Can you help our rescue dog Ful?

Hi! You may already know Ful’s story, but if you don’t here it is!

Ful was bred by a hunter in Serbia. As he was no good for hunting his owner stopped feeding him, effectively starved him, and physically beating him in an attempt to kill him. Ful was also chained up with no means of escape. At around 12 months old Ful was rescued and taken to ‘Teodora’s Angels’, a dog kennel facility in Serbia. He spent 2 years there and this was funded by the UK based charity ‘Settusfree’.

This is when I stepped in! I saw Ful advertised on the Settusfree Facebook page, one I was very familiar with as we had adopted our English Setter ‘Linda’ from Spain through this charity. Ful was advertised as requiring a foster placement. He had at this point been in kennels for 2 years in Serbia and there had been no interest in anyone wanting to adopt him. I spoke to my partner Steve and daughter Bobbi about the idea of fostering him while a permanent home could be found. We all agreed and Ful then arrived via a pet courier to our house on 31st July 2022. Prior to his arrival I had been told he was fearful of all humans, but particularly men. As experienced as I am with dogs I was not prepared for what the next days, weeks and months had in store for us! Ful formed an immediate bond with me, whereas he used to run at Bobbi barking and tried to intimidate her by not letting her into the room with him. He snapped at our English Setter Linda and our Irish Setter Lola several times, again not wanting them to come near me. I started working with Ful and over time he formed a good bond with Bobbi. After 3 weeks of living with us he very cautiously let Steve stroke him for the first time and I worked with him around boundaries and behaviour with Lola and Linda and they eventually formed a pack. As the weeks rolled by it was very apparent that Ful’s fear of humans was very real and I have never witnessed anything like it. If he saw anyone in the distance while out on a walk he would freeze and I’d have to stand with him reassuring him. Our walks could take hours due to the constant stopping and starting. Ful’s trust in me never waivered though. He always looked to me for reassurance.

Steve and I had many conversations during the first 6 – 8 weeks Ful was our foster dog. We discussed at length about our suitability to be his forever home, or was there someone else out there who could do a better job? All this time I was posting about Ful on Facebook trying to find him a new home. But the realisation hit after a couple of months that Ful needed to be with us. To move him to another family would have broken him even more. So we adopted him!

The work continued with Ful around his fears and it has become difficult to leave him at home, even for short periods with Lola and Linda for company. We bought a camera for the living room so we could monitor him when out of the house and also talk to him via the camera, but that hasn't made any difference. He becomes hyperactive with anxiety and literally bounces around, he seems to have little control over his anxiety when left alone. There are the odd occasions when Bobbi is at school and both Steve and I are working at the same time. On these occasions family have helped with ‘dog sitting’ and more recently Steve’s parents offered to start having Ful at their house for the rare time no-one would be at home. The first time Ful went to Steve’s parents we just took him for an hour as a trial. Apparently he stayed in the kitchen and didn’t interact with them at all. He only went in the living room when he heard us coming back. The second time was similar. But the third time is when distaster struck! Tuesday 28th November 2023, Steve’s parents took Ful for a drive out, they had a walk along a local canal and then drove home. As they’ve opened the boot Ful has jumped out and ran in the direction of our house. Ful knows his way home and it is likely he has just wanted to get back home to where he feels safest. He was unfortunately hit by a car and has sustained a broken leg as well as a fracture. Surgery is planned for Monday 4th December 2023.

I am not blaming anyone for this accident apart from one person ... the person who bred Ful and wrote him off! The person who put the fear into him by beating and starving him to near death! That man didn’t deserve to have Ful, the most gentle soul I have ever come across in my entire life.

I write this with tears in my eyes because Ful means the absolute world to me, as I do to him. I am the only person he trusts, the one he comes to when he is hurt or anxious. I am the only one who can put my hands on his shaking body and physically feel him relax.

I can’t help feeling I have let Ful down. I can only put things right in the future to ensure this never happens again. As a family we are changing things and Steve and I going to ensure we don’t clash with our work shifts.

All that said ... we can’t magically conjure up the vet fees. We have paid the invoices so far, but we are only at the start of his medical journey and recovery.

The costs are estimated between £4000 and £5000. I don't think we will be able to raise the full amount, but if we do and exceed this amount then the difference will be donated to 'Teodora's Angels' in Serbia where Ful was cared for and looked after for 2 years.

We are asking for your help xx