Goodbye Washi, hello Ty

After beating myself up over the return of the young collie " Washi" a few days ago I am pleased to say that he has gone to his new home,they brought their rescued dog Bella to meet him and decided he WAS the dog for them.I am so pleased and can only hope that this time I have found the right home for him.Judging by the wonderful condition and obvious contentment of Bella who had been a very sad and nervous dog when they adopted her some years ago it seems like an excellent home for him.
Another dog has been admitted. (this is is the cross german shepherd collie whose owner turned up here the other day) Ty is 12 months old, a cross german shepherd/kelpie(not a collie) and although he is not perhaps the prettiest dog we have had, he seems a generally amiable youngster but in dire need of training.Usually with regular and free exercise in the fields these sort of dogs calm down considerably.For some animals a walk on a lead is not enough especially dogs from working stock who have vitality and intelligence bred into them. many problems with canines can be,if not resolved,improved with the right,regular exercise.It makes sense, even with human beings. Depression and bad moods can be miraculously lifted by a half hour run or similar exercise.I speak as one who knows!
I have had an urgent request for a place for a staffordshire bull terrier -as she is good with other dogs and generally good natured so Rosie has offered to foster her,Perhaps we will be as fortunate finding her a good home as we were with Billy a few months ago. As mentioned before they are hard to home because of the bad press they receive but if this one is half as nice as the owner says she is then she needs to be given a chance.They seem to be dogs that people either love or hate,I have already mentioned her to a couple of callers who have enquired about dogs but have been met with a silence when I say she is a staff.What a shame.
My friend Jane who lives in Oxford fostered a staffordshire bull terrier after I forwarded an email plea for dogs on death row in a pound. He was then homed with my eldest niece Vanessa who lives in Wordsley with her husband Avtar and her two teenage stepdaughters.This once condemned dog is so loved by the family, I receive regular news bulletins about how wonderful he is and how much one of the family he has become.They have nothing but praise for him and they cannot believe he was left unclaimed in a dog pound.He is a perfect example of how these dogs can so often make the best family pets.
There are two litters of kittens arriving tomorrow,it is the first time we have had empty pens for some months which is great because it means that we are managing to place most of those which have been admitted.Just a few of the older kittens remain,once they reach 14 weeks or so,they seem to lose their appeal though not tome or the staff of course. When there are younger ones available they have less of a chance which is why I have put off bringing in younger litters for the past week.
Well it is pouring with rain again today,is there no end to it? Even waterproofs fail to keep out the heavy driving rain so we are all perpetually soaked to the skin.Oh Happy Days. The only good thing about this awful weather is the sheer pleasure experienced at the end of the day when wet clothes are discarded,a hot bath is run and then afterwards snuggling up on the sofa with the dogs and a good book. I am a woman of simple pleasures!
Oh dear, last problem of the day - the swallows nest has fallen from high in our barn and the babies are balancing precariously on the girders.I dont know if they are old enough to cope with this, can they fly? I THINK they must be old enough now, but I am taking the ladder down there to try and replace the nest. . More tomorrow.

