A British family raised over £3,000 to fly an blind roaming puppy from Mauritius to the UK after falling for him on vacation. Natalie Bottomley, 48, said her children Taylor, 18, and Georgie, 17, ended up being taken with eight-month-old Ronnie after showing up on the tropical islet, in the Indian Ocean.
And after encouraging her hubby Chris about their strategy to rehome the cross-breed, she established a contribution page in the hopes of getting him back to Britain. But the family was surprised when money began to roll in within hours of the appeal going live – permitting them to get him off the streets.
Natalie said Ronnie invested 3 weeks in an animal well-being sanctuary prior to he was placed on a 13-hour to Heathrow Airport on Tuesday (Aug 8). And she said her family “burst into tears” when they saw him – comparing his story to the movie ‘The Lady and The Tramp’ where a roaming dog is taken in by a caring family.
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Natalie said: “He is the most charming dog. I think that he picked us since he has actually entered into our house and it’s like he has actually lived here for months. We break out into tears (when we saw him once again). It was a bit surreal… He’s a bit like something off a Disney movie, like ‘The Lady and the Tramp’. I swear he acknowledged us, undoubtedly not by sight however by odor, since his other senses are increased. It’s like he felt in one’s bones he was safe.
“He’s simply an outright dream. I was anticipating sleep deprived nights, I was anticipating him to be truly shy and shy, however he has actually entered into our house and it’s like he owns it.” Vegan skin care ambassador Natalie, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, jetted out with her family on July 6 to Mauritius, off the West Coast of Africa, for a two-week break.
But she said they were shocked by the variety of roaming cats and dogs cluttering the beaches, near where they were remaining in Grand Baie, on the island’s northern pointer. Natalie said her children discovered the adorable blind puppy, who they called Ronnie, near their hotel simply a day after they showed up.
And she then asked with a regional family pet well-being centre, The Animal House Rescue, about him, which verified he was a roaming and in requirement of an irreversible home. Natalie said: “Within 24 hr people showing up, both of our ladies fell upon Ronnie. He’d been assaulted by another dog, and a great deal of individuals who were remaining there had actually taken a genuine preference to him also. He’s lovely and cute at the moment, but as he gets older his fate isn’t great, and unfortunately, stray dogs in Mauritius aren’t particularly treated well.
(Image: Natalie Bottomley / SWNS)
“We saw an awful lot in a horrendous state. On the paradise island of Mauritius, you just don’t expect it.” Natalie discussed the poor pup’s plight with members of her rounders team, Aireborough Belters, and they then set up a GoFundMe page to try and help him.
But she was left stunned when individuals from all over the world recognised Ronnie from their holidays and rapidly began chipping in money for his cause. Natalie said: “We realised within four hours, we’d got enough money to start getting him back.” The family then organised for Ronnie to be vaccinated and castrated at a local animal centre before they flew home on July 21.
And they then paid for him to be jetted over to Britain, with the help of the charity Four Paws UK, picking him up from Heathrow Airport three weeks later. Ronnie has now settled in at their family home in Leeds, where he has their two cats and their Labrador for company.
But Natalie revealed how animal lovers from around the world were still contributing to their fundraiser, which they’re using to pay for Ronnie’s vet bills. She said: “I had a lady who donated £700 to the fund, she lives in South Africa. She messaged me and said: ‘I had a really awful day, and I looked at the video of your two dogs playing in your garden.
“‘My job is extremely stressful and I wanted to burst out into tears, but then I realised that the job allows me to donate that money for you to be able to rescue Ronnie. ‘Now I see that it makes it worth it.’” Natalie said she’s also planning future fundraising events, which she hopes will allow other roaming animals on Mauritius to be rehomed too. She added: “There are some other dogs on there that we want to help, and that’s why we’re really keen to get the GoFundMe out there a bit more.”
Natalie’s fundraiser has actually currently reached £3,645. The High Commission of Mauritius, London, has been contacted for comment about the alleged number of roaming animals on the island.
