My name is Anna and I have been volunteering at Islay for just over 2 years.
When we moved up to Scotland from the south, I wanted to still be involved with dogs, so I googled dog rescues in Scotland. Islay Dog rescue came up and was only a short distance from where we moved to, so it was ideal. Although in the past I worked with dogs in a commercial setting, working in a dog rescue was completely different.
I have learnt so much about dogs from a completely different perspective. I realised that I could help give rescue dogs that bridge between their past lives and their future. I have fostered a few dogs for Islay, the dog in the picture is Pepper who came to Islay from Romania. We fostered her for a few months and ended up adopting her. I also go to the rescue regularly to walk dogs, sometimes taking a dog to a private dog field to run free.
The most rewarding thing about working in a dog rescue is being able to play a part in a dog's journey into a new and happy life.