NEWPORT City Dogs Home cares for more than 500 dogs a year, and if they are not claimed by their owners, the dogs are offered for adoption.

Layla is a 15-year-old dog who is blind and deaf. She was found by a Newport taxi driver in the middle of night in Maindee, Newport. They do not know how long she was in the streets for.

After being taken to Newport City Dogs Home, Layla was rehomed back in October and is now living with the Hadley’s in Lliswerry, Newport.

Maria Hadley, 47, said that Layla is integrating very well with the family.

“She knows her way around the house now,” she said. “She doesn’t go upstairs, but she loves going around the garden.

“I put a nappy on her just in case and She loves her food, especially her treats.

“We have another dog, a golden Labrador, who is also adopted.

“They get on very well.”

The mum-of-one said that, when they go for walks, Labrador Stella is Layla’s eyes. She said Layla enjoys her routines, such as sleeping in the kitchen.

“She is adorable, she is good as gold,” she said. “She loves being loved.

“We are a very close family and she has brought closer. We all love her, even if she is hard work.”

A more recent Dog of the Week was Shadow, who came into the care of Newport City Dogs Home in early January, weighing just 12 kilos.

He was totally emaciated, utterly exhausted, and the home were unsure whether Shadow would make it through the night.

Shadow – now named Rosco – has now found a home. Since February 10, he has been living with the Nicholls in Risca.

He has settled in with the family perfectly and loves being with the other three dogs the family has – he behaves as if he has never been anywhere else.

Jim Nicholls said: “My wife read in the Argus about him, she said to me ‘this poor thing is looking for a home’. It was such a sad story we thought we would bring him here, it is terrible to think that he was neglected.

“We want to give him a happy life after what he has endured.”

Mr Nicholls, 41, said that Rosco is a lovely dog that has been amazing from the start.

“We have three children and he is really good with the kids,” Mr Nicholls said.

“He looks so happy playing in the garden with the other dogs. He is very affectionate, he always welcomes you back to the house.

“I think he is very happy to have someone caring for him. If you saw him, you would think he has never been anywhere else.”

Mr Nicholls said that Rosco, aged two-and-a-half, really enjoys being part of what the family are doing and that, if they go upstairs, he wants to go upstairs, for example.

He said the lurcher wants to be with people or other dogs all the time and that he loves having his belly rubbed.

Marley, a cross between a poodle and a shih tzu, is another example of a happily rehomed dog.

The 15-month-old shih-poo was handed over to the dogs home due to a change in his owner’s circumstances.

However, since October, he has been part of the Giggs family in Machen.

“I was Googling all the different dog homes in the area, I didn’t want a specific dog – all I knew is that I wanted a rescue dog,” said Jean Giggs.

“We have always had dogs, except for the past eight years.

“We had always had a pedigree dog - Marley is our first dog from a home. There are so many dogs in homes in need of a home.”

The 70-year-old said that they wanted a small dog for company, but not a puppy - they didn’t want to go through the puppy stage.

They wanted a dog which had poodle on him because his son is allergic to hair and poodles don’t shed.

She said that, when they saw Marley, they fell in love with him.

Mrs Giggs said Marley is lovely and very affectionate – she described him as a house dog.

“He loves to be around us, but he also loves his walks,” she said.

“There is a park near us where we take him to every day. We also like to take him up to the mountains in Caerphilly.

“A dog gives you an aim to go out, winters can be very long when you have retired.

“You also meet people in the park, so you socialise.

“He loves other dogs, he is very friendly. He has lots of friends and he is so happy.”

Mrs Giggs said that they have taught him how to sit with treats and that they would like to teach him more things.

As he doesn’t come back yet, they have to keep him on the lead at all times.

She said Marley has got two toys that he loves, a rope to play tug of war and a squeaky toy.

“I think having a dog is good for you both mentally and physically, he has made a big difference to our lives,” she said.

“He has brought a lot of joy.

“I could go on and on about how wonderful he is, you could say so much about him. We are thrilled with him.

“You get up in the morning and he is there.”

Mrs Giggs said she would recommend getting a dog from a home as their experience has been great.

She said that the people working in Newport City Dogs Home are “marvellous” as they helped them choose the right dog for them as well as having helped them along the way with little issues they have had.

Newport City Dogs Home staff can be contacted by calling 01633 290902 between 11am and 1pm or 2pm to 4pm.