescues.”
The work gone into rescuing Niko was appreciated by Cllr Karen Rowland, the council’s lead councillor for environmental services and community safety.
“Rescuing stray dogs is one of our many hundreds of valued services at the Council and this is an excellent example of work that frequently goes unseen,” she said.
“We always aim to do our best and Niko’s story is just one of the successes our staff deliver daily at the Council across those service platforms.
“I’ve experienced it myself when Lisa, our Animal Warden, went above and beyond to help me with a lost dog I had found and so I’m delighted that Niko is wagging his tail again in a happy new home.”
Reading Borough Council says its animal warden is available weekdays from 9am to 4pm. Outside of these hours, residents are asked to check for owner’s details on a tag, or to take a stray to a vet. Injured animals should be reported to the RSPCA.
The warden can be reached by calling: 0118 937 3787.
