Eddie enjoys being photographed.
On the 11th of June, Sam Douglas’ dog Eddie joined the Muddy Dog Challenge with Sam and her husband, to raise money for the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
“Eddie was a rescue dog himself when he landed on his paws and moved in with us, just over eight years ago,” says Sam, who is Reception Manager and Deputy Custodian.
Eddie the rock star
Sam always wanted a Jack Russell and was thrilled when she was offered Eddie, who was being re-homed because he was unwanted by his previous owners. She hastens to explain that although Eddie looks very much like Martin Crane’s dog in the television series Frasier, he was actually named after two very different Eddies: “I named him after Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam,” she says, “But my husband Stuart named him after Eddie Van Halen. So Eddie’s full name is ‘Eddie Van Vedder Dog Douglas.’”
Superhound
Eddie turned 11 on the 22nd of May, but Sam says he is still full of energy. “Eddie is a little superhound!” she says. “He loves walking and adventures, so this will be right up his street!” Sam herself, however, is “not keen on cold water and I hate mud.” Interviewed before the event, Sam said: “I am actually dreading the cold and crawling on my belly through mud.” On the bright side, Sam was looking forward to it “being all over.” She was also looking forward to seeing Eddie enjoy himself and to be raising some money for a good cause.
Sam says: “We wanted to raise money for rescue dogs because Eddie was a rescue dog,” adding: “Eddie really wants to do what he can to help other hounds that haven’t been so lucky to find their forever homes yet.”
Good cause
Sam and Stuart have set up a “Just Giving” page for the event, which took place on the 11th of June. They have already raised £134, exceeding their £100 target, and they can accept donations up to a month after the event. All donations will go to the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
According to the Battersea website: “The Muddy Dog Challenge is a 2.5K and 5K obstacle course that you can take on with your dog by your side. Whether you’re keen to run, or would rather walk, you can tackle the course with friends and family, with or without a dog. Just prepare yourself for a day of mud, sweat, and cheers! “
The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home says: “The money you raise by taking part in the Muddy Dog Challenge will go towards the care of the dogs and cats that need it most.”
Sam has worked in the Department almost 20 months now, having joined in October 2020. “Lockdown was an interesting time to start a new job,” she recalls. “I couldn’t meet most of the people that I was dealing with, and didn’t get to meet anybody for a long time. It was also really hard to learn my way around the building with the one-way system!” Sam continues: “It’s brilliant now that things are getting back to ‘normal’ and I can finally put names to faces.”
As for facing the mud and the cold, Sam said: “Wish me luck!”
