I’d befriended a lonely pooch, but had I bitten off more than I could chew? By Amy Porter, 40
Sitting cross-legged, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in.
But as I finished my daily yoga routine, I was interrupted by something licking my leg.
‘Hello, you!’ I said, knowing it would be my neighbour’s puppy, Aliyah.
I’d moved over to the Dominican Republic to work for a charity, and while I was loving it, I’d quickly realised attitudes towards pets were very different there.
Aliyah wasn’t allowed in their home, so she lived outside in a cardboard box and her diet consisted of pizza and leftovers.
I worried about her alone in the cold at night, and in the end, I caved in and bought her a dog bed and some proper food.
Only now, she’d become attached, and I’d hear her whimpering for me outside my flat.
Months later, I flew back to the UK for my sister’s wedding.
While I was there, I got a call from my landlady in the Dominican Republic.
‘You can’t go to England and leave your dog!’ she screeched.
‘I don’t have a dog!’ I replied.
But I discovered that while I’d been away, my neighbour had moved out and left Aliyah, telling the landlady she was mine. The cheek!
I messaged my neighbour, but she had no intention of coming back for her pooch.
You’re so good with her, I left her for you, she replied.
I did have a soft spot for Aliyah, so I called my landlady back and she agreed to take care of her until I returned.
When I arrived back at my flat
soon after, Aliyah bounded straight over to greet me.
‘It’s your lucky day, you’re moving inside!’ I told her.
Aliyah had never lived in an apartment before, but soon made herself at home.
I bought her a new dog bed and a crate full of toys and she quickly became my furry best friend.
At weekends, we’d travel across the coast and stay in doggy friendly hotels. She loved splashing
about in the
water and sprinting across the sand.
I didn’t know many people in this part of the world but with Aliyah by my side it didn’t matter.
It was us against the world.
When Aliyah was nearly three, I unexpectedly fell pregnant – with twins.
I panicked, wondering how on earth I’d balance working full-time with twins and a dog.
After turning it over and over, I had to accept that I couldn’t look after Aliyah
any more.
But I wasn’t about to leave her with just anyone.
‘What do you think? I asked my dad over the phone. ‘Will you take her?’
‘I think you’re bonkers!’ he replied. ‘But of course I’ll take her.’
Dad lived back home in Oxfordshire. He had two dogs already and had fostered others in the past,
so I knew Aliyah would be
in great hands.
I got everything sorted,
and soon she was on her
way to the UK.
At six months pregnant
I flew home to have my babies too.
Although Aliyah soon had my dad wrapped around her little finger, she wasn’t keen on his other dogs Harley and Nula. Despite being a tiny thing, she insisted on ruling the household, challenging them over toys and food.
But we brushed it off as sibling rivalry.
Before I knew it, my maternity leave was over and it was time to go back to the Dominican Republic.
Saying goodbye to Aliyah was heartbreaking.
‘I’m going to miss you so much,’ I said, ruffling her fur.
Dad sent over regular pup-dates, which helped.
But one day, he called with distressing news. One his dogs had finally had enough of Aliyah’s bossiness and had bitten her.
‘She was just trying to put her in her place,’ Dad said.
Thankfully Aliyah wasn’t too badly hurt. But it was clear she couldn’t stay with Dad.
So I called my sister Rosie, who’d just moved into a new home with her husband Joe, and begged her to take my beloved pooch.
They hadn’t been planning on getting a dog, but still,
she agreed.
‘You’re my sister, I’d
do anything for you,’ Rosie said.
I felt guilty to begin with, but as I got her updates and photos,
I realised that they weren’t just doing
me a favour. They’d fallen head over paws in love with her.
They spoilt her
rotten with posh dog food and an Advent calendar at Christmas.
When my job contract ended and I moved back home, I could tell Rosie
was nervous that I’d want
to take Aliyah back.
But I made her a special adoption certificate.
‘She’s officially yours now,’ I told her, handing it over.
I also made Rosie and Joe
a scrapbook, documenting Aliyah’s story from cardboard box pooch to pampered princess.
It’s funny to think how this little dog who came out of nowhere has completely stolen all of our hearts.