Let’s talk about Opium

Not that kind, but a gorgeous labrador who spent years with travellers and is now living his best life in the Netherlands.

Opi was the first dog taken on by La Caravane du Djoukel, an association which works with traveller communities and with whom Les Amis des Animaux works closely. La Caravane had been following Opi for 7 years before the owner asked them to take him.

An appeal went out for a fosterer and that’s when Outi saw the photos. Their beloved labrador had recently died and they weren’t sure if they were ready for another dog. But they decided to try fostering Opi and it soon became clear that they would adopt him!

Opi arrived very thin and with worn fur from a thick chain. He pulled a lot on the lead, probably because he had never been on one. He was not castrated so meeting other male dogs was challenging, and his eyesight and hearing were not the clearest. But he was house-trained, he didn’t bark and his sense of smell was excellent. Opi was castrated and the family received invaluable help from a trainer.

The family had been living in the countryside but moved to the city. Opi now visits cafés, meets and greets people and dogs on the street, and even manages to ignore the cats and geese he spots. His sense of smell is as good as ever!

Living this happy life has resulted in him putting on a little too much weight and a diet is on the cards.

Opi’s new family were not wanting to take on a young dog again and the calmer pace of life with an older dog was exactly what they were looking for, despite any baggage that may have come with him. Opi has brought his weight worth of joy into their lives.