When I first saw Oscar he seemed the most chilled puppy ever, five months old, a black labrador/something cross, lying placidly on a sofa in a foster home in Sussex. I already had a German shepherd, Phoebe, and wanted a playmate for her after losing our Hungarian puli to old age. I took Phoebe into the room to see how they might get on. Oscar lifted an eyelid as if to say “Whatever” and closed it again …
But when we took Oscar home, he panicked in the car and threw up. We later learned that he had been found wandering the streets of Havant in Hampshire, and we guessed perhaps he had been thrown out of a car. As a patron of the RSPCA, I am passionate about rescuing animals in need. This particular experience taught me the importance of knowing the history of the animal you are adopting so you can adapt to their needs.
