WANTING to give a pet a good home a Bury widow turned to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary - only to be told that her home wasn't fit for a dog to live in! "I feel hurt and very upset that Bleakholt don't think that I'm good enough to have one of their dogs," said the mother-of-two, from Walmersley.

"In fact I find it extremely insulting that they have refused to see me as a suitable and responsible person to give a good home to an unwanted or abandoned pet. I know that I live in a semi-detached house on a busy main-road but I also have a fenced 70 foot back garden.

"Just before Christmas, my lovely dog Sandy died of old age. Myself and my two sons were at the time and still are extremely saddened by his death and we all miss him terribly. I'm one of those people who believe that a dog is for life and that they should be treated as an important member of the family.

"I made the decision to have another dog after a lot of careful thought, consideration and a family conference."

After deciding they all wanted another animal in their lives the family ventured to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary where they saw a border collie bitch called Suzy who was in need of a kind and loving home. "We all adored her and agreed that she was the one for us. I put my name forward to take her and I was told that I could have her subject to passing their "vetting" procedures."

Bleakholt's "vetting" of prospective clients wanting to give animals permanent homes involves a home visit by one or more members of the committee

That visit determines whether or not the applicant and their home are suitable for the pet of their choice.

Unfortunately for Suzy and the widow their relationship was doomed before it was ever given a chance.

A member of Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary decided that the garden was dangerous and claimed that the fence was inadequate.

So Suzy stayed in a kennel on a wind-swept farm! "I feel hurt and very upset that Bleakholt don't think I'm good enough to have one of their dogs," said the mother-of-two, from Walmersley.

"In fact I find it extremely insulting that they have refused to see me as a suitable and responsible person to give a good home to an unwanted or abandoned pet.

"I know that I live in a semi-detached house on a busy main road, but I also have a fenced, 70-foot back garden overlooking fields.

" Just before Christmas, my lovely dog Sandy died of old age. Myself and my two sons were at the time, and still are, extremely saddened by his death and we all miss him terribly.

"I'm one of those people who believe that a dog is for life and that it should be treated as an important member of the family.

"I made the decision to have another dog after a lot of careful thought, consideration and a family conference."

After deciding they all wanted another animal in their lives the family went to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary where they saw a collie-cross bitch called Suzy who was in need of a kind and loving home.

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