“

Yuki wasn't the type to seek out attention immediately, but if they sat beside her long enough, she would quietly edge closer for a gentle pat. While the other dogs bustled around them, Yuki would simply sit nearby, silently observing. The more time they spent with her, the more they found themselves drawn to the gentle girl who never demanded to be noticed.

“

One of our biggest worries about adopting older dogs was that we might not get as many years with them. But beyond their age, we felt they still deserved the chance to experience a happy life. We also hope more people will look beyond the colour of a dog’s fur. We feel sad that black dogs sometimes receive less attention. They are just like any other dog, and their fur colour does not define their personality or how much love they can give.

“

A blind dog reacts in ways you don’t expect. It is counter-intuitive, but we have to imagine how overwhelming new places and sounds are for him. Just because a dog has special needs doesn’t discount the love they can give. Easter has just as much to give as any other dog. He still greets us every morning and when we come home, still gets excited for walks.

“

Rescue dogs have a past before they come to you. Some dogs take longer to trust you, but it is very much rewarding when you see them starting to trust you and returning your love. I would also advise them to ask for help if they need it. Mercylight has such an amazing community of volunteers and other adopters that have been through similar experiences.

“

Fostering is like an extended home trial - it’s a great way to get to know a dog. It’s hard to give them up to potential adopters after you form a bond, but it gives the dogs, especially the senior ones, a peaceful place to rest, even if it’s only temporary.

“

We initially found the process of having to go down to Mercylight for about 8 times a bit of a drag. In retrospect, it was a good introduction period and gave us sufficient time to seriously consider whether we wanted to get a dog. We were also worried about getting the supplies, but the support that Mercylight provided was really good.

“

I think it’s normal for the process to be bumpy at the start - as much as you need time to adjust to having a new pet at home, your pet also needs time to adjust to their new surroundings and build a bond with you. Celebrate all the small wins and victories because that’s still progress!

“

For those adopting for the first time, it is very tempting to give up halfway through the process and to just go to a shop and get a puppy, but our main advice is to persist through the extra steps. Those due diligence steps are in place to help you, and help you figure out the things you need to consider and prepare.

“

The adoption process has some rigorous elements, especially the detailed emails and questions that we discussed as a family. Rather than viewing these guidelines as mere tasks, we encourage others to perceive them as gestures of love from Mercylight who genuinely care about the well-being and future of the dogs.