Sunday Success: Beano’s story

Meet Beano (formerly Juju), who was found abandoned in the mountains of Romania with his siblings. Thanks to the kindness of strangers, they were rescued and brought to safety to our trusted foster, Alina.

Beano’s journey hasn’t been easy. His anxiety has made him a challenging adoption, but Martyn and Joan have shown endless patience, celebrating every small win along the way. From settling into his new home to taking his first long walk, Beano has come so far. He still has a way to go, but with Martyn and Joan by his side, we know he’ll continue to thrive.

Here’s what Martyn had to say about Beano’s journey so far…

“Beano’s happy bus arrived at our house at 02:15 in May 2023. His face showed all the stress and fear from the journey and being in a new place. He initially refused to settle in his crate, preferring the hard kitchen floor, frightened of everything. Eventually, he moved to a softer bed in the kitchen corner. Since he's not food-driven, tempting him with treats didn’t work, though he loves cheese and chicken. Progress was slow, and we struggled for many months, wondering if we’d done the right thing.

The breakthrough came when we adopted Gretel (in a moment of madness!) in January. Beano finally had a playmate since our other dog, Bella, is too old for rough play. Soon, Beano and Gretel were happily chasing each other around the yard at night. Although we couldn’t initially get him out for a walk, Joan gradually worked with him, using a behaviorist's help, and eventually got him to walk through the local woodland.

Now, we take early group walks almost daily, and Beano is much braver, handling other dogs, people, and vehicles calmly. Though still wary around the house and hesitant to venture into the sitting room, he has made remarkable progress. He even takes treats from me (Martyn) and occasionally allows me to tickle his tummy.

Having Beano has been an emotional roller coaster, but 14 months on, we are seeing real progress. Though neither Beano nor Gretel were kill shelter dogs, adopting them has made space for others to have a second chance. Comparing earlier photos to recent ones shows Beano is now a different, happier dog. He is really blossoming now into the dog I always knew he would be; he joins us now in the living room every evening at long last! He still won’t get in a car though, but we're confident he'll continue to improve.

There was never any question we were going to give up on him, but it has been hard for us sometimes. However, the rewards when he does something unexpected far outweigh any difficulties.

We love him and Gretel to bits.❤️”

We’re so proud of this little guy and grateful for the love and dedication of his new family. Here’s to many more successes on his journey and a massive thank you to Martyn, Joan and the ever-suffering poodle big sister, Bella.