ZOE 

"Zoe came into our care in July 1996"  She was much loved and well cared
for but unfortunately because of a breakup of a marriage Zoe came to us.  

HOME NO 1
We had a lady on our waiting list who seemed just right for Zoe - two
girls, 11 & 13 years and Mum worked part-time. The lady had owned 3 Irish
Setter bitches before and was delighted when she met Zoe. Home inspection
checked out fine and our only concern was the masculine presence in the home in the form of a rather young lad - not too many years older than the
eldest daughter who was Mum's boy friend.  However, the boy seemed nice enough and who were we to question someone's life style.  As long as the
Setter we were putting in the home was going to be looked after and loved
that was where our concern should end.  We wanted to get some necessary
veterinary treatment done for Zoe for her ears and nails but the new owner
was so keen to get Zoe she promised she would get the treatment done by her
own vet. So Zoe went to live near Colchester in August 1996.

Maria and Colin, who had done the home visit and got on very well with the
family, were invited to call in as often as they liked - they only lived
some 15 minutes car ride away. However things turned out differently  when
they tried to make an appointment to go in, they were put off again and
again.  Then, out of the blue, Colin received a phone call from a lady who
would not give her name.   She wished to inform us that the home was not a
good one. That although we had been told they had no other dogs there was
in fact a small dog who had been hidden with a neighbour when the home
visit was made. The 'boy friend' was only 17 years old and a member of a
certain Church sect, and that all the family had gone on holiday leaving
Zoe with the boy friend's father who had tied her up in the garden and did
not allow her in the house at all.

We were now all frantic with worry and in an effort to trace Zoe we
contacted the Dog Warden and the RSPCA but they could not help as we had no
name or address to give them and Colchester is not a small place.  They did
say they would keep their ears open and let us know if they heard anything.
  Meanwhile, I phoned the family home every day and after 4 days that I got
a reply.  The boy friend was there and I told him what had happened.  He
said that his girl friend and the girls had gone to Manchester to her
grandmother's funeral!! and that Zoe was with him.  Obviously we asked to
come in and visit when the family returned.

Things did not improve and when Colin again tried to make an appointment to
go in he was told that the Church the boy friend belonged to, had lawyers
who worked for them, and that if we did not stop trying to come into their
home they would sue us for harrassment!!!  I continued to write, send
newsletters and offers of money to pay for Zoe's veterinary treatment but
never received any reply. 

We were concerned for Zoe's welfare  and I was
just about to approach the RSPCA again to try to get them to go in and
check that Zoe was O.K. when my friend Sandy came on a visit.  Having heard
the story she thought that we should go to the home and ask to see Zoe for
ourselves - Sandy was convinced that they had got rid of her!  Sandy and I
did just that but found only the children at home.  We asked if we could
see Zoe and the girls invited us in. I was delighted to see that Zoe was in
fact well and happy and obviously got on well with the little dog. 
However, no veterinary treatment had been provided for her ears or her feet
and I left a message with the girls that we would be happy to pay for the
treatment.   That evening I received a phone call from the boy friend to
say that he would have the police on to me as I had forced entry into a
house when there were only children at home, that we could not see Zoe
again and the family never wanted to hear from us again!!!
What could we do?  Well every few months I wrote letters, always asking for
news of Zoe and sending Newsletters as well.

                                        
It was on Sunday May 3rd 1998 that I received a phone call from a lady in
Colchester asking for our help. Kerry already knew us as we had given a
Setter to her Mother many years previously when Kerry lived at home.  Kerry
told me she had just been given a Setter in the most awful state.  She was
very thin, her skin and coat was covered in sores and knots and she was in
a bad way. Kerry asked for help in trying to get her better.  I asked where
she came from and gradually as the name of that certain Church was
mentioned comprehensive dawned.  Was her name Zoe by any chance?, Kerry as
amazed, how did I know?? I told her our story and she told me what she knew.
 

Zoe had been neglected for some time, probably many months.  She had not
been allowed in the house any more but had to stay in the back garden - we
don't even know if she had any shelter.  Kerry told me that it looked as if
she had been starved - her bones were showing.  I asked Kerry if she would
give Zoe back to us so that we could make her better and she agreed.  In
fact Kerry had only taken her out of the kindness of her heart and becaude
she remembered that Setter she had loved long ago.  That same day Maria and
Colin went to Kerry's home and got Zoe.  She was in a terrible state and
very nervous - not at all like the old Zoe.