The first time that Michele saw Isla, she was a very reactive “teenager”. With her brothers and friends she ran in to the village chasing cats and barking at every dog. The adults of her pack were peacefully seeking for food and for a safe place to raise the puppies, which were due in a few weeks. Michele went to the village just after the puppies were born. The little group of the teenage dogs continued to chase and generally cause chaos, but Isla was different. She was always close to the den, never far from the puppies, especially when their mother was away. Michele realised, more than ever, how special this little dog was. Isla is such a sweet person with a strong mothering instinct.

In the summer people came for vacations in the village. This made the dog pack uneasy and they disappeared. Come the winter, new stray dogs arrived in the village. As always, we went to see them regularly to feed and to check they were okay generally. One day Michele's attention was drawn to a beautiful new female with two awesome puppies. After a short while, Michele looked closer and was delighted with what he saw. It took a while for it to sink in that this little group was Isla and her new family. She was amazing; she had changed; she was wise.

The puppies, Pally and Tai, played together and she placidly slept with one eye open looking at her babies. She allowed us to stay near and give food to Pally and Tai, but her eyes let us know she was there to watch over her son and daughter. From that moment we saw Isla and her babies a lot of time; Pally and Tai grew up and were occasionally away from their mother and with the adults of the pack. Strange thing, Isla was always away from her old pack.

One day, Michele and some friends found Isla with a several large wounds on one of her hind legs. A couple of the wounds were infected. The injury was probably as a result of a fight with another dog, probably the Alpha female of the pack.

She was now heavily pregnant and the birth was imminent. She became more and more weary and was finding it difficult to move around. Pally had stayed with her but Tai was nowhere to be seen. In fact, she was last seen walking off with the pack from the other side of the village. Well, you have to leave home sometime!

One afternoon Michele, who had been feeding her and the pups regularly, approached her with some food. He offered the food and walked away. Isla and Pally followed him as he kept walking away. Eventually, he managed to encourage her into his garden and closed the gate.

Michele hid some sedatives in her food, which she eagerly ate. About half an hour later, with the help of some friends, she was lifted on a blanket into the back of a car. As the car started moving. She was terrified but at least she knew Pally was in a box next to her.

The following day, still drowsy and in much discomfort, Isla was taken with Pally to Lucia's house where the garden became her new temporary home.

When she first arrived, it was so obvious that she was really anxious about her new surroundings. As each day passed, she become more relaxed and was curious about us and the new place.

After few days Isla and Pally gained enough confidence to converse with Lucia's three dogs – Tommy, Mandorla and Baruffa. The relationship that developed between them was very beautiful and very special.

She took comfort from them. They showed her in a way that only a dog can that she was safe and these people would not hurt her. She still needed some convincing though!

 

On the 16th February this year, Isla gave birth to seven puppies! We were worried how Isla would react to us being around at this time.

Isla astounded us once again; it was amazing how Isla, a wild dog who had just had puppies, not only accepted our presence but even allowed us to take food close to her den

When the puppies were about three weeks, they ventured out of the kennel into the garden.

At one point, Isla looked at Michele in a way that he had seen before. It was when she was free in the village and Michele and his girlfriend, Barbara, first came close young Pally and Tai, two puppies from her first litter. Michele was now worried for Isla and very sad.

This life was so different to the one she had led before. Even though absolutely terrified and in pain, Isla NEVER showed any aggression towards people at all.

Isla now had everything she needed; food, water, shelter. But she had lost her freedom. That's a high price to pay. And she did not trust people enough yet to experience the pleasures from a relationship that can be gained between man and dog.

All the puppies have new homes now and very soon Pally will be going to his new home. This leaves Isla alone with her new friends – Tommy, Mandorla and Baruffa. She is settled with her foster family but really needs a home where she can have more individual attention. She must go to live with another dog as she still has much to learn about people. Only time will help her gain trust and confidence in people. Another dog can help her recognise this far better than a person alone can.

Isla is one of that dogs that when you meet, even if for few moments, leaves an impression in your heart and mind forever.