A very timid cat goes to a home.

Well, out of the 4 cats going to be neutered, one vanished the day it was due to go and out of the other 3, two had to be put down due to the terrible condition they were in(Only one made it to the shelter.Poor cats,what a hard life they must have had.We homed two cats today, one friendly adult and unbelievable one of our semi feral kittencats.She was a beautiful white and grey but needed a lot of work to bring her round, she was the best out of that particular litter but still very nervous.The new owners have a cat cage they will be using until she settles a little.All that litter are particularly pretty cats, so often that seems the case, so many beautiful feral cats are out there, it seems a shame to relegate them to farm homes though of course most cats would thoroughly enjoy that life.We want all cats to live a life of domesticity but in truth ferals in an outdoor home where they are fed regularly and have stables or barns to snuggle up to sleep on hay or straw bales can be the best environment for them. Certainly our ferals here seem to be very content, even the ones who are too wild to venture too near the house are happy enough to accept the hand that feeds them, at the same time not allowing too much familiarity! pictured above two of our pretty ferals Phoebe and Fliss.I had hoped for a lonmg time that they would find a home but it was not to be.I plan to release them here this summer.
Millie pup has gone to a new home and hopefully Charlie will be going tomorrow.They really are very bonny pups, no wonder they have had so much interest in them..
A stray collie has been brought in, he is young and in reasonable condition, we will see if anyone turns up to claim him in the next few days.
A young female ferret about 4 months of age has been admitted, she followed some children and has obviously been handled a lot, I need to find a suitable pet home for her, the Liverpool shelter has good facilities for them but I spoke to Lyn today and they have so many their is no room for any new admittances.She tells me that not many people have been asking for ferrets lately so none are going out to homes.There was a time when the pet rescue programmes were going out on TV, that ferrets were featured a lot in shelters and we had loads of enquiries and offers of homes.Clearly they are not the "Pet of the moment!.What a shame, they are such appealing creatures and such great fun to watch in play.
Rollo has gone to his new home and his new keeper has assured me he has settled in well with their own ponies.Always good to hear, I hate seeing them being loaded onto horse trailers, heaven knows what experiences they have had in the past, they must be fearful when they have been passed from pillar to post.Anyhow , after a difficult time getting him in he settled down and travelled well throughout the journey which was only short- Conway.

the Snow has cleared.

Well the snow is almost cleared today, at last the wild birds can get at their natural food and we can all get our vehicles up the track.Barry had to go to the Liverpool shelter for a meeting and he came back with his carladen with food for the animals here.They are so lucky having so much food donated all through the year.It is a big occasion when it happens here, like the other week when people from Colwyn Bay came with hundreds of pounds worth of horse food.It was like Christmas! A lady whose old ponies we took in, regularly buys us 25 bales of hay and Mion who is a cat fosterer for us, bought us loads of cat food instead of buying gifts for people.We appreciate every little bit of help we can get, although we have now been here 6 years, it is a short time to establish a shelter and new helpers are asured of a warm welcome.Bring them on!
I have heard from ken and Sally who gave a home to Princess, she is settling well and following Sally everywhere and someone is interested in her brother Rocky. Anya Lurcher too has settled in her new home which is great news and of course Christy(now Ben) is the pride and joy in his Dorset home.I have daily email bulletins from Wendy who keeps me up to date on Bens progress.For an ex farm dog, he has had a lot to learn and Wendy and her husband have showed so much patience and kindness.
Barbara is doing the home visit today for Rollo the shetland pony, the Daily Post did not take up the article about ponies needing homes too so I will try them again later. All the ponies are doing well with the exception of little old Connie ,one of the black shetlands(or bog woppets as the farrier calls them)who has to have lots of small feeds as she has hardly any teeth, her weight has dropped dramatically even though she is on the best feeds and supplements money can buy.If this continues to happen we will have to call out the vet for another check up.Connie pictured above with Noddy on the day she arrived 2 years ago.
An adult cat has been rehomed today, hopefully the improvement in the weather will bring more visitors to the shelter, though I dont like the look of the dark clouds gathering! Does this mean more snow? The little black pregnant cat has gone to the vet to be spayed and will be back later.There will be some new admittances this weekend including a young ginger stray and 4 unwanted cats from the same home(these are all being neutered by our vets today)
Now I have to sort out the bills and pay the urgent ones, a task I hate but it must be done.It must be a wonderful feeling running a shelter with millions in the bank, I doubt I will ever know that feeling!!Just enough to not worry would be great, I could live with that.

