Saturday 29 January 2011

Terriers galore and a Sad Evening for Everyone.











I arrived back home on Friday evening and was still unpacking when Mei shouted to me that the old pony JOJo was down and unable to get back on her feet. I ran over to where she was stabled and between us we tried to get her on her feet but something told me that her inability to move was less to do with a sudden health problem like colic than the fact that she was ready to leave us and I suggested we make her more comfortable and leave her where she was until the Vet came out. We rang Harley to tell him what had happened and he arrived with his father, he seemed to be of the same opinion as me, that Jojo had given up, she was an old,old girl and when the Vet arrived he confirmed her heart was giving out and he put an end to her suffering quickly and painlessly. Harley was understandably distressed and we were all upset though glad at the same time that she had come to the end of her life in a warm stable surrounded by those who cared for her and in sight of her pal Sam.We allowed Sam to see her and as always this appears to lessen the grief though today he did look for her and checked all the stables before he allowed himself to be guided into his own. Tomorrow he will be fine, they had only been together a month although they had become the best of friends durng that time.

Whilst I was in LIverpool two Jack Russell pups were admitted which are being fostered by Vanessa.They are the sweetest little dogs, so dainty and fine boned.Their photo does not show just how tiny they really are - What is going on at the moment, there seem to be Jack Russells everywhere , Instead of being asked to help with collies every phone call seems to be about Jack Russells! At least this breed is popular and relatively easy to rehome. Meg JR and Holly yorkshire terrier were in the living room waiting to greet me on my return as expected and if I had not already had people interested I could have very well have been tempted by these two(the third Yorkie was found a home so was not admitted here) .It is not often that I take in well behaved adorable well trained and sweet natured dogs but these tick all the boxes and it is hard to believe that they have lost their owner, they seem so much at home here.
Mion one of our cat fosterers has brought in her three mother cats Joss tabby, Jill tortoishell and white and Jenny the dark tortie.They were all admitted either heavily pregnant or with kittens and all three were abandoned so Mion has been caring for them and now the kittens have all been adopted, mums have been spayed and it is their turn now for new homes.I hope they will go fairly easily as they all have sweet natures.
Does anybody remember the stunning pedigree British Blue Cream cat found living on a balcony of some flats in Pwllheli? Well I mentioned that she had turned out to be pregnant and was too far advanced in her pregnacy to make spaying an option but she has been through quite an ordeal. She gave birth to two dead and very large kittens and had to have a Caesarian to remove the litter.Only two remained alive and she has rejected them so they are being hand reared by foster dad Lee over in Anglesey.Poor cat -what a traumatic time she has had and even= more unbelievably, it turns out that she has had a Caesarian previously!! What kind of owner did she have that he/she would refrain from having her spayed after that? Who would want their pet to endure another difficult pregnancy? Answers on a postcode pelase and please do your best to keep the bad langage to a minimum!
I am starting to think we are fast becoming a rabbit and guinea pig sanctuary. Both Cariad(who helps part time with the horses)amd Gail have taken guineas to foster: Cariad has two pregnant mums who are about to give birth and today I have had a call to ask if we can take two adults and 6 babies! I think we need to build a more suitable facility for them though we cannot take in too many becaus that would necessitate the employment of an extra member of staff and we are already struggling to pay the existing ones. Speaking of funds, we have managed to rise above the dreadful and very scary situation we found ourselves in just after Christmas. We are not out of the woods yet(nor are the Liverpool shelter) but we are at least back to having enough to pay wages, buy animal feeds and with a bit over at the end of the week which is used to pay some of themany bills which have piled up. It is time to set some time aside and organise some fundraising events for 2011. I still need some help in this area.I dont need just ideas but people willing to organise an event or two.
Well I am absolutely freezing and my hands are starting to go numb with the cold. Lucy who sleeps in the office is snuggled into a lovely big duvet and I am tempted to join her. Lucy as some may remember is not a homeless member of staff but the 10 years old terrier who shares the office space with me and Veronica(who is still a little poorly from her flu bout) Rhian is also off sick with the same virus and Sue who was working today in the cattery has not been a hundred percent for a few weeks.Who will the dreaded flu claim next?

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