Meet Hallie. 10-year-old Hallie is a beloved rescue dog from America, who is 50% Beagle, 36% working/herding group, and 14% Chow Chow. How do we know this? Well, Hallie’s human sister Ciara studies genetics and did a DNA test on her! Hallie arrived into the lives of Emer Morrison and her son Conor and daughter Ciara at a time of great difficulty in their lives, as Emer’s husband passed unexpectedly in 2005.
After a few years of deep grieving, Emer felt her children ‘needed some fun in their lives’, and that’s where Hallie came in. In 2009, they adopted 11-week-old Hallie from a rescue centre. ‘She didn’t disappoint,’ says Emer. ‘No amount of therapy could have done the amount of good for my family as she did. She brought joy, she brought fun, and she brought laughter back into our home.’ In 2011, Emer decided to move back to Ireland, and Hallie was up for the adventure. ‘Hallie made the long journey like a pro,’ says Emer, ‘and she had no trouble adjusting.’ It was here in Ireland that Hallie met the true love of her life… Emer’s Dad!
‘She gets so hyper and excited when he's around, and she gets so vocal as she chats to him,’ says Emer. ‘It takes her forever to calm down. Anytime I go away, my Dad picks me up from the airport and brings me home. When I open the door, Hallie hardly tosses me a glance as she runs past to get to my father. But I don't mind because my father loves it.’ Hallie loves her raw carrots and Emer admits ‘there’s not much in the food department she doesn’t like’.
This love of carrots means that she’s forever stealing them from her rabbit sibling Pippin who lives under the kitchen table. However, she’s not too keen on broccoli so Pippin gets more than his fair share of the green veg. As for other pet hates, she’s not too keen on being groomed. ‘My sister is a dog groomer and Hallie doesn't like being groomed, or having her nails cut. She absolutely hates it if you try clean her teeth, but she accepts her fate.’
Hallie loves her life in Kinsale, especially her walks around Jamesfort, the Dock beach, Garretstown, and Garrylucas. She loves her doggy cousins (Emer’s sister's dogs), and loves to go to their house to hang out. ‘She truly is a valued member of our family,’ says Emer. ‘Every morning I come down to the kitchen, usually before anyone else, and I make my cup of tea. I sit on the kitchen floor, my back resting against the cabinets, and Hallie cuddles up beside me, inching closer and closer until she’s up on my lap altogether. We've done this every morning since the day she came to our family, and now Pippin joins us, although I don't think Hallie is particularly pleased about this! We love her so much. Everyone told me that I was crazy getting a dog at the time I did, but it was, without a doubt, the best decision I ever made.’
Pet of the Week is proudly sponsored by Pet Essentials, Carrigaline. If you would like to put your pet forward for Pet of the Week, please send your details to: nicola@carrigdhoun.com
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