More snow.

what a day today, its been snowing heavily all day and we have had no visitors althouugh we were delighted to see Dilys, an intrepid volunteer who managed to brave the weather to come and help with the cats.All the cats are staying indoors, its far too cold for them to brave the elements and why should they, the conservatory cats have both central heating and another heater for warmth.No wonder what was originally for the old cats is now becoming popular with some of the bolder ferals.Of course they glare at me with distrust when I enter the conservatory and some will quickly disappear through the cat flap to return only when I am not around.Others more daring simply stare at me with eyes wide as if daring me to make one move towards them. The cat flap unfortunately is now just a hole in the glass as William enters in and out through it so the flap is broken. How even a medium sizd lurcher can squeeze through it is amazing but he does it regularly and with great ease.
We have brought the old ponies early, it is too windy and cold for them, as always Noddy leads them all in, first to come in, last to go out.He is motivated by food naturally.The pigs have disappeared into their Piggy home and are snuggled up on a thick bed of straw, even the sheep have taken shelter today.That reminds me, I am taking two neutered rams from the Liverpool shelter.I cant wait to meet them, their names are Joseph and Jacob and they are very handsome Jacobs sheep.They should fit in nicely with the three resident sheep, Bertie, Sam and Chloe.
2 beautiful pups were admitted today, there are times I wish I had kennels here, its such a nuisance having to foster dogs out but what can I do with such a bad neighbour and a Council who backs his complaints?pictured above are the pups Millie and Charlie.

Match Made in Heaven (I Hope)

The stray cat was bought in, she is pregnant so clearly was in need of rescuing so this time the caller was correct in assuming she was homeless.She is a pretty little all black cat who looks barely past kittenhood herself.There is so much help nowadays for people who are unable to afford veterinary costs of neutering cats, why is it that so many are still being brought in pregnant and when the kitten season starts, why we will receive hundreds of calls from owners whose cats have had litters? What needs to be done to get the word out to people? Mind you I had a call today from a man who wanted a collie male to breed with his female collie.I was as polite as could be(Yes I was, honestly) but suggested he spay the female as there wrere too many unwanted dogs being destroyed every day in the Uk and collies are hard to find suitable homes especially when there are so many in rescue shelters.What was his reaction? He told me there was something wrong with my attitude and hung up!!!So even when I am the politest most charming I can be, the fact is if someone does not want to hear something it is like talking to a brick wall and on top of that I get insulted!! Is it worth it? Yes because every now and again someone will take new inmformation and advice on board and may even be glad to receive that information and if it stops even one litter of pups being taken to a rescue centre or sold to unsuitable people then it is worthwhile.
I was very upset after receiving a call from the owner of the beautiful lurcher dogs anya and Rocky, they were to be destroyed that day!I was at my computer checking emails when this happened, I was close to tears and then noticed an email had come through entitled Anya the lurcher.A home was being offered, people in Yorkshire were prepared to travel to Wales to see her as she was so like their own dog who had died.I quickly rang back the owner and told her to bring them in, then remembered someone had shown interest in Rocky, I emailed her and today she has driven from manchester to foster Rocky until we find him a suitable home.Both dogs are now safe.Anya is on her way to Harrogate to start a new life.
I have also been fortunate to place a very timid dog Princess with a couple from east Sussex.Princess and her sibling Junior were in desperate need of homes so onto the website they went and I was inundated with calls for them but Princess needed a special home with people who knew how to deal with such a frightened animal.her new people have run an animal sanctuary and have had experience with dogs like Princess.She will need much patience and understanding before she behaves like a normal dog. She is one of the most timid I have seen here and believe me there have been a few! I will be waiting anxiously for news.
Princess is pictured with her new best friends Ken and Sally.The other photo I took of Anya and her new people did not turn out but they promised to send me some photos when they settle her in so I will have to wait until then.

Sam, Rollo and Murphy shetlands in the snow.

