Happy New Year and welcome to 2009!

This year I'll be turning four which makes me nearly 30 years old in human years. Unlike most humans though, we dogs don’t tend to get too depressed about getting older. As long as we have food in our tummies, a roof over our heads, friends to play with and kindness and affection from the people around us we’re happy, regardless of age.

I want you to meet Sophie. Sophie is actually one of our old patients. She was brought in by the drivers in the monsoon with bad injuries and a broken leg following a road accident. She was barely more than a pup and naturally the experience had left her quite traumatised. Her leg was mended and she was sterilised and vaccinated but the recovery time was long owing to the extent of her injuries. One of our volunteers, Jenny, fell in love with Sophie and spent a lot of time with her, giving her lots of love and reassurance to make sure her time as a patient at IAR was as happy as it could be. Jenny gained Sophie's trust and they soon became pretty much inseparable. I still recall the anxious cries of Sophie when Jenny would leave her and her joyful howls when she returned the next day!

Jenny lives in Goa permanently and has been coming to help at the centre for more than a year now. She has cats at home but her love for Sophie was so strong that she decided to adopt her and see if she could make it work. Luckily the cats soon got used to having Sophie around and today Sophie is a happy and healthy member of Jenny’s family. She has recovered from her injuries and lives a life most dogs in Goa only get to dream of.

Sophie is definitely living happily ever after!

Lots of love.