Carl Egan, a dog lover from Darwen, East Lancashire, has made a heartwarming promise. After his dog Flash passed away, he promised to devote the rest of his life to rescues.
Carl has been involved with RSPCA Lancashire East for years. One day, he met Flash at the shelter. Flash was a 5-year-old greyhound and Saluki cross, and he arrived to the shelter in shocking condition.
Carl and his wife Emma decided to adopt Flash and he instantly became a large part of their lives and their family. The couple had been married for 11 years and don’t have children. Even though Carl previously had greyhounds and lurchers in his family, Flash was the couple’s first dog.
The pooch was very underweight, and it was devastating for Carl to see the conditions he was living in before being rescued. The introduction went great, and the dog took to his soon-to-be owner immediately. As the volunteer knelt to say hello, Flash started giving him kisses and burying his head into Carl’s chest to cuddle. This was a dog who just wanted to be loved and cared for. He didn’t hold grudges and he had forgiven people for mistreating him.
As Mr. Egan returned to the shelter to walk the greyhound, the two fell in love even more. The dog was very quiet during these first walks and was fearful around food. This behavior made perfect sense due to the poor dog’s prior experiences of being starved and neglected. The rescue center helped get Flash back to a normal weight and showered him with love and care. As a result, the pooch completely regained his trust in people.
When he arrived to his new home, the look in his eyes said more than words ever could. He had a comfy bed, many toys, treats, and most importantly, all the cuddles he could ever want. The Eagans made a promise that this would be his forever home. Their devotion helped Flash get over his traumas from the past. In the beginning, the pooch would sometimes wake up in panic so Carl reassured him that he was safe, and everything would be okay. It took a lot of love, care, and patience, but they pulled through together.
Flash also gained many new friends, including a rescue lurcher named Spider, owned by Carl’s parents. But Tinker, a rescue Chihuahua soon became the greyhound’s best friend. Tinker also had a difficult past and was adopted by Carl’s parents-in-law. The dynamic duo was very different but had a lot in common. Flash would gladly share his treats, toys, and even his bad with his tiny pal.
Flash also didn’t discriminate against anyone. He had the most unusual friend. A peacock named Ricky would regularly visit the Eagans’ garden so the two would plod around together. The unlikely friends also had their Facebook page, ‘The Adventures of Ricky Peacock and Friends’ that Carl started to bring some joy to people in the light of the COVID lockdowns. Ricky would even imitate Flash and started stealing raspberries from the garden.
Carl and Flash event went on BBC Radio Lancashire to raise awareness for rescuing abandoned and mistreated dogs. The greyhound loved the attention and people were delighted to have him around. In his typical fashion, he would sometimes fall asleep under the desk in the studio while on air. Carl and Flash also supported many charitable events with their local greyhound rescue. They went on numerous adventures, like walking the Pennine Moors and enjoying early morning walks to observe the wildlife. As Carl put it, he and Flash were best friends, partners in mischief, and their love for one another was unconditional.
The fairytale went on for eight and a half years. But then tragedy struck, and Flash passed away. A month earlier, he had a cancerous lump that was removed. Unfortunately, the disease had already spread and there was nothing else the vets could do. Carl and Emma received many heartwarming messages of support, saying how much Flash and Ricky’s friendship helped people find joy and happiness in uncertain times.
The couple also made sure that the last weeks of the greyhound’s life were as perfect as they could be. He went to his favorite places, received massive amounts of love and cuddles, and had all his favorite meals served to him. This helped keep Flash’s mood up as he often wanted to play zoomies and cuddled up to his family on the sofa. But then the tragic day came, and it was time to say goodbye. It was the most difficult thing Carl had to do in his life, but it was necessary to let the pooch go gently.
The love the Eagans had for Flash was just as immeasurable as the grief of losing him. But they also know they gave their dog the best life he could possibly have. And they want to keep doing that for as long as they live. Carl and Emma decided to continue giving back to the center that rescued Flash and helped nurse him back to health.
Carl Eagan has been the RSPCA Lancashire East volunteer since the center was open in 2010 and had made a promise to help as many dogs as possible and possible and find them good homes. This will help keep the memory of Flash alive, and it will certainly continue to be the life-changing experience for everyone involved.
The volunteer described his experiences in detail. After the initial shock of seeing how many dogs were severely mistreated, he decided to start helping. He did the necessary training and started walking the dogs. Every weekend, he walks the center’s dogs for about four hours. He started to take care of the dogs that were afraid of people and needed a lot of patience to regain their trust. Carl then studied for his diploma in dog behavior and immediately started putting it to practice. He says that the biggest reward is gaining the trust of rescue dogs that were badly mistreated before.
Helping rescue dogs is an emotional rollercoaster. From the initial anger and sadness about prior mistreatment and neglect to a sense of happiness and relief when the dogs are properly cared for, Carl has gone through it all. He says he is hooked to volunteering with the rescue shelter and plans to spend the rest of his life walking and caring for dogs in need.
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