Five Traumatised Cats.

The (Famous) Five Cats are still quite traumatised from their ordeal. First they lost  their owner and the home they were used to, and then they suffered the stress and  indignity of  being brought to the shelter crammed into a small basket together. They appear to be siblings around the age of  six months (not spayed either) and are extremely attractive little cats. Once they are spayed and neutered then they can be placed for adoption. These five  will cost the charity  the best part of £200 for the op alone! They are worth every penny spent but when we have multi pet households to deal with , it does stretch our limited resources considerably. I need to sell more of my book! Please spread the word about 'The Dog With No Name' and if you know of a shop which would display/sell it please let me know.

The little brown kelpie is making herself at home with Barry and he is strongly tempted to keep her as she gets on so well with his blind Freshfields Collie Ben. I have asked him to think carefully as he is away a great deal and friends are generally not as keen to help look after two dogs. At least we know she is no trouble in a house environment and that could help find her a  suitable home.
This morning a young whippet cross Ellie was admitted and she will be leaving us for Rhonas home .Stanley the lurcher  has been adopted by a family inAnglesey so she is free to take on another homeless canine . Already Rhona has fostered three dogs successfully and has proved an invaluable help at this busy time with so many pets being abandoned. The Springer in kennels has not been claimed and has a home ready and waiting so things are not as bad as they could be, at least some lucky pets  are being adopted out to new homes.

One of the laminitic ponies is not doing so well today and we are waiting for the Vet to arrive. Sam is a young shetland pony who was admitted 4 years ago with three other horses and ponies. We have not homed Sam due to the necessity of having to place him on a special diet and monitor his food intake/grazing etc. It would be unfair to  expect a new carer to take on this problem so he will stay with us in retirement .

Here is Sam pictured below soon after his arrival in 2007

So many of our ponies arrive with this health problem and although some may  develop laminitis for no apparent reason, in many cases it could have been avoided with correct diet and exercise. It is such a painful thing to have and  if it fails to respond to treatment, the only answer is euthanasia. It is just one reason that I wish that everyone who buys a pony for a child would      first learn more about Equine Care.There is more to keeping a horse or pony than feeding it and mucking out a stable. Before I  bought my pony Charity(aptly named) I attended evening classes for stable management and also spent time at a local riding stables learning all I could about caring for a horse. Only then did I feel experienced enough to have my own to look after.

We were asked to take on a mule! This is a first for us but unfortunately we have no space unless any of our ponies  go out on loan which is highly unlikely before Christmas. I have only ever seen a mule once and strangely enough that was only two weeks ago! Mrs Mule will have to go on our waiting list for the moment.

pm:
The Vet has been and Sam has an abscess in his foot so he is on antibiotics and will be spending the next week  in his stable. Although it will undoubtedly be painful for him, I am relieved it is not a severe bout of laminitis which may have led to the need for a decision to be made about his future.

The first of the cross Jack Russell pups has been adopted by a Formby(merseyside) couple who told me that 30 years ago they found a dog they were unable to keep and took him to me for rehoming. Needless to say, I could not remember the incident - I just about remember what happened last week! 30 years ago would be an impossibility!
Their 3 hour journey  to Wales proved worthwhile as they fell in love with the little female pup immediately.It would be nice if she lived with them for as long as their last rescue dog who was 14 years old when she died. The remaining two are going together  to an English  couple who have recently made their home in the next village and will be collected next week.
People often ask me if I get upset when I say goodbye to animals when they are rehomed,.The answer is NO. I am thrilled to find good homes,it cheers me up and once \I know for sure everything is ok and I receive acknowledgement of this and perhaps a photo or two, I relax and feel happy for the animal concerned.  If I could have a wish granted, I would want a life free from pain and abuse  for every animal on earth but I will settle(reluctantly) for finding good homes for those which come the way of this charity.