Its The Week of The Gingers and goodbye Luca and Medi.

It has been a very busy weekend here and I am delighted to say that we have found homes for 4 adult cats ,5 kittens and 2 dogs and a puppy . Luca the young German Shepherd met his new family today (from Kent)and his new playmate - a 6 years old staff whose Bull mastiff companion has just died. I hope that she will enjoy Lucas' company as much as his. I was out collecting petfood from our bin at Pets at Home in Bangor so I missed seeing him go but Mei said the two dogs seemed to really hit it off. Medi the new collie, the Gill lookeylikey has gone to live in Wiltshire with 2 cross collies as friends.She needs feeding up, she is underweight and permanently ravenous(unlike me who is OVERweight and permanently ravenous!) Its so good to know they have new lives ahead of them considering that both were abandoned by owners who did not give a damn what happened to them. May both of them , whoever they are, eventually receive retribution for their actions.I would prefer to think they would have regrets and try to make amends but ,sceptic that I am, it may be stretching credulity a little too far! Mind you stranger things have happened.

Speaking of Pets at Home, they are having an adoption publicity drive and will be selling raffle tickets instore so in October we will be attending the store with a stall of our sales goods, xmas cards and calendars and maybe xmas puds if they arrive in time. Whatever the store raises during that week will come to us. I will publicise the date as soon as I have it confirmed. The charity food bin was overflowing with goodies today, lots of food and toys for the animals and even a lovely fluffy cat bed. With the catfood I had bought too there was little room in my car by the time it was all loaded up with the help of Matt the manager. Donations of petfood can make a big difference to our weekly food bill but we get very little, unlike the Liverpool shelter who exist almost on donations of cat and dog food.They do help us whenever they receive more than they need but then we have to get it from Liverpool to North Wales and that is not always possible.

The cats, Old Precious and her companions have finally gone to live the life they should be leading, in a nice family home where they will be loved and cared for by cat loving people.They have promised me photos and updates and in fact I have just received an email from them telling me that the cats have already started to settle down and are loving the affection. That is brilliant news, just what I wanted to hear. Fudge a handsome ginger and white has also been chosen for a new home (he is the one with the white chest)and has gone to live with another cat in the Machynlleth area, though we have 3 more gingers brought in. Buster,Missy and Nunu are 3 years old and their owner could no longer afford to keep them. Ginger cats are very popular and provided they do not have the temperament of the devil(as does our lovely Cariad) they are reasonably easy to home.

My sister and niece worked in the Llandudno Charity shop on Saturday and did very well. From what I gather Niece Vanessa missed her vocation in life! Manager Jan is on a weeks holiday so I too will have to do a stint there, probably on Tuesday.This shop has such potential to do very well as long as we receive the goods for sale and thereby lies the problem.Having said that we are receiving more donations than in previous months thanks to constant appeals but with so many charity shops competing with each other it can be hard to keeep the shop well stocked. When I go I will have a car loaded up with stuff which people have brought here so Sister Sandra (no she is NOT a nun) and I will be kept busy. Shop work is definitely not my cup of tea never having been good at maths.If someone gives me a five pound note and wants something worth £1.25, I become a gibbering wreck and panic. When I was in my twenties I worked as receptionist /cashier in a nightclub called The Kingsway in Southport and if it had not been for a very helpful Bouncer who wrote me a list of prices and change to be given(hidden behind the counter) I would have been sacked on the first day!

Puppy Millie proved to be very popular on the website and not long after her photo appeared she was reserved.Fosterer Cariad says she loves children but remains a little nervous of men.Well that is to be expected given her poor beginnings in life, now that DOES make me angry.No pup is born with a fear of men and that a pup her age should have had experiences to make her feel that way makes my blood boil. Thankfully she was removed in time and was not forced to spend a lifetime with someone who did not deserve to have such a precious life to ruin.

Another pup is coming to me today and when I heard it was a whippet, I was momentarily tempted as I miss my William so much but in the end common sense prevailed. This dear little pup was bought for an exorbitant sum as a gift but was unwanted by the recipient.This is one reason it is never a good idea to buy animals as presents. Sometimes the recipient is a genuine animal lover but may have decided not to have another pet for one reason or another, in this case it was another member of the family(a husband I think) who put his foot down.

