New guest joins in on a tour of Europe

TO CELEBRATE her 26th birthday in May, Emma Rosser and her husband Cyle, 31, who were on holiday in Greece, spent the day on a deserted beach. As the sun went down, a small stray dog (pictured above) came and sat beside Emma on the sand.

‘He looked like a golden retriever who’d been shrunk in the wash,’ she said. ‘It was as if he was a gift from the universe for my birthday.

‘He circled on my lap and didn’t seem to belong to anyone. I began to fall in love with him.’

At the time, the couple, from Swansea, were seven months into a ten-month tour of Europe in their camper van. Their four-year-old spaniel Gizmo was with them, but didn’t seem to mind the new arrival. That night, they let the dog sleep in their van, unsure if he belonged to anyone.

‘He was covered in fleas and his ears were full of ticks,’ she said. ‘The next day we took him to a vet, who told us he was about ten months old and definitely a stray.

‘When we said we would adopt him, her face lit up. She said she had 86 dogs at home she was trying to rehome. She helped us have him microchipped, have a rabies vaccination and a blood test, which cost 150 euros. I think she must have done a lot for nothing. She was so grateful.’

They continued their travels with their new pack member, whom they named Hercules (pictured left, with Emma), before returning to Wales this month. Hercules has settled in well. ‘He’s not used to being on the lead yet,’ says Emma. ‘But I love the way he is so protective of me.’