A woman in a green uniform with a rucksack stands next to a white van, opening a compartment and handling a container, with a small animal carrier visible inside the van.

Providing support for a struggling pet owner

Pam was deeply bonded to her nine-year-old Italian Greyhounds, Bella and Lacey. But she urgently needed support with Lacey's health.

Bella and Lacey meant the world to Pam. They gave her purpose and provided company throughout the day. They clearly adored Pam too, and over time they had become an inseparable trio, more often than not found snuggled up on the sofa together.

But while both dogs seemed healthy overall and Bella was in perfect condition, Lacey had become dangerously overweight. Pam was concerned, but she didn’t know what to do. Thankfully Woodgreen was able to step in to support them.

It was clear straight away from how dedicated Pam was to the dogs, that this was far from a simple case of overfeeding. So the first step was a trip to the vets to check for contributing medical conditions, where Lacey was treated for a mild urine infection, but had no other health issues.

Two brown whippet dogs with dark collars sit close together on a grey sofa in a cosy, well-lit living room with plants and framed photos in the background.

Learning about Pam's lifestyle

Pam had carers who visited daily, but she also struggled with memory loss. She followed simple, memorable routines every day, to help her keep on track.

While these routines were essential to help Pam with her memory, we realised they might be impacting Bella and Lacey in unintended ways.

For example, the dogs shared one small water bowl that Pam refilled every morning. But she hadn’t realised that this bowl was often empty by the afternoon, leaving the dogs with no water – which had likely caused Lacey’s infection.

When we asked Pam about what she fed Bella and Lacey, she told us that she fed them the same food they’d had since they were little, as it was their favourite. But it was food made for puppies, and the extra calories it contained were likely to be contributing to Lacey’s weight gain.

Luckily, there were some simple fixes we could implement straight away. We replaced the small water bowl with a larger one – so Pam’s daily routine could stay the same, but there would be plenty of water available for Bella and Lacey throughout the day.

We also swapped the puppy food for a similar adult variety that Pam could easily pick up at the same shop, and slightly reduced Lacey’s portions.

Two greyhounds are cuddling on a sofa. One dog rests its head gently on top of the other's head, both with relaxed expressions. The background shows part of a home interior with sunlight coming through a window.

Keeping them together

We continued to support Pam over the following months. With these small but impactful changes, Lacey lost 4kg in six weeks. Finally, she was in a stable and healthy condition.

Heartbreakingly, Pam recently passed away, with Bella and Lacey still by her side. The support we were able to provide kept them together until the end.

Bella and Lacey came to Woodgreen in perfect health, and were able to be happily rehomed together.

A greyhound with a light brown coat lies on a sofa, its head gently cradled by a person's hand. The dog looks relaxed, wearing a black collar with a round tag. Another dog is partially visible in the background.

Help us keep pets and people together

With support from Woodgreen, Bella and Lacey were able to stay with Pam right until the end of her life. Help us keep families like them together.

Monthly donation Single gift

Please enter an amount (minimum £2.00) £

£5 could help pay for pain relief medication for a struggling pet.

Please enter an amount (minimum £2.00, maximum £499.00) £

£8 a month could go towards a box of prescription food for pets on a veterinary diet.

Woodgreen Pets Charity is a registered charity (no. 298348)

Pet advice from Woodgreen

Volunteering would look good on you!

This is how we rescue