The gentleman who was interested in Tess the staffordshire Bull Terrier came back to see her today and this time brought his wife along. We had high hopes that they would take her but the wife(sorry to call her that but dont know her name) has some reservations. It is understandeable of course; if she has visiting grandchildren she will want to be sure that any dog they take has the right temperament but although we have been told she has lived with children and she was certainly fine with the children that were here today(Cariads - human Cariad not feline Cariad!)her own grandchildren are apparently younger . I know her husband reads my blog and although we would love them to take Tess it has to be right for them and they need to be sure of their decision being the right one.

We are still waiting for the three horses Buster,Callie and Freddy to be brought back to the shelter, we are dependent on Gronwey finding the time to do it but he is in the meantime taking hay to them which is a help to us. I am still trying to find someone to do the homecheck in Frodsham for the two ponies Marigold and Melba. With a home waiting it does not make sense to bring them back here and then to go,it is best that they go straight to their new home. Maybe I need to put out another appeal for this. There is also a home locally for two shetland ponies, Rosie is going there this week to see what she thinks, I have already been and want her opinion before we make a decision.There is nothing wrong at all with he people or the land but as shetlands can become laminitic so easily I want Rosie to talk to them at length, she is so much more experienced than I. If these four do go out I am considering giving shelter to another horse, a 22 years old gelding called Morris who is arthritic and whose owner is now unemployed and can no longer afford his stabling etc. Clearly he will not find a home as a riding horse so his chances of living out his natural life is slim to say the leas

Ps: the owl did not survive, his wing was too badly damaged to save, poor bird.

Gill makes herself at home in France and 2 cats are admitted.

Another collie has been brought in, another one for Rosie I think. One of my neighbours found her locally ,she is thin and matted and is delirious to be with people again, has she been out wandering for some time perhaps? It is rare to find a collie being so clingy, especially the farm dogs who are unused to much attention anyway.On the other hand it is unlikely she has been a pet, she is far too dirty and unkempt looking.Another mystery which may or may not be solved! Had Gill collie not been homed to France a few days ago, I would swear that this was her, they are almost identical, even to their personalities. Collie females are nearly always in demand so I shall go through my list of people waiting for a sheepdog. Incidentally I heard from Gills new carer today, Gill managed the journey to France very well and has settled in well with the other welsh collie(see photo) She has had her blood test done there , so she will be able to travel back to the Uk anytime with her full passport. She is a very lucky dog, there is plenty of land there for her to run about in and she even has a Welsh Owner so she does not need to learn a new language!

Old Bramble is very wobbly on his legs and I think his organs are about to go into failure.He is still coming for walks but his gait is less and less steady and when he lies down he struggles to get up.Coupled with the panting he does which is an indication of heart problems I think his time is near. I am just glad he did not go to the Dog Pound when he was found and has instead spent a happy time with me in the house.

The kitten room is ready to open again, nothing is sneezing and all inmates are looking good, what a relief, I thought we were heading for a full blown Flu virus.

A gorgeous tabby cat has come in, she was found in the Caernarfon area and at the moment I am anxious to bring in any strays from around the town due to a spate of cat killings and disappearances. One of our Freshfields cats has recently been shot dead , she was rehomed a s a kitten and was just nine months old ,its a terrible situation and many cat owners are so frightened for their pets that they are keeping them indoors at the moment. Youngsters are suspected and that is probably right but if caught what will happen to them - NOT A LOT. Its not much comfort to those who lose their pets this way.Anyhow this cat is quite heavily pregnant so will go to one of our fosterers to have her babies in comfort

Handyman John left his tools behind to collect a cat for us from an estate in Bangor, she was found in a box with a kitten and she is barely more than a kitten herself. Unfortunately the kitten had already been given away(I say unfortunately because the mother cat seems distressed and still has milk).

No sooner had I settled her into a pen and given her food when a family turned up wanting two kittens.Just the sort of home I like, where their own cats had been with them for many years and eventually died of natural causes.I dont mean I like them because their cats died ! I like the fact that they had kept them for their lifetime. Well Mei and I are so thrilled, they have chosen not two but THREE black and white kittens about 10 weeks of age. Admittedly Mei did try her old "why have 2 if you can have 3 technique but I have a feeling they had it in mind anyway once they saw the three siblings.