Rosie Lee has found a home already, she will be going to a home in Oxford next Friday.Mei is travelling there to see a friend and is going with one of our horse homecheckers Jan(jan has 4 of our ponies on loan- Buster and Did and Heather and Paddy shetlands)so they will be able to see for themselves where RosIe Lee will be living. She really is a sweet natured little dog.
The snow is clearing a little bit but tonight its snowing again so if it keeps it up all night, everywhere will be covered in white again. Most of the staff are managing to get in to work with the exception of Rhian who also lives in a hill property and may not make it tomorrow.A 4 x 4 is definitely needed to traverse the track although Roy the manager of our Caernarfon shop braved it today but almost got stuck when he tried to leave.Its so icy I would prefer people did not attempt it in case there is an accident.Most people are leaving their vehicles at the bottom of the track and trudging up through the snow.
Our youngest kittencat "Anthony" went to a home yesterday. I brought him back from Liverpool with me, he belonged to a girl I know whose dog was showing signs of aggression towards him, she was very upset having to part with him but it was an accident waiting to happen so she did the right thing in giving him up for adoption.
Also 2 elderly cats have gone to their homes. Toots and Tabitha have both gone to live with elderly people, nice quiet homes which should suit them down to the ground and just in case anybody is conjuring up images of frail pensioners battling through the snow on Zimmer frames we delivered both cats straight to the door!
A new cat was admitted today, Jonesey a middle aged Tortoishell and white cat has lost her owner and there is nobody to care for her. She seems quite happy so far, well as happy as a suddenly bereaved and homeless cat can be.Another may arrive tomorrow, a call came through today about a stray cat living in an old shed in someones garden.The cat is wearing a collar so I have asked the caller to check with neighbours before bringing her in. Often people say that there is a stray cat around and then the irate owner rings the shelter demanding his cat back, sometimes the owner only lives doors away from where the cat was "found".
Years ago I had a distinctively marked grey and white cat which always sat on my front wall in Formby.One day I was looking out the window and saw a car pull up, a lady got out the car, picked up my cat and droive off with him.I was devastated and ran oputside only to see the car disappearing into the distance. All sorts went through my mind.Was he being taken for vivisection, catfur?? I contacted the local paper and they ran an article the following week, I received a call from the "kidnapper" as soon as the article was published.It seems this lady had seen the cat, thought it was her own grey and white cat, took him home, found hers in the house and instead of returning mine, kept him until she saw the article in the newspaper. I have to say although I was greatly relieved to have him back safely I found it hard to understand why she did not recognise her own cat and more importantly why she failed to return mine the same day. She could have saved me a week of heartache.My point is that cats who visit other homes to get fed and who sit on walls are not necessarily lost or homeless and people should check before they jump to this conclusion, it can be distressing for both cat and owner.

We are snowed in.

I returned from my brothers funeral in Liverpool, to a snowed in shelter! The snow is quite deep here and I got stuck halfway up the track! I had a boring drive home as someone broke into my car in Prestatyn(I left it outside my nieces house to travel in her car to liverpool) and stole my stereo, It was just the last straw.Oh well, thats life.
The animals are all enjoying the snow, particularly the dogs.They are all in high spirits chasing each other round the fields.Even William was tempted into a mad half hour(see photo)Not bad for an elderly chap! I had a call yesterday from a lady in Porthmadog who had found an abandoned dog tied up in her drive, the poor dog was shivering and very frightened.I had to phone a friend who has a health store in that area and ask if he would go and untie the dog as the lady was a little nervous.He did so and the lady kindly allowed him to put the scared dog
in an outhouse with a heater for the night.Today she is mingling happily with our dogs, she is a young cross staffordshire bull terrier female, very friendly and puppyish.I hope she will be alright with the cats, that is the next step, we need to know this or we cannot let her off the lead at all.picture above is of Mei giving her a cuddle.
A farmer has just been here with yet another collie, this time the dog is unsuitable for sheepdog trials, he has no style apparently!Well I think he has plenty of style though I cannot say that for the owner.Shep is a stunning sheepdog, the type people like, longcoated balck and white.I doubt he will be homeless for long.
Good news - Rollo is going to his new home as soon as the snow clears, I had an email about him, Im so pleased that they did not change their mind.

MeeT Rollo

Well I still havent heard from the lady who was interested in Rollo(oictured here)I hope she hasnt changed her mind though better to do so at this stage than later when he is already home with them.
Another disappointment has been the back out of the home for Junior in Coventry.It seems the children were set on Princess the other dog pictured on the same site, however I did not feel Princess was right for a home with childern so Again best it happens at this stage.
On a good note - Bobby has gone to a home, heres hoping he settles in and more importantly that the people give him time to settle.I tell everyone to give new animals a chance to settle but often they panic after 24 hours and return them. This really upsets the animal concerned,I always honour our policy of having our own animals back if it doesnt work out but people should be more understanding of how traumatised animals are that have been taken to a shelter or abandoned, they need to feel safe and secure again and this does not happen overnight.A good example of this is Christy(now Ben) the collie who went to live in Dorset.His new owners have been so patient and showed so much compassion and understanding through many difficult weeks, they are still not out of the woods but they are dealing with the problems because they have already formed a close bond and they know that it takes time.
On the subject of the microchipped cat found in Bangor - it is looking as though it was the owner herself who handed the cat in as a stray!!!!! I am truly angry, she filled in an adoption form, was told that we would have the cat back if their circumstances ever changed and what do they do-- lie and take the cat somewhere else 2 years later.!!! Thank goodness Nell was taken in by the Cats Protection League people who have cared for her this past week.We will of course be bringing her back to Freshfields but this was all so unnecessary.Poor little Nell. I feel I really let her down.
A new homechecker has turned up to help us, Jean is willing to cover the Anglesey and Bangor areas.It does seem that we are finally drawing in the volunteers we have needed for so long, though we need several more to cover other areas of Gwynedd.
It is freezing here today, icy cold and the forecast is for snow.I am going to my brothers funeral in liverpool tomorrow so I am hoping that the roads will be clear enough.We havent had much snow at all so far but if the forecasts are anything to go by that will all change this coming week. I am going to top up all the bird feeders tonight and put lots of fat balls out for them as well.