ORIN BYATT TAYLOR 26/5/2009 - 23/7/2013

I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM TYPING THIS, TO  SAY WE ARE SHELL SHOCKED DOESN'T COME CLOSE. ORIN WAS A VERY SPECIAL GREYHOUND WHO WE ADORED!

We were asked to foster Orin by greyhound gap. Orin was 3years old and terrified of the world and not doing well in the kennels. So Orin arrived here on Sunday 20^th May 2012 and was indeed a very frightened dog.

Elmo loved having a new playmate and the two of them really hit off. Orin gained in confidence with each passing week although unexpected noises would still frightened him. He would also bark non stop when someone he didn’t know would visit until he felt comfortable enough to do a few quick run pasts and then the final run past would involve him giving the visitor a quick lick on the hand.

Right from the start Orin bonded with Eric and was totally 100% a Daddy’s boy, whilst Eric was at work Orin would play with Elmo and then Twizzle when she arrived or when he finally figured out he was a greyhound and not a lurcher like the other two he would spend his days on his back with 4 legs in the air. However as soon as Eric walked in he would turn into the funniest silly clown you could imagine acting the fool and playing about. He totally adored Eric and where Eric went so did Orin

On the 18^th June we knew that Orin had already found his forever home, he had fitted into the pack so well and despite still having some confident issues he was so happy, so we made the formal announcement that Orin would become a Taylor hound. It felt so good having a greyhound in our pack again.

As our pack expanded with the arrival of Twizzle and Belle and later with Indy and Rocky, Alfie couldn’t cope with being the alpha dog and much to everyone’s surprise Orin took over as top dog! This was the dog that used to peep out from the side of the garage to bark at the postman such was fear of people he didn’t know. His journey to becoming top dog and a much more confidant fella was wonderful to watch but he never lost his silliness and would still love to play with Elmo, Twizzle and Belle.

Every morning when Eric went out to let the chickens out Orin always accompanied his Dad and in truth was never really far from Eric’s side even when Eric felt the time had come to let him have his first off lead run up the meadow he didn’t explode and take off as we had expected but just trotted alongside his Dad. Other than Eric Orin’s favourites things in life were footballs and our daughter Vikki. Orin would often be seen running around the garden with a football in his mouth and when Vikki visited he would guide her to the sofa and lay next to her with his head in her lap demanding attention.

Orin was the most gorgeous tiger brindle with a fabulous soft coat and a wonderful silly funny crazy character that once he decided he liked someone would want to sit and cuddle with them or if it was Donna a friend in the village he would actually shower her with kisses and drool all over her. His ability to act the clown brought so much fun and laughter into our lives.

On Monday 22^nd July it was just a normal day and Orin was fine, in the evening he seemed to hurt his back but an hour later had recovered enough to go out for his walk. Normally the evening walk would be about 7.30pm but because it had been so hot Eric and the hounds didn’t go until 9pm. Orin was quiet on his walk and when he came home his back legs collapsed and within minutes he was struggling to breathe. Eric rushed him to the vets and he was sedated and had a tube put in to assist his breathing. X rays showed no injuries no tumours. The vet thought it had to be a pulmonary embolism and started treating him. Orin rallied and was able to breath un aided by 1.30am but by 6am had again gone downhill and needed help breathing. Several more attempts were made to treat him but unbelievable nothing worked or helped and what had seemed to be a normal healthy 4-year-old dog just 12 hours earlier passed away.

Orin was loved so very very much by us and by many other people, his clowning ways brought us so much laughter and joy. To see the shy frightened dog of a year earlier blossom into a happy dog was also so rewarding. His life has been cut unbelievably short and he and us have been robbed of what should have been many happy years ahead.

We will always love you little man and never will you leave our hearts and memories.