Sorrell has bonded with Shane and Bobby, two of the Anglesey ponies and when we tried to put her out in a field today, she fretted for them so we had to bring her back. As Bobby and Shane have laminitis they cannot go out in the field just yet which is why we decided to put Sorrell out with other ponies but she was not having any of it, she has made friends and that is it. Sorrell

has decided Little Bobby and Shane are to be in her gang so we will have to find a way round the fact that they need different routines and work with it. I am glad she has settled in so easily and far be it for me to come between friends. The sore on her neck is healing well and she has almost finished her antibiotics.

This summer(!) we had real problems finding someone to come and shear our sheep and only today did we manage to get them done. Rosie managed to find a man willing to do it and who

donated his services too.I am so relieved, and also glad it is warmer.Mind you they have a shelter if they need it though they seldom do. Heather, one of our volunteers was delighted to take the fleeces away with her for some creative reason,I dont think she was going to spin it but she had something in mind for it so we were only too pleased for her to take it away.

Next time she comes to help I must remember to ask her exactly what she did with it.

No blog Friday, next one will be Sunday.

The office roof is fixed and a threatened pup is rescued.

A lady in Northumberland contacted me today so she is going to do the homecheck for Lockie Labrador.Thats good news, maybe he will soon be esconced in Geordieland or wherever Northumberland is , I never was very good at Geography. Apologies to anybody severely shocked by my lack of intellect.I promise to dust off my book of world maps and teach myself a little more about the whereabouts of that county(or is it a city?)and others. Where is Wales anyway?

An owl with an injured wing was brought to the shelter today, a van had clipped him and he was also in shock. The Van driver was genuinely upset but he kindly placed him in a box and drove him to us . At the moment the injured bird is at the vet surgery and I am awaiting a call to tell me how severe his injuries are and whether he will be able to be treated successfully. It all depends on how badly the wing is damaged.I dont know much about owls but he was quite small though not I think small enough to be a Little Owl. The only time I have seen Little Owls was seeing two perched on a tree branch opposite the Liverpool shelter and they did look littler than this. Little Owls really ARE little. Whatever he is I do hope he survives. They are such beautiful creatures. If he is ok, there is an Owl sanctuary in Ruthin so I will contact them for help. It is handy to have people who specialise in a particular species, we cannot all know everything about everything and sometimes it is best to turn to the specialists.In Liverpool, of course, we have our own wildlife/bird unit and Lynn who runs that unit has by now had years of experience with baby birds and injured wildlife. Here in North Wales there is a dearth of wildlife /bird specialists or rather those who will take in injured ones. I have only been made aware of Ann in Anglesey who does a wonderful job but it would be great if someone else more local would take up an interest in this. We have to drive quite a distance to take wildlife to be rehabilitated.

New Horse Sorrell is not at all keen on having her antibiotics injected daily(and who can blame her, not me thats for sure!) We will all be relieved when the course finishes. Her passport came with her of course and the owner brought a letter stating that she has purchased the horse from someone which gave her the right to dispose of her.However, when the passport was handed over to me I saw that Sorrell was registered to someone different entirely so now I have to contact THAT person who is the woman who bred her in the first place and get her to sign the horse over to the charity. This is what happens when people do not register their animals .Its like having a pet microchipped, giving it away and the new owner not bothering to reregister in their name.It causes confusion as to who the real owner is and when it comes down to it, the true owner is the one in whose name the passport is registered. To be honest this Horse Passport business is a farce. The policing of it is virtually an impossibility and it does not even safeguard the horse against possible theft. All it does is keep people in jobs with all the paperwork attached to it and create a lot of extra expense to horse and pony sanctuaries like ourselves and to owners.

We had a nice chap came up at the weekend who was very taken with Tess the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and spent over an hour with her , He had lost his own Staffordshire recently and he was adamant he would come back for her but so far there has been no sign of him, so disappointing. I wonder if his wife was not so keen on the idea? Still, the week is not over yet, though I think he would have rung if it was definite. I thought it was too good to be true. She is so nice and has led such a second rate life I was hoping that she would not be in our care as long as the last staff Jade who took over a year to find the right home. Come on Lesley think Positive! Negative thoughts bring negative energy so I am told by more enlightened people I know so from this point on I am going to tell myself that Tess WILL find a loving home soon and she WILL NOT languish here for months and months. Now lets see what that will bring!

Our Christmas Pud order has been processed so I would like to think that many of the charity suppoprters will help us by purchasing them from us and not the local supermarket. I want then to arrive in time for our Cake Sale and Fair on October 15th at Porthmadog and in time for people to receive the joint newsletter from Liverpool and Wales in which there will be an order form. It is always a risk trying anything new in our fundraising ventures but I think it sound like a good idea, time will tell if it a successful one. Roll Up, Roll Up, BUY YOUR XMAS PUDDINGS HERE.

