Meet Bobby, our 5 years old Bearded Collie! He has grown up to be the sweetest little soul despite his continuing health problems caused by greed and bad breeding.
In 2015 we lost out old girl Mollie and she left behind a huge hole in our family and household after 13 beautiful years. Our Brown Beardie boy, Oscar, was missing having a friend and so began the search for a new puppy. We found Bobby and his litter mates advertised, contacted the breeder at Raggengill Kennels in Biggar, Scotland and off we went on a 5 hour trek to collect him. Online and on paper they looked like long established successful breeders of Bearded Collies and white German Shepherds
Upon arrival it was a very different story, this place was cold and filthy, we weren’t allowed to see his parents and of course alarm bells were ringing. Bobby plodded over and our hearts were immediately stolen. I couldn’t leave him there is that filth and we took him. (Heart ruled my head)
Excited about the new member of our family I joined ‘The Friendly Beardie Club’ on Facebook and posted his picture out for everyone to adore. Within the hour I was inundated with messages from Scottish members telling me about the atrocious happenings over the years at Raggengill Kennels, the health issues bred into his line…cancer, diabetes, undershot jaws and of course…Joint issues!
It was clear from a young age he was going to have joint issues but we didn’t realise how severe they were going to become. Inevitably Bobby got diagnosed with moderate to severe K9 hip dysplasia which we managed with Yumove, Turmeric paste and hydro therapy over the years.
At the beginning of 2020 (aged 5) Bobby was struggling to stand up after short walks, was having to be carried to bed and couldn’t play with his doggy friends anymore. He was recently referred to East Midlands Referrals where we discovered not only does he have hip dysplasia in both hips, he also has Sacralisation of his L7 vertebrae (His vertebrae is fused to his pelvic bone) which he has had since birth….the poor boy has never know a life free from pain.
His litter mate Hamish was recently diagnosed with mouth cancer and had to have a large part of his jaw removed. The poor pups have been through the ringer over the years and it all falls down to bad breeding and pure greed.
In 2017 a group of Raggengill Beardie owners including H got together and managed to close Raggengill Kennels down with the help and support of Beardies In Need. Seven adult Beardies and a litter of four precious puppies were removed from that place and she was no longer able to breed. H brought home Bobbys Mum (Rowan), his Dad Sinbad and two puppies who all went to their forever homes through Beardies in need within 4 days. It was an incredibly rewarding week.
We are now in the process of fixing Bobbys broken body, he will have to undergo spinal surgery and two hip replacements over the next 18 months to two years…When he is around 7 years old he will finally be able to live out the rest of his life free from pain.
None of bobbys recovery and treatment would have been possible without the tremendous support we have received form the bearded collie community and namely Shirley Hinchcliffe at Beardies In Need. They have collectively raised thousands to help us with over £16,000 worth of vets fees and treatment.
Hydrotherapy has been a fundamental part of bobbys treatment over the years but it has been an expensive journey with H spending thousands privately in years gone by.
There are thousands of dogs in the UK with stories just like Bobs. Owners having to spend hundreds if not thousands on hydrotherapy and vet fees when insurance companies refuse to pay out. That’s where we want to help. By opening up our premises to you and making K9 swim sessions more affordable and flexible. He has inspired us to help you.
You can read more about the Raggengill Rescue operation and watch the video HERE.
Take 3 minutes, sit back with a hot drink and a box of tissues, its a tear jerker…