A wheel-y nice life for Leap's Layla

LAYLA, a 10-year-old springer spaniel and collie cross, has become ‘a poster girl’ for the West Cork Animal Welfare group, writes Jackie Keogh.

Layla, who walks using a specially-made trolley, is ‘a sponsor dog’, which means people pay to sponsor her and are given a sponsorship pack.

Tory Joyce, a volunteer with the West Cork Animal Welfare group, said: ‘Sponsorship helps us to pay for Layla’s upkeep, but we have other sponsor dogs too.’

All of the organisation’s sponsor dogs cannot be homed, due to health and other issues, but Layla has found a permanent foster carer with Anne in Leap.

Layla is something of ‘a minor celebrity’ in the village. She was struck by a car when she was just a puppy and the accident meant she was literally dragging herself around due to the extensive damage caused to her spine. ‘The owner had tried to help her and had x-rays and everything done,’ said Anne. ‘The prognosis was not good but, on the other hand, they couldn’t put her down. They contacted Jennifer Headlam at the West Cork Animal Welfare group and she asked me to foster her.’ 

One of Layla’s rear legs was amputated after the accident, but she became mobile once again, thanks to the use of a specially-fitted trolley. ‘At the time, we thought we might have had to put her to sleep,’ said Anne, ‘but I have her nearly nine years now.’

Today, Layla shows every sign of being ‘a happy little dog’ and is living contentedly with her foster carer.