A lovely Fox Terrier was brought in an hour ago and wonders will never cease - he was microchipped so with a couple of phone calls his owners have turned up to collect him. Thats the way to do it. Some dogs will find a way out of any garden and he is an escape artist apparently but with a microchip he can be, and was, returned to his rightful owner so quickly.The Power of the Microchip! They have also been receptive to advice on neutering and agree that it is the best thing for him if he is to stop his wanderlust in pursuit of attractive Welsh Canine Beauties !!

This morning a Farmer from Huddersfield came on the phone wanting an older sheepdog to replace one he uses at the moment which is not showing promise working the sheep. When I enquired what he would do with the other one, he was a bit hesitant with his answer but then admitted he would shoot him, the way he shot the dogs father also. Unfortunately to many farmers this is the obvious and quick solution to the dilemma of having a dog which is no use as a working animal. Naturally I immediately offered to give the dog a home to which he was amenable so I am just waiting for affirmation that he definitely wants to get rid of him and then I will look for someone in that area to collect him. He promised to let me know by tomorrow and that he would stand by his word to let me have him. All I know is that the sheepdog is 2 years old and is red and white, I am anxious to have him away from the farm as soon as possible but I do believe the man will be as good as his word. nevertheless worrying about his situation has caused me a night of sleep deprivation and today my head is really banging away!

Peter has arrived with friends to fix the office roof and it is almost done, I am so pleased that there should be no more problems with electricity failing and computers crashing. Mr Bailey has been a wonderful help to the shelter, giving his time for free and supplying all the materials for these big jobs and he will also be thrilled to take his kitten home as she is now over her sneezing which could have been the start of cat flu but she got over it very quickly and is lively and healthy once again.

Pictured here are a litter of 6 weeks! old domestic kittens brought in which turned out to be totally feral and about 4 months of age. This is a bit older than most of the feral kittens we take in, it is pretty hard to domesticate them once they reach this age but a couple of the tabbies seem to be responding fairly well although the pretty pale ginger one on the left remains as fierce as he was when he was first admitted. Probably he will have to be neutered when old enough and released into our feral enclosure until a suitable home turns up for him.

Finally this lovely collie female pup was admitted, the owner was threatening to kill her so a neighbour removed her from him and brought her here to safety. She is very nervous and her tail has yet to appear from between her legs,it is obvious she has been abused if not physically , then verbally, it is apparent in the expression in her eyes.Cariad will foster her but I think I may already have a home for her. Today my anger over these cases , or rather the pet owners who behave in this callous way has almost dissipated into a feeling of weariness. I think it is a case of my brain being in overload! I remember when there were beauty queen contests on the television and the simpering contestants were asked what they would like to be or do if they had one wish and most said they wanted world peace! Somehow I do not think that was a sincere answer and I am certainly no beauty queen but if someone asked me the same question , the answer would be " for human beings to treat not only each other with kindness and respect but to understand that animals too have a place on earth and should be accorded the same treatment". There are days I do not want to watch the news or read a newspaper for fear of learning about the latest atrocity to be inflicted on members of the animal world. Thank goodness for those who fight and campaign against them. The courageous ones, like my Sea Shepherd friend who works for Greenpeace now and who has led an expedition to save whales from the Japanese whaling ships. I am in awe of anyone who shows that much courage . That is real commitment and dedication.

Luca Is Very Naughty and Suzy gets Cosy

Today is like a winters day and I am reminded that I have a wood burning multi fuel stove which no longer works and the evenings are getting decidedly cooler. Can we afford a new one, even one of the cheaper models? There is oil fired central heating but that has gone up so much in price I only put it on when I am very very cold. The old adage of fat keeping you warm does not seem to work with me. Even with an extra stone of fat wrapped round my body the cold seems to envelop me. Little Suzy the last of my Yorkshire Terrier geriatrics spends much of the day and evening cuddled into a lovely cosy duvet type thing where she can snuggle right down inside it, it was meant for puppies but she loves it, I wish I was small enough to get in there with her.


