It is with great sadness that we have to tell you Leo, our sanctuary dog, has left us.

This is what Lisa has heartbreakingly written about him...

"Today has been the hardest day ever in 14 years of Greyhound Gap being in existence. Today we lost a legend. Our beautiful sanctuary dog Leo has left us. Leo landed with us just over 9 years ago a very scared and abused boy who never ever learnt to trust anyone other than his chosen few.

Leo hated change, he hated things he did not understand and for the last 9 years we have all always done our best by him. We have created a *safe* and *loved* environment where Leo remained secure and happy dancing with his waggy bum at the sight of those he loved and trusted. For over 9 years after landing in rescue at just over 2 years of age Leo lived. I am not sure in many other places he would have been given the dignity and respect he received with us here and I am not sure anywhere else the trust bonds he formed would have been built.

I could not be prouder of the team here today, I could not be prouder of our vets and I could not be prouder of Leo. I would defy anyone anywhere to tell me that this team we have is not the most epic and that our dogs are not the luckiest, best loved, best understood well loved pets. I would be lying if this day has not caused me sleepless nights over the years, the worry of how to not distress our boy, how to release him safely and how to make sure everything was kept as calm and as stress free as possible when the time came. Leo left us at just after 8.30pm tonight on *HIS* sofa surrounded by all the people he loved, he left peacefully and with dignity and in the best way possible we could have ever hoped for for a dog of his calibre.

We are all heartbroken, there are not enough words that I could ever find to express just how loved this boy was and I know its going to take a long time for hearts to heal if they ever do but I also know that tomorrow we will wake up with our heads held high and we will carry on. We will carry on for Leo and all those like him who need the love and care and cherished safety net that we here at Gap offer. I have lived and breathed this team for years but seeing today how everybody held everybody else up when we all needed it took Gap magic to a whole other level, it was something quite unique and something more special than anyone could ever begin to imagine. I need to say special thanks to Jane, Liv and Tara who were Leos most treasured carers, he adored them.



The whole kennels team literally were here, nobody left and nobody went home till we knew our boy had safely taken his last journey. Special thanks to our vets yet again and especially Cynthia who came after hours and not only helped us to make everything much easier but was happily guided by those of us who knew him and allowed us to handle it how it in the best way for our boy. Having vets like that who you can trust and who in turn trust you makes all the world of difference at times like this.

Rest easy my boy, sleep tight little calf. Loved and missed always".