Just some of the doggy bucket list activities (Picture: SWNS)

Imagine being a dog, abandoned in the twilight years of your life, and left to die in the pound.

Heartbreaking, isn’t it?

Dog lover Nicola Coyle thinks so, which is why she set up The Grey Muzzle Canine Hospice Project – a hospice for dying, abandoned dogs.

46-year-old Nicola runs the hospice from her home and gives dogs the end of life they deserve by looking after them and helping them complete their bucket lists.

She takes in dogs from pounds and animal shelters, rescuing dogs who would otherwise be left to die there, or put down.

The retired nurse takes up to two dogs at a time, welcoming dogs who have six months or less to live.

Eating ice cream on the beach (Picture: SWNS)

Instead of living their final days locked away, dogs are treated to birthday parties, ice creams on the beach, steak pub dinners, and unlimited cuddles.

She even takes them through the McDonald’s drive-thru.

When the dogs’ final day comes, Nadine has them cremated and buries them in a special plot at her Nottingham home.

Eating ice cream in the park(Picture: SWNS)

Each dog has a different story, but Nicole thinks most of the dying dogs are abandoned by owners unwilling to pay for expensive vets bills or are ‘working dogs’ no longer considered useful.

One charity she regularly helps said they ‘couldn’t be more grateful’ to Nicola who has given some of their most desperate pets ‘love and care like they have never received’.

Eating ice cream on the road (Picture: SWNS)

‘It can be an utterly heartbreaking job, but someone has to do it,’ says Nicola.

‘I’m a complete animal lover and I just can’t bear the thought of them spending their final days, weeks or months without the love they deserve.

‘It can be really tough, but ultimately it’s so rewarding when you can make those times special.

‘I normally have a maximum of two dogs at any one time.

‘We’ll only take them in if the vet says they’ve got less than six months to live, so we’re focusing on end of life care.

‘I think the longest I’ve had one is around one year and the shortest was about two weeks.

‘I don’t know when their birthdays are so we make sure we throw all of them birthday party. If they’re well enough, we take them for a day at the seaside, they get fish and chips on the beach and ice cream.

‘We’ll also take them down to the local pub, it’s really dog friendly, and they’ll get a steak dinner too.’

Getting to ride in a police van (Picture: SWNS)

Nadine spends up to £500 on each dog, and pays for that with her own money, and cash raised through fundraising.

She’s been running the hospice out of her home for years, but only gave it an official name a year ago after caring for one of her favourites, Dougie the bulldog.

‘Dougie was found tied up outside a vet surgery one morning, and only given weeks to live after they found he had lymphoma.

‘He had the best temperament and just wanted to feel loved and safe,’ she says.

‘He was really poorly and not with us for long, but the difference I saw in him once he came with us from the pound, in just a matter of days, was incredible.

‘He was a totally different dog.

‘Dougie was about a year ago and that’s when I decided I didn’t want to see any more dogs go through that. I really believe they should get a nice ending.’

Living his best life at the Macca’s drive thru (Picture: SWNS)

Nicola asks the local vets, charities and pounds in the Sheffield and Nottingham area if they have any dying dogs that need end of life care.

Most are taken from places where they will be put to sleep if they are not re-homed within seven days.

Take Bumble, for example – a German Shepherd who was found as a stray, struggling to walk, with matted fur and an extremely painful back, in December 2017.

He was taken to Helping Yorkshire Poundies, a rescue and re-homing charity for abandoned dogs, but was extremely distressed and about to be put down when Nicola stepped in.

She threw him a birthday party and took him to the beach, before he passed away six weeks later.

Dogs are given love and cuddles that they may not otherwise receive in their end days (Picture: SWNS)

‘Bumble spent last weeks being spoilt in a comfortable home, and I couldn’t be more grateful,’ says Joanne Snaith, from Helping Yorkshire Poundies.

‘Nicola does an amazing job, taking in dogs when they’ve been kicked out by their owners right at the very end of their lives – giving them the love and care most have never received previously in their lives.

‘I absolutely admire the work of The Grey Muzzle Project.

‘Rescue is a very difficult “business to be in – it’s never ending hard work, and it’s heart breaking, but the majority of the time there’s a happy ending when the dogs find their new homes.

‘But for Nicola, she has to put herself through the emotional wringer with every dog, I can’t imagine how difficult that is.’

Nicola doesn’t know when the dogs’ birthdays are, so she throws them one last birthday party anyway

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Eating that delicious doggy birthday cake

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Nicola’s two children – Harry, 14, and Olivia, 15 – help her deal with the emotional and practical side of the hospice, along with her pal, Lisa Emmans.

‘My two teenagers are like my rock, I couldn’t do it without them,’ Nicola says.

‘They come with me and say goodbye when they’re put down. They even come to the crematorium.

‘We all get very attached to them, it’s very emotionally intense and we do mourn and grieve for them. We do need to have breaks between them.’

Sniffing out some doggy treats

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Making friends at the pub

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Every dog deserves this much attention

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‘We’ve got about 20 buried my garden, as well as my parents’ garden,’ Nicola continues.

‘It was getting a bit ridiculous. I couldn’t fit more in garden so I’ve got about 10 urns in my house.

‘Each dog costs about £500, which covers the transport to my house, their bucket lists and vet bills. Although it’s worth it, about a year ago I started taking donations, I just can’t really afford to keep doing it out of pocket.

‘We also help other people who’s dogs are nearing the end of life, so they don’t need to be abandoned, with something we call “friends before the end”.

‘We help raise funds for things like vet bills and cremation so other people care for their dogs at the end.’

Getting her paws wet

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Freshening up

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Nicola and two of her end of life dogs

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According to Dog’s Trust stray dog report, in 2016/2017 an estimated 2,231 dogs were put to sleep in total across the UK in the period of a year.

It was reported that 280 dogs were put to sleep due to ill health and 226 due to having no rescue available.

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It’s thanks to Nicola that this number isn’t higher.

Find out more, and donate to The Grey Muzzle Canine Hospice Project here.

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