It is time to start stocking up on winter hay for the horses, the grass we have at the moment will not last long once Big Buster and his two friends return. We will be lucky if it lasts until the end of October.Another bale of hay has been sent up there today for the three holidaymakers but not only is that going to be an extra chore, more importantly the rain and cold is not something Freddy can deal with, his coat is much finer than Buster and Callies and by now most of our horses are rugged up on days like this.With this in mind Mei has rung Gronwey (Man With Horsebox)and he will be able to bring them back tomorrow or the next day. I hope so,otherwise we will have to take his rug up there and try and dry him off to put it on.(Freddie not Gronwey!)


There have been loads of enquiries for Lockie the Labrador but I am struggling at the moment to find homecheckers in the areas in which the people live,Usually there is not a problem but there cannot be many other rescues(who help us out with homechecks in other areas) in Northumberland though the Hertfordshire and Surrey ones may still be a possibility. Maybe people are still away on holiday or too busy to respond to my appeals for help.
Luca German Shepherd has become a problem, he has turned on old Bramble, the last of the old collies to join my canine family. He has not shown any sign of this behaviour before other than his sheer exuberance but this cannot be tolerated so I have had to separate him from my own dogs now.He is a lovely dog but he needs to be the only dog or at least the only male until his neutering op kicks in! Oh how I wish it was compulsory to neuter male dogs. Theyare usually the ones which cause most problems in rescue suituations and so many have to be kennelled alone due to doggy testerone coursing through their bodies . Of course not all male dogs behave in a dominant fashion but a great percentage do and lose homes because of it.Nobody wants a dog humping their legs or cushions and wanting to fight every other male dog in the vicinity!!
I once went to see a great friend of Freshfields, a gentleman called Ron Mcknight who in the early days in Liverpool was one of the few supporters I had. Dear Ron had a terrier dog which spent the whole period of my visit clamped to my leg making movements one could only describe as extremely amorous! Every now and again Ron would try to stop the dog, he was obviously embarassed and so as not to make him feel worse about it , I lied and said"dont worry he isnt bothering me!!!" WHY DID I SAY THAT? I could have asked for him to put the dog outside but on reflection I doubt he would have been able to prise him off.I had to endure this unwanted attention for another hour! Ron still supports and helps this charity ,though the oversexed dog has long since gone , and although retired he will always be thought of as one of the original "Freshfields" people. We have come such a long way since those early days in the 70's. We still have no money but the charity has grown so much I can scarcely believe it myself. Between the two shelters we help over a thousand animals annually and the main policy remains the same, no healthy animal destroyed. Not bad for a charity with its beginnings in a small semi detached house in suburban Merseyside.


On vets advice, the old feral cat is to be given a few more days to see if he gains any weight, I still suspect more underlying problems but I hope I am wrong. We appear to be containing the sneezing in the kitten room, there have been no new outbreaks so its fingers crossed that it will not be long before we can resume homing the kittens, if it takes a long time they will all be full grown adult cats and we really do not want that to happen. Regardless of that possibility it would not be fair to bring others in or to give kittens to people without being as sure as we can be that they are not going to come down with anything once home.

Regarding the dog walk, it seems there will be some attending after all as I have had a few emails from those planning to do the walk and who have started to raise funds for us. A supporter who lives in Liverpool will be attending and although she does not currently own a dog she will be 'borrowing ' one of our dogs here. Elin and Eleri who are Meirwens 11 year old twin nieces will be taking my Patch for the walk and from what I hear are doing well so far with their sponsorship .Then there is a lady called Jacqueline Jones who works for Barclays Bank in Porthmadog who is raising sponsorship and the Bank will match whatever she raises so if anyone wants to sponsor her she has a form in our charity shop on the High Street or call in at Barclays.If you live too far away you could send it to her c/o Freshfields animal rescue charity shop, High Street.Porthmadog, Gwynedd,North Wales. Cheques can be made payable to Freshfields animal rescue.
Even if the walk only raises a few hundred I will be pleased, the cats alone are eating over £200 worth of food a week. It seems to last no time at all at the moment but there are over 100 cats in residence and a few dozen kittens too.Thats a lot of hungry mouths to fill. Needless to say cats will not be fobbed off with the cheap bargain cat food, oh no, only the best will do for our feline friends.(actually some will be enticed by the cheaper brands but only a few are not that discerning I'm afraid)

There seems to be a second wave of mother cats and kittens around and I have had so many calls asking me to take them in lately but we are absolutely full to the brim and with the kittens still in isolation we have lost that space too. I can only hope that we will soon be in a position to give shelter to some of these unwanted pets. In the meantime I will do what I am really good at - WORRYING.

