Free The Abandoned Puppy by Holly Webb Page A

with Barney, her gorgeous tabby. She had been working as a receptionist at the local vet back then. That’s how she knew all about Redlands. She’d ended up volunteering to help out at the shelter in her spare time. Then, when a job had come up as manager, she’d jumped at the chance. Zoe had been delighted too.
    “You’re so lucky, getting to be at the shelter every day, and see all the dogs,” Zoe sighed. “I’m definitely going towork somewhere like Redlands when I’m older. Or maybe I’ll be a vet,” she added thoughtfully.
    Auntie Jo smiled at her. “It is a lovely job at the shelter,” she agreed. “But it does have its sad bits too. Sometimes it makes me so angry the way people don’t look after their animals properly. And it isn’t always the owner’s fault either. Sometimes they really love their pets, but they just can’t care for them in the same way any more. That’s really heartbreaking.” She sighed. “I just want to take them all home with me. But four cats is quite enough.”
    Having just Barney the tabby hadn’t lasted very long. Auntie Jo was a sucker for big fluffy cats.
    “Mmmm. So, did anybody take adog or cat home over the weekend?” Zoe asked. She loved hearing about the new homes the animals went to. She liked to imagine herself into some of the stories Auntie Jo told. She would have loved to have had a dog from the shelter, but she knew they couldn’t. It wouldn’t be fair to leave it all alone in their house while Mum was at work, and Kyra wasn’t really a dog fan either. She’d been chased across the park by a huge Bernese Mountain Dog when she was about four. She and Mum had been on their way to nursery, and Kyra had been on her scooter. The dog had only wanted to be friendly, but Kyra hadn’t known that, and she’d fallen off trying to get away from him. She’d been scared of dogs ever since.
    “Edward got chosen this weekend!” said Auntie Jo. “Finally! I’m so pleased, Zoe. I thought he’d never find a home!” Zoe grinned. Edward was one of the older dogs – a bulldog. A lot of people seemed to think that they were weird-looking . Everyone always wanted a cute little puppy but Edward had such a sweet nature.

    “An elderly man came in,” Auntie Jo went on. “He wanted Edward straightaway. He said that he’d always had bulldogs, and Edward was a smasher. That’s what he called him – a little smasher!”
    Zoe giggled. “I hope he isn’t. He is a bit clumsy. He does bump into things.”
    Auntie Jo laughed. “One of the staff went round and did a home visit, because Mr Johnson was so keen to take Edward straightaway. She said it looked perfect. A nice bit of garden, and near a park for good walks. She reckoned Edward and Mr Johnson were a perfect match – both of them on the elderly side. You know Edward never liked walking very fast!”
    Zoe nodded. She’d taken Edwardround the park with Auntie Jo and a couple of the other dogs from the shelter before. It was the slowest walk she’d ever been on!
    “Lucky Edward. And lucky Mr Johnson,” Zoe said. “I bet they’re having such a lovely time.” She wrapped her arm through Auntie Jo’s, and leaned against her with a sigh. “I know we can’t, but I do wish I could have a dog of my own…”

Chapter Two
    The box seemed to be getting colder and colder. The April night had been frosty, and the puppies had huddled together to keep warm. They weren’t used to being outside at night and there was only the thin cardboard box between them and the concrete steps. They had always slept in their comfortable basket, snuggled up next to their mother. The cold was afrightening shock.
    The smallest of the three, the tiny girl puppy, woke up first. She was miserably stiff, the cold aching inside her, and she scrabbled worriedly at the cardboard under her paws. Her two brothers were still asleep, curled up together, but somehow during the night she had rolled away from them. Now she was on her own in the