Our Beautiful Tess - Border Collie Rescue and Rehab Centre

Many of you enjoyed the story of how we met our gorgeous Tess in The Lake District in 2012. A working collie who preferred people to sheep! How she picked us, The Hemstocks, to share her life with, as a pampered pooch, in Nottingham.
Tess was such a special girl, with her calm gentle ways, her thick snuggly coat and those wise, knowing eyes!

You’ve kindly followed our travels on walks watching sunrises & sunsets, our weekend trips to The Peak District, and our holidays in our happy place – The Lake District! Tess has dipped her precious toes in many a lake and climbed many a fell, taking us on many adventures.

Watching her and our boys grow older together created wonderful memories, that we were able to share with you. In turn, we then found lovely friends in so many of you. Isn’t it incredible how much love and happiness a dog can bring to so many people throughout the country and in other parts of the world! Our gorgeous Tess did just that! A gift that we are eternally grateful for!

Our hearts were broken in June 2024, when we lost our gorgeous girl, aged 14. Slightly healed knowing she didn’t suffer and was able to enjoy walks on her very last day, and of course, a million photos to look back on and smile at.
We knew we could never replace Tess, and to be honest we wouldn’t want to. However, we knew we had space in our hearts to love another dog, to enrich our lives again. So, late July we welcomed little Bonnie – a cute bundle of fun, joy and nips!

Ideally, we’d have loved to have rescued a dog, however, due to a lower wall at the bottom of our garden, sadly that wasn’t to be. We completely understand the rescue centres’ decisions in this. In searching for a rescue, we came across Diane Hart Collie Rescue! Wow, what an amazing lady, and what an amazing place! (If you’re not already following them, have a look at their page on Facebook). It’s a wonder the dogs ever want to leave! Diane currently has over 100 collies in her care, who she patiently works with to overcome behavioural issues, before releasing to their new loving homes. This not only takes patience, but it also takes time, and lots of money.
With this in mind, I’d like to try to give a little back, in memory of our beautiful Tess.

If Tess has made you smile over the years, and you feel you are able, could I please ask if would be willing to make a small donation to this amazing charity? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know Tess helped another dog find its loving forever home, and to know that another family would receive a gift as wonderful as ours? (You ‘re able to overtype your own donation amount, with the min set (not by me) at £2 please).
Sending a million thankyous, for following our travels through Captured By Rosey Jo, being so supportive when our hearts were breaking, and for welcoming little Bonnie with open arms, just as we have! We really can’t thank you enough!
Love,
Jo, Ant, Liam, James & Bonnie