Dappy goes to live in Southampton.

Dappy has left Wales today and gone off happily with Karen and Billy to live in Southampton(pictured here with the new member of their family) I think they like each other!"Fosterer Roy was almost reluctant to hand him over , he had become very attached to Dappy in the short time he was in his care. I think he would have kept him but for the fact his daughter is coming from Hong Kong to live with him and his wife Mavis and Suzanne has 2 big dogs accompanying her, one of which she rescued from the streets over there. Love of animals clearly runs in the family.

Loughlin(Lockie) the labrador(Pictured here with Gail who although not seen is actually hiding behind him as she hates photos ) is now advertised on the web so with a bit of luck it will not be long before we are flooded with enquiries about him. Speaking of photos and disliking them, isnt it funny how we have an image of ourselves and then when we see photos or videos we dont look how we imagine we look! Some of the newspaper photos I have had taken in the past have made me almost want to weep! Could I really be that wrinkled, that fat, that old, why is one eye always half closed , do my teeth really look that gappy? etc etc. I have comforted myself by thinking that it is the animal in the photo which people are looking at, they wont even notice me and then somebody comes up to me and says something like"I bet you werent happy with that photo Lesley" or "were you having a bad hair day?" and the worse comment I had was "Dont worry you're not THAT bad in real life!" well thanks a lot. That made me feel lots better!

Doris cat was homed yesterday (pictured here) so it looks as though the adult cats may finally be getting some attention, I do hope so. I have released an old feral cat which has just been brought back from the Vets having had a dental and to be honest I am a little upset hes been sent back.He does not look at all good so have put him in the warm conservatory and given him a special sachet of senior food which he wolfed down. He has had all the necessary tests but he looks as though his kidneys are giving up and in my humble opinion he was not fit enough to come back to the shelter. He will have to go back tomorrow.

We have another dog in our care, Rosie is going to foster him for us when she returns today from Derbyshire. Laddie a young cross Jack Russell had been kept tied up outside his home and never exercised , subsequently he is hyperactive and overexcited at the prospect of freedom,it is a pleasure watching him enjoy himself now, he runs and runs like he never wants to stop. There is so much more to neglect and cruelty than physical abuse (appalling in itself). To a young dog being confined day after day must be so incredibly frustrating and no wonder they go beserk when finally given a taste of freedom. So many dog owners who phone to get rid of their pet say to me that they tie the dog up because it escapes or because it wont come back to them.Well I do know there are some dogs like that but with a few exceptions those that have come here never seem to want to leave us when we exercise them, especially as they start to realise that the exercise is frequent and substantial. It is like any creature confined, when first released they cannot be sure this will not be their only and last chance of freedom so there is a tendency to want to escape. The one exception to this I find is caged birds which have been imprisoned in cages for so long they become too terrified to leave their prison, but even they will overcome this fear eventually and try and get it back in a cage then! That is the main excuse I hear about birds in cages - "If I let it out I cant get it back in".Well if it had always been used to having freedom of flight daily this would never have become a problem in the first place and an aviary is so much kinder if one wants to keep birds as pets and having a few together is even better. Would anyone want to return to solitary confinement in a prison room if given the choice? Sorry to get on my soapbox about this but its a topic which always fires me up.

I am starting to worry about the forthcoming Sponsored Dog Walk.Will anyone turn up? There does not seem to have been much interest generated by the posters and newspaper article.Oh well, less sandwhiches to make! I know of some who have already managed to obtain sponsors so it will make SOME funds for the shelter but I thought there woiuld be a lot more enquiries and interest shown. Perhaps it will gain in popularity once we make it an annual event.

Unfortunately the person bringing back our 3 horses from Caernarfon Bay has not put in an appearance so I had to go down to the fields there to take more hay, there is hardly any grass left now for them.They will have to have hay daily until we can get someone with a horsebox to transport all three. I will miss the visits to them at this lovely place, the location is fantastic though I'm sure the horses could care less about the views across the Bay to Anglesey. Scenery is somewhat low on the list of priorities for horses.A nice fresh smelling bale of hay on the other hand is far more to their liking and appreciation was duly shown by all three. Meaning they completely ignored me and immediately got to work demolishing it. I really want to get them back here this week.

