They said this 'bad' rescue pup would never make it—now she's making waves in world’s biggest dog show

Everyone stumbles and makes mistakes, but does that mean they are beyond redemption? As the saying goes, "Life is unpredictable," and sometimes, the ones we least expect to change are the ones who surprise us the most. A second chance isn't just an opportunity for them to change but to be a better version of themselves. And, just like humans, animals, too, deserve a second chance. Similarly, Zola, an adorable Border Collie who was once dismissed from an obedience school for a behavioral problem, participated in the world's biggest dog show, Crufts.

Jessica Gibson, owner of Zola, appeared on BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today program, where she shared the inspiring journey of her dog—from being expelled because of her behavior around other canines to making a remarkable comeback in an international dog show three years later. "We had started agility training two years ago. And it's been a very long, very hard journey. There's been lots and lots of setbacks, but we're doing really well," Gibson shared.

The journey hadn't been easier for the pet parent. Since Zola was Gibson's first dog, she never really had much experience training dogs for competitions. However, her journey with Zola had been nothing but surprisingly unexpected. Apart from training Zola, Gibson also had to put in the effort to ensure her dog stayed focused in public, particularly around other canines. Notably, Zola was a former stray dog who spent some time at Pet FBI, an animal rescue center, before Gibson adopted her.

Although little was known about Zola's past, she and Gibson formed such a strong bond that Gibson knew right away that the puppy was special. "She was very excited. She was jumping up on the side of the kennel, and she was just buzzing to get out," Gibson revealed, describing their first meeting. While the pet owner was always fascinated by dog shows, she never believed it was something she could be a part of. "I didn't think that Zola would've been the dog for it once I got her, and I realized that she had lots of problems, but we worked through them," she shared. Interestingly, when Zola was kicked out of obedience school, the trainer there said the dog could never make it to the international dog competition. 

Talking to Derry Now, Gibson revealed that despite the results of Crufts, she is just happy to prove the training wrong. She said, "I was even told by that trainer she would never make it to Crufts, so to be standing here now, having qualified with her, is the best feeling, and we’re more than happy to prove that man wrong! Just having the chance to step onto the green carpet with my best friend, Zola, is more than I ever could have dreamed of. The fact that we’ve made it to Crufts, despite everything we’ve overcome, is already a huge victory in my eyes." In 2023, Gibson and Zola began their journey in Kennel Club agility competitions. Fortunately, after just a year, the duo qualified for Crufts 2025. When the Young Kennel Club Crufts qualifier was announced, Gibson had just entered the event to gain experience, but little did she know that she would actually come first in the competition.