This is a difficult post to write, but after 15 years with our rescue dog Sábado (Sabby), we’ve made the heartbreaking decision that it’s time to let him go.

Sabby wandered into my parents’ garden in Portugal one cold, wet night — hungry, tired, and looking for kindness. They fed him, gave him a place to sleep, and from then on, he kept coming back. That was the start of our story together. He’s never been a snuggly dog, but he’s given us his love in his own special way, and we love him dearly.

Sabby is now almost completely deaf, nearly blind, losing the use of his back legs, as well as showing signs of dementia and kidney disease. His quality of life is suffering, and we want to make his final moments as calm and gentle as possible.

Unfortunately, Sabby is extremely traumatised by vet visits. Even under maximum sedation, it took several people to hold him for a check-up. We don’t want that to be the last thing he remembers.

We’re raising funds to cover the cost of a vet visiting our home to help Sabby pass peacefully in familiar surroundings.

We are very aware that times are incredibly tough right now and there’s so much going on in the world. So any contribution, no matter how small, would be so greatly appreciated by us all.

Thank you for reading Sabby’s story and for any support you can give — it’s so deeply appreciated.