New horse Sorrell who was seen by a Vet yesterday has started her antibiotics for the wound on her chest, fortunately it is raining today which means there are less flies around and the wound is easier to keep clean and flyfree. The fields did need the rain but on a personal level I am bemoaning the disappearance of the mood lightening cheery sun. Never mind maybe it will reappear tomorrow and the staff and I will all have happy smiley faces!

The mystery of the stray Patterdale is solved.

It is though Sorrell has lived here all her life, she is such a laid back mare and the others have accepted her presence with no fuss at all.So different from some new arrivals who cause tremendous excitement with the resident equines . There is usually lots of galloping about and whinnying to one another until they become used to one another and then everything calms down and equilibrium is restored. There is a better photo of her here which I took this morning. We cannot mix her with the others until her worming is completed but she is able to see them and interact over the fence. Isnt she lovely ? I love her already.If I was able to sing in tune I would now burst into a rendition of that old Stevie Wonder song. Is it called 'isnt she lovely'? I can't remember if that is the title or just one of the lines from it. Being unable to sing a note in tune has never stopped me before so maybe I will sing it anyway. I wonder would Horrid Neighbour ring the Council to complain about that? Probably! It would be the one and only time I would have sympathy for the man!

Nice Neighbour Nia with the stray Patterdale popped round with him today. Just before she arrived I had taken a phone call from a lady wanting to get rid of a neutered Patterdale terrier who kept escaping on walks! I asked her if he was missing now, he was ,and yes it was the same dog.Fortunately she is happy to take him back until we can find him a suitable home. His name is Iago (pronounced Yago)which in Welsh means James. Funny that the last Patterdale we rehomed we named Jimmy and they are almost identical except Jimmy came in with a scarred face.

Still nobody has claimed Luca or the White German Shepherd.There is a home waiting for her if nobody turns up for her and there is interest already in the very handsome Luca. Lockie labradors homecheck passed too so we are doing very well with the dogs. I wish the adult cats were going as well but Precious and Magic etc will be going soon so that will be something to look forward to - not only the thought that they will be soon living in a real home as they should be but that we will have space to take in a few more. Our waiting list is growing by the day.

A farmers wife turned up here today with another collie who is not good enough for working with the sheep. As it happens a few days ago I was driving past her farm and noticed a collie tied up in an outhouse and commented on it to Mei.This is the same dog so I am pleased to help find him a pet home. In fairness to them they are willing to hang on to him for a week to allow me time to advertise him/get him neutered .Gel is pictured here.He seems a very nice natured dog but he is showing signs of male testesterone so the quicker the Vets appointment the better.

Lockies prospective owner has backed out this morning, I think his wife has persuaded him that after losing the last dog, they could now be free to spend more time holidaying and going away. I do have a certain amount of sympathy as I would never have believed it of myself but I too often feel a desire to be free of encumbrance in order to have more 'me' time. That is not to say that I would be without my dogs, everyone knows how I feel about them but as I have grown older I often long to have more of a normal life. A life which is not totally dictated by the animals I have. Of course it is extremely unlikely that this will ever change to that degree and perhaps I only think I want that(the grass on the other side is always greener), after all what would I do, who would I be without the shelter? I cannot envisage not being occupied and busy with animals all around me.

Still , it gives me some understanding of their feelings,Its just a pity that it was not discussed and decided before they applied to have Lockie. So I now have to start advertising him,its a shame as I have wasted time which could have been spent looking for someone else suitable for this big loveable Labrador.

My car is not running very well at the moment so I called in to a local garage for them to have a look at it.Vanessas boyfriend Dave (who has been helping out here recently)had already suggested that it was the drive shaft - at least I think that was what it is called! Anyhow he was right so that is more money to lay out. Still at least it has not yet bitten the dust for good which is what I am really scared about ,having no money to replace it.

Buster, Callie and Freddie who are grazing out at a property in Caernarfon will be coming back to us in the next few days as they have eaten all the grass in the fields there. As Buster is too big to fit in our horse trailer, we are asking someone with a horsebox to collect the three of them at the same time. It will not be long before we have to start buying in bales of hay to see the horses through the winter ahead.

Finally I forgot to mention a few days ago that Sylvia the lovely grey cat has found someone nice to take her home.The kind people who found Sylvia have been in touch since she was admitted and I know they will be thrilled she has become one of the Chosen Ones.

Sorrell arrives and settles in well.

