I can scarcely believe it but having just found a home for Jet the 12 years collie and the last one of the 17 collies whose farmer owner had died, we have been asked to help with another similar case regarding 19 collies whose local farmer owner has had a stroke. Yesterday a man turned up with two and when I saw the state of the dogs I agreed to take another two immediately.The dogs are all living in sheds in a nearby village though the owner lives elsewhere He has given us just one week to try and find somewhere for the remainder or they will all be destroyed.He is related by marriage to the owner and he has been trying to persuade him to part with the dogs for some time to no avail and I am just thankful he has now succeeded. These are all litter brothers and sisters. The four we have named Ross,Robin,Reba and Rosa are extremely nervous(See Reba clinging to the wire of her cage as we tried to coax her out) and are underweight and unkempt (nothing new there then) but Robin seemed unduly aggressive when we attempted to move him from the pen in the back of the farm vehicle. Minutes later we realised why - he had obviously had a loose choke chain round his neck and it was now wrapped tightly under his front leg. With some difficulty we managed to take a look and to our horror could see that not only was it embedded into his skin but the skin was red raw and was growing through the chain links. Absolutely horrific ! Barbara has taken him to the vet where he will have the chain removed under anaesthetic. Poor dog to have suffered in this way.he must have been in a great deal of pain and discomfort . Will he and the others ever trust people again? I have hopes that due to their age (around eighteen months)they will prove to be less traumatised than dear Nell and therefore prove to be suitable to place up for adoption in the near future. My worry now is to find places for the remainder and get them out of those sheds they are living in as quickly as possible. I have contacted a few border collie rescues and am waiting to hear back from them.
Sunday:
Robin is back with us having had his operation to remove the embedded chain, Ken the vet says it is the worst he has seen. We have antibiotics to give him and on wednesday he has to go back for another anaesthetic, this time to stitch the wound. Poor dog,I have just fed him and his siblings and they were starving and wolfed down their food like there was no tomorrow. When I first saw them I did not realise how thin they actually were because their thick coats hid their bony bodies. They managed to eat their food whilst I was watching though kept an eye on me at all times. They are like wild animals at the moment so need lots of kind words and a gentle approach until they feel more secure.
I have already received a response for the collies,a lady in Berkshire who does Border collie rescue has offered to take them all if nobody else comes forward so now I know that all will be safe. The transport we will have to arrange next.
To finish a "perfect" day yesterday we had a disaster occur - Barbara was at the vet with Robin and Mei was giving the dogs their last walk of the day when Thunder the Siberian Husky just raced off the property(something she has never done before) and was hit by a car speeding down the country lane. The driver failed to stop and Thunder tried to get back home with her front leg dangling uselessly. A kind neighbour offered to take her to the Vet for us (my car is off the road)and she is still there waiting to have an operation to fix her damaged leg. Mei and I are still in shock. Thunder was due to go to a home todaY as well,.It never rains but it pours as the old saying goes. neighbours in the village who witnessed the accident said the driver was going at least 70 miles an hour. He was recognised and I will be reporting him to the police.
We need something good to happen to cheer us all up. A nice lottery win would do the trick!
Ps:
Just heard and (almost) as good as a lottery win, Jackie the missing cat has been found and is safe and well. So the day ends with this good news.
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