Supplied by TEARS Animal Rescue
Professional photography by Roxanne Wilkins Photography
On a weekend marked by cruelty, eight-week-old Romy faced the harshness of the world after a harrowing incident with a group of children. Kicked and left bruised and frightened, Romy’s fate took a positive turn when a compassionate rescuer swooped in, bringing her to TEARS Animal Rescue for safety. Under the watchful eye of the TEARS Veterinary Hospital, Romy received medical care, vaccinations, and deworming and defleaing treatments.
FOSTERING TAKES COMPASSION
Romy was then placed into the loving care of a seasoned TEARS foster volunteer, Kelly Farr. For six weeks, Kelly provided a warm, loving home for Romy, which, together with the comforting influence of Kelly’s dogs, saw Romy’s confidence increase and her true personality emerge.
Fostering rescue dogs and cats takes more than compassion and patience – it takes courage. For Kelly, fostering for TEARS is more than a way to help vulnerable pets; it’s evolved into a rewarding journey of witnessing trust and of joy being restored in a once-traumatised innocent animal that demonstrates an often-inconceivable capacity to love and forgive. The hardest part of any foster’s role is saying the inevitable goodbye, but for Kelly, the joy of seeing Romy in her forever home made it all worthwhile.
ADOPTION BLISS
Tineka Kriel and her family became the next chapter in Romy’s story. Adopting Romy from TEARS instead of opting for a breeder was an easy decision for Tineka and her partner, Pierre. Romy’s story and charming personality won them over, and she quickly became the darling in the family, forming a special bond with their other TEARS-adopted dog, Shenzi.
Tineka shares amusing anecdotes about Romy’s daily life, from her constant presence in the kitchen to her morning ritual of gifting toys and demanding playtime while everyone’s still in bed. Her mock tantrums when she doesn’t get enough attention, akin to a toddler’s, adds a playful touch of humour to her endearing personality.
Tineka passionately advocates for adopting pets from shelters, emphasising the life-saving second chance it offers deserving dogs. She regales the comical proceedings of convincing her partner – who was determined that they weren’t getting a second dog – to adopt Romy, who’s now become Pierre’s clear favourite. The family’s decision to “adopt rather than shop” from a breeder reflects the belief that rescue dogs, like Romy, bring immeasurable joy and fun into homes, and they have the potential to surpass all expectations as they seem to perceive that they’ve been given another chance.
Tineka, Romy’s owner, shares…
We’re so grateful for both TEARS and Kelly. Romy is creeping into our hearts more and more every day. She’s now just over a year and missy is starting to grow into her personality. Still just as quirky and playful as always but demanding – she knows she can get away with murder. She loves to “boop” you with her snoot and then give you some puppy eyes when she wants your attention.
We waited until she was over a year old before we started introducing her to running on-lead with us. We wanted her to be fully developed. She’s becoming a real adventurer, growing in bravery each month. All the training is starting to pay off as well.
She’s not only brought joy and companionship to our lives but has also taught us a valuable lesson about love, loyalty, and resilience.