9 years old Sorrel has arrived, (see photo of Bobby staring at his new friend in admiration)) the journey must have been stressful for her, she was sweated up and trembling when she arrived but I have just been to see her in the barn where we are keeping her until she has been fully wormed.She has Shane and Bobby to keep her company and she now seems perfectly content munching away at the hay and clearly comfortable with her new found friends. The hernia is incredibly large and as she is so young perhaps there may be a possibility of having it removed at some time in the future although we would need to organise a special nationwide appeal.These operations do not come cheap.I imagine it would cost a couple of thousand!At the moment she is unconcerned with it so it will be a case of keeping a careful watch over it in case it grows any more.

In connection with my last blog in which I told the tale of Sorrels misfortune, I have received an outraged email from someone claimimg to be a friend of Sorrels owner. It seems I am lacking in compassion and her friend is a wonderful person who rescued Sorrel out of pity, she wanted to make no profit from her (impossible as the horse is worthless in terms of profitability) etc etc. I also need to keep my thoughts to myself when writing my blog!! As I told her in my reply if her friend was so kind why did she even set off for the slaughterhouse? Why did she breed from her happily until the hernia put paid to any more money making foals? The writer 'Pat' also is anxious to tell me that under no circumstances must I pass Sorrel on to a home for breeding! Thanks for that advice Pat, I really needed it.What planet is she on? Perhaps The Planet of HORSE OWNERS TO WHOM RESCUE IS A CONCEPTION NOT UNDERSTOOD!' Amazing though it may be to some, horse rescue organisations are not anxious to breed yet more unwanted equines, that is left to others of a different mindset. We do, however ,regularly pick up the pieces of indiscriminate breeding or of 'damaged goods' as we have with Sorrell. As for the content of my blog - it is about my life at the shelter and my feelings and thoughts and it will continue to be so. Truth does not always sit comfortably with those who are at the receiving end of my ire but that is their problem, not mine. I would like to add also that I have tremendous empathy with the good people who are forced to part with beloved pets through no fault of their own and horse owners like Christine Clarke whose 4 ponies we admitted a few years ago has become a good friend and also a wonderful supporter and fundraiser for Freshfields.

Now after I have got that out my system, what else has happened today? Well Luca has gone to be neutered and also Dappy (Roys foster dog) and Lockie a big, big black labrador whose owner could no longer cope with exercising him.Both Lockie and Dappy have potential homes waiting.Lockie is overweight and very strong but in just a few days with Rhian , he is already walking better and is less of a handful, he just needed regular exercise. My next door Nice Neighbour Nia has found a Patterdale terrier which she brought to show me today.he may yet be claimed and she will hang on to him a bit longer . He is a nice little dog, apparently good with cats and chickens!Unusual for that breed. Another person came with a white German Shepherd found yesterday, she is in season but in reasonable condition so may yet be claimed.If not I have someone interested, someone who has just lost a white GSD.

Gill collies' new owner came to visit her and he will be taking her back to France tomorrow so I need to get her documents/passport together ready for his arrival and finally I received Mollys ashes back from the pet crematorium, it cost £290! Gulp! The delivery man was as expected very gracious and sympathetic. one hour later he was on the phone demanding immediate payment. Call me contrary, I will make him wait until tomorrow!

Peter had to return one of the kittens he took as she was not so well, sneezing etc so.She seemed fine when he took her but of course the trauma of being moved can sometimes set something off which was incubating already. We will keep her till she gets better and he will have her back.Unfortunately it looks like we have an outbreak of cat flu beginning so we cannot take in or rehome any kittens until this is cleared. We have been quite lucky so far this year but it is inevitable taking in strays that sooner or later one will bring in a virus of some sort. All we can do is put a stop to movement to and from the kitten room and start a course of antibiotics with those affected.

I am going to check on Sorrell again, make sure she is ok. Another day almost over.Apart from the email aggravation mentioned earlier it has been beautiful weather today and therefore I was in my element - I think I may even have caught the sun a little. It doesnt take much to make me happy! I am a woman of simple pleasures!

PS: went to check on new horse, she must be riddled with worms,it is a long time since I have seen a horse pass so much. Mei said she asked the woman who brought her when she was last wormed and was told that she wormed her horses in July but wasnt sure if Sorrel had been done.Well she definitely was not wormed, the worm burden she has been carrying is appalling and if she has been grazing her on the same fields as her other horses, the fields will be badly infected by now.