'I ADOPTED A DOG ABANDONED IN A LIDL CAR PARK – I NOW HELP REHOME PUPS'

Laura Norrey, 40, is helping hundreds of pooches find their forever homes after she adopted a dog left to fend for herself in Bulgaria

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Animal lover Laura started searching for a new dog after her beloved border collie Chuck died at the age of 12, following a short battle with cancer.

She tells us, “Chuck came into my life at four years old after a family member's relationship breakdown and from the moment he arrived, he was pure joy — loving, funny and full of personality.

“He was more than just a pet; he was my rock. Through some of the hardest times, including my grandmother's eight-year battle with dementia, Chuck was there, offering comfort in the way only a dog can.”

After his passing in 2019, Laura, who is originally from Manchester but now lives in Glossop, Derbyshire, wanted another four-legged companion, but struggled to find a suitable dog for adoption until she came across Street Hearts BG, a non-profit organisation that rescues street dogs in Bulgaria and finds them forever homes, including with families in the UK.

Laura says, “We knew we could never replace Chuck, but any true dog lover understands that a house isn't a home without a dog. We visited multiple rescues in Manchester, but we struggled to find the right fit.

“Many dogs were too large for me to handle, while others had complex behavioural needs that I didn’t yet feel equipped to manage. To our surprise, some UK rescues rejected us for seemingly minor reasons, such as our garden not being deemed secure because it had two gates.

“Unlike many UK rescues that enforce blanket policies — such as no adoptions to homes with children under eight or those with cats – Street Hearts BG assesses applications individually. I stumbled across them completely by accident, in a Google search. At the time, adopting from abroad hadn‘t crossed my mind.”