Borrowing Ace: Meet the Meersbrook man lending out his dog
By Chelsea Cheetham
March 21, 2022

A man in Meersbrook has used the power of social media to help look after his fun-loving Border Collie and find a dog-friendly place to live.

Piotr Obuchowski was struggling to balance the demands of raising a puppy and his job as a delivery driver on his own. 

Mr Obuchowski said: “The most important thing in [Ace’s] life is to play outside.

“He always wants to say hello to everyone and he likes to watch how other dogs play.”

This made things difficult in the beginning of their time alone together as Mr Obuchowski had to figure out how to juggle a job as a delivery driver and life with a very social, fun-loving dog.

“I started to take him to work with me”, said Mr Obuchowksi.

“But I quickly realised it wasn’t the way. It was actually a bad experience for both of us, but especially for Ace because he didn’t take well to travelling.”

Mr Obuchowski and his eight-month-old Border Collie, Ace.

The dog, an eight-week-old Border Collie, known as Ace, stayed by the 38-year-old’s side throughout his break-up which left him without a home, truly earning him the title of man’s best friend.

Despite struggling to find a solution to this tricky situation, Mr Obuchowski said: “I never considered giving him to someone else or to a shelter, as most people suggested to me because it’s ‘only a dog’. Because I like to play against the odds I decided not to listen to anyone.”

“At the end of the day I want to look in the mirror and say I made the right decision.”

Ace didn’t take well to travelling.

Using the power of social media, Mr Obuchowski put a call out on the ‘Only in Meersbrook’ group page on Facebook, three days ago, to help find an extended family for Ace. 

The post was met with a fantastic response from locals, willing to borrow the eight-month-old Border Collie by taking him in on walks, or bringing him into their home when Mr Obuchowski isn’t around.

Ace enjoying time in the park.

Joshua Waller, 42, borrowed Ace for two hours on Saturday and took him to the park.

Mr Waller said: “I was interested in borrowing Ace as dogs are fun to play with and I don’t have my own dog. My kids also like dogs and it was a good way to spend an afternoon in the park, especially as the sun was out.”

“It also helps out Piotr, as he gets some time to do other things.”

After finding success with lending Ace to the people of Meersbrook, Mr Obuchowski also used the group to try and find a place to stay.

He was living with a friend in Nottinghamshire because he couldn’t find a landlord who accepted dogs.

“In two hours time I sorted out my biggest problems”, said Mr Obuchowksi, “I found a room in Meersbrook and found people who want to share Ace from time to time. Excellent.”

“The most important thing in [Ace’s] life is to play outside.”

Despite moving back to Sheffield later this week, Mr Obuchowksi is more than happy for people to continue to borrow Ace.

 He expressed: “Ideally I would like to have a few people who I can trust and rely on. So far so good, I cannot complain.

“So many people have offered to help us so I have no words to describe it.”