Grace’s puppy surprise

Grace Yeats has got a furry new friend — and the pair have quickly become inseparable.

The 14-year-old received puppy Daisy just in time for the New Year, and comes after the Yeats’s long-time corgi, Bonnie, had to be put down last year.

Funds for the nine-month-old miniature Schnauzer were donated by the Huljich Foundation, a charitable trust that supports ill children.

Tracy Yeats, Grace’s mother, said the donation came as a big surprise.

“We’ve really been missing having a dog around,” Mrs Yeats said.

“It’s a lovely new year present, they were very generous and we are very grateful.”

Grace has a rare condition called disseminated encephalomyelitis which she suddenly developed in 2012 when she was 10-years-old.

She was left unable to move or talk but has since made some progress in speaking and making small movements.

When Grace was in Starship hospital in December last year, the two caught up with Jess Jamieson, a member of the paediatric palliative care team, who knew Grace from previous visits.

In 2012, Mrs Jamieson had arranged for corgi puppies to visit Grace when she first became ill, because the family couldn’t get Bonnie up to visit.

When Mrs Yeats told Mrs Jamieson that they had to have Bonnie put down last August — and how important the dog was to Grace — Mrs Jamieson said she would sort something out.

Two days later, Mrs Yeats had received a donation to buy Grace a puppy, thanks to Mrs Jamieson’s application on their behalf.

Mrs Yeats said it was “a lovely wee dog”.

“Grace chose [the name] when we were talking about getting another dog.

“She always said she wanted to get a wee girl and she would call it Daisy because she finds it easy to say.”

Daisy had proven to be a very loyal dog so far, Mrs Yeats said.