Our Special Friends (OSF) first came into contact with Bethan in October 2021 when we received a call from the West Suffolk RSPCA on her behalf. Bethan had been diagnosed with cancer in 2019 which meant she had needed to take time off work, and although she was working again, she had used all her savings and could only now work reduced hours. Her three-year-old French Bulldog, Ralph, was having prostate issues and castration was a treatment option. Ralph was insured but previous claims meant Bethan couldn’t make a further claim for this treatment.
OSF liaised with the RSPCA, which resulted in them offering a neutering voucher which would reduce the cost, alongside a small financial donation which OSF agreed to match. However, the issue settled down by itself, so castration was not required.
Bethan contacted us again in August 2024 as she was struggling again. She was in chronic pain herself following her cancer treatment and was struggling to walk Ralph and her other French Bulldog, Lola, so needed help with dog walking support.
Bethan’s vet had also proposed that Ralph could benefit from operations on both of his knees at a cost of £6,000, for which her insurance would only cover £1,000. Chloe, OSF’s Animal Companionship Co-ordinator, visited Bethan to carry out an assessment. Within a month, two volunteer dog walkers had been identified, who both lived in the same Mid Suffolk village as Bethan. During this time, Bethan also obtained a second opinion on Ralph’s proposed knee operations. The vet advised that as Ralph had been born with his kneecaps permanently dislocated, and as it was not currently causing him pain, Bethan could ethically hold off on the operation for the time being and carefully monitor for any deterioration. This was good news and allowed the volunteers to commence the dog walks.
Match meetings between the volunteers, Bethan and the dogs were successful, and dog walking began just before Christmas 2024 and is still ongoing. Sometimes Bethan will walk with the volunteers depending on her level of pain and her work commitments, but at other times the volunteers will take the dogs without Bethan. OSF has undertaken two reviews since our volunteers began walking Ralph and Lola, and there is a very active WhatsApp group which facilitates easy communication for arranging walks, which can change if Bethan or a volunteer is unwell or if the weather is too hot. Whenever OSF has spoken to Bethan, she has been immensely happy with the service we provide, and she will always speak highly of both volunteers.
She told us:
“I cannot express how grateful I am for the incredible service provided by Our Special Friends. My two dog Bethan (centre) with OSF volunteers on a walk with Ralph and Lola walkers, who take care of my beloved dogs Ralph and Lola, have been an absolute lifeline on tough days and a source of motivation on good days. Their dedication and care go above and beyond what I could have hoped for. Ralph and Lola always come back happy and well-exercised, and I feel so relieved knowing they’re in such caring hands. Highly recommend this wonderful charity to anyone in need.”
