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Wolf encounter
Would you like to meet a wolf? Well it's something Julie Rodaway has always wanted to do. We first met Julie back in episode 26.
Julie told us about life with her guide dog Wallace, and the strong and loving bond that has developed between them. Julie loves dogs, and has also always been fascinated by wolves. Julie mentioned to us that she would love to meet a wolf, so she could touch it and find out for herself what a wolf is like.
When we discovered Wolf Watch UK offers wolf encounters we thought it was the ideal opportunity for Julie to realise her ambition.
Julie's husband Pat is also blind, and has a guide dog called Tom. The DogCast Radio team, Julie and Pat visited Wolf Watch UK, and director Tony Haighway shared with us his knowledge of and experiences with wolves.
The wolves who live at Wolf Watch UK have been rescued by the organisation for a variety of reasons, and now have a safe and loving home for the rest of their life. Two of the wolves were hand reared by Tony, and so are well socialised to humans. It was one of these wolves, Maddy, who met Julie and Pat.
The insight Tony gives into his life helping protect these stunning animals, is in turn touching, informative and amusing. Hear his experiences, the wolf encounter Julie and Pat enjoyed, and their reflections on the meeting.
Dog Theft
Dog theft is a growing crime, and every dog owner's nightmare. Debbie Matthews lived through this nightmare when her beloved Yorkshire Terriers, Gizmo and Widget were stolen.
Debbie was fortunate however, in that her father is legendary entertainer, Bruce Forsyth, and so the theft attracted considerable media attention.
Eventually, Debbie and her dogs were reunited, but the experience was an eye-opener for the family.
Is your dog micro-chipped? If so do you expect that your dog will be routinely scanned by authorities and vets? Well this is not the case in the UK and Debbie and her father have set up an appeal to help fight for justice for dog owners. Wherever you live you can help support their appeal, listen to the interview, visit the website and help lost and stolen dogs get back to their families.
Other websites helping to get lost or stolen dogs back home are www.doglost.co.uk and www.alfieslostterriers.com.
Two Minute Fiction
In two minute fiction, hear Joyce's Story. Joyce has spent her life accompanied by a series of well-loved dogs - but old age has deprived her of this joy.