Rocco and Anouk: Finding comfort through friendship

Our Wellington team first met Anouk when she was transferred into our care from a local vet clinic.

A concerned member of the public had brought her in after they spotted her limping on the side of the road. It looked as though the poor girl had been hit by a car.

“She was quite shut down and timid when she first came in,” says Sam, one of our Wellington Animal Attendants. “Which was very understandable considering her condition. But despite that, she was very sweet and had a lovely nature from the very first day.”

After being assessed by our vet team, they knew the outcome for Anouk’s leg didn’t look good; she wasn’t weight bearing on it at all, and the injury was very severe. They decided that amputating her leg would give her the best chance at recovery.

Anouk received a lot of love and attention from the Wellington team, and she was set up with a loving foster home where she could rest and recover from the big operation.

“Her fosterers just adore her,” Sam says. “She settled in right away with them.”

Meanwhile, our team were meeting Rocco, who had a somewhat different story.

Rocco had loving parents, but they couldn’t afford the veterinary treatment for his severely injured leg. They surrendered him into our care, knowing it was the best decision for his health and wellbeing.

His leg too required amputation, and he was very nervous in the Centre environment.

“Rocco was really unsettled while in the Centre, so we got him into a foster home as quickly as we could,” Sam says. “Just having a calm environment where he could also get constant attention was really beneficial. He gets anxious when left on his own, so it was much better for him to be in a home environment while he healed.”

Both Anouk and Rocco had restricted exercise while they recovered, and both slowly started to come out of their shells as they became pain-free.

When Rocco was cleared for adoption, he was brought back to the dog run at our Wellington Centre.

When Anouk’s foster parents had to go away on a trip, she was brought into the Centre too – and met Rocco.

“Watching them discover how to play together is so sweet,” Sam says. “They tend to follow each other around and sunbathe together.

“Anouk pesters Rocco at times and is always trying to play with him. She definitely has more of that playful puppy energy, and seems to be a bit like an annoying younger sister to him!”

While it’s rewarding to see both Anouk and Rocco overcome their injuries and let their personalities shine, we’re hoping they’ll be able to find their ideal forever homes soon.

“Anouk could be a great fit for any home, because she’s good with cats, kids, and other dogs,” Sam says. “Because she’s still young, she’ll need someone who’s going to continue her toilet training and socialisation, and take her to puppy school.

“Rocco is looking for a quieter home, and ideally one with people around a lot of the time. He thrives off company, and still gets a bit anxious when left alone. He could go to a home with a well-matched dog, and older dog-savvy kids. He’d be perfect for someone who’s a sucker for big sweet boof-head bully-breeds!” Sam says.

Think you could give either Anouk or Rocco the forever home of their dreams? Apply online!