Gel enjoys his holiday

A quieter day today but still more kittens are reserved and there is a chance of another adult going too.Steve and his partner already have two of our cats and he is very taken with Jaffa a lovely pale ginger and also 2 friends Hannah black and Harvey Moon. He has yet to discuss it with his partner but I have high hopes of at least one going.
I have heard from Gels new family today and it seems he enjoyed his time in Tenby where they stayed for a few nights but is now back home in Hampshire where he is a bit bewildered by his very different change in circumstances . It is a scary time for an ex farm dog unused to living in a house and hearing the sounds of everyday life within those walls.Like the others who have traversed this path before him, it will take some time for him to become accustomed to it and there may be some problems on the way like the television which bemuses him a bit(it has the same effect on me!)but I am sure in no time at all it will be as though he has lived indoors all his life.Dear Gel is pictured on the beach in Barmouth with his new "dad".All the animals are dear to us but some have a very special place in our hearts and Gel is one of those so to know that from now on he will enjoy the luxury of being a loved pet instead of an old discarded farm machine is just so heartwarming.
Minnie and Georgie Girl, the mother and daughter shetlands are being cared for at the moment by Rosie at her homeand this week they had to be moved to another field.Now that may sound a simple matter to deal with but Minnie who has had a history of neglect and ill treatment prior to arriving here with her newborn foal,is an absolute nightmare to catch and to move anywhere. We could do with a horse whisperer here.There are many techniques to use with nervous animals like this and we have tried some with some measure of improvement.What she really needs is someone to work with her on a daily basis instead of just when we have time. She is happy enough left alone but the problems arise when the farrier visits or she needs veterinary attention or even as found this week,needing to move her from place to place.Then it becomes difficult.Pictured are Rosie and her friend leading the pair into another field after much high jinks trying to catch her.Minnie is the chestnut looking away from Rosie as though she has fallen out with her and is refusing to speak in protest, which of course she is!Daughter Georgie having been brought up in our care is outgoing and confident, the product of kind handling.What a difference it makes.
Barbara is travelling to Yorkshire this week to bring back the horse trailer which has kindly been donated to us by the couple who adopted the two collies George and Jess.They have checked it over and it appears roadworthy still -they were unsure about this as it has been standing in a field for quite a while. It will save us some money when we have to move our horses so I am very grateful for the offer.

Guinea pigs, a returned dog and a one eyed kitten

Two baby guinea pigs have been brought in, we have many people asking for these animals so they should be no problem to rehome and they are males so there will be no chance of them breeding.
The bedraggled kitten which was taken to staff at our Porthmadog shop has had to have an operation to remove an eye which was too badly infected to save.Poor little thing.Mion is still fostering her and she is doing well.How amazing animals are, they are so stoical in the face of pain and change. Well most are, lurchers and greyhounds must be the exception, they are total wimps and William is no exception- brush past him with the slightest of pressure and it will result in a piercing scream of outrage and exaggerated pain!
We had a dog returned today.A young collie pup went out 7 months ago,now his owner is homeless and the dog is back with us minus vaccinations!I am annoyed with myself really because this same dog was picked up some months ago with no name tag,I traced the owner and told her off about it.It seemed a genuine reason that the dog had just escaped and I gave her the benefit of the doubt.WRONG.I should have taken him back there and then or at least followed it up and to my everlasting shame I failed to do so. Even after so many years doing this work I still make mistakes and I am very very angry with myself for overlooking this potential problem.All I can say in my defence is that I rarely ignore such warning signs and a warning sign it certainly was.I should have known then that the home was not as good as it had originally seemed. The good news is that he has been reserved already by a couple who will be bringing their own dog back on Monday to see if the two get on together.
At last some adult cats have gone.Even better is the fact that the two chosen today are Toby and Twinkle,Toby has amputated ears and they are middle aged.It is hard to home such cats and they had to be rehomed together so I am thrilled for them. Also reserved is Bunty a little kitten cat with stunted growth, she has always been half the size of her litter sisters and as a young kitten had incredibly short legs but has now turned into an attractive little cat.
A car drives into our yard around 5.30pm.I look up from typing and wonder is this someone else wanting to get rid of an animal and yes it is so another goes on our waiting list.This time it is a young cross collie/german shepherd which has grown too big for the family.At least it has been neutered which will save us some money.The vets bill is enormous and the less we have to pay out foreach animal the better we can manage our finances which are never in a marvellous state!
Yesterday I was in Liverpool attending a trustee meeting of the charity and the Manager Helen had written her report for the month in which she states that the recession is definitely making a big difference to them,both in donations and animals coming in.Of course it may not really be the credit crunch causing this,after all it is the perfect excuse to get rid of an unwanted pet without being made to feel guilty! Yes I know I am a hardened cynic but I know from years of dealing with people and their pets that there are certainly many genuine people whom we are delighted to assist if we are able but for every one of these there are 20 without a good reason. I much prefer people to tell me the truth, even if it is just that they dont like the animal anymore, I hate the lies which can sometimes this can be detrimental to the pet.We need to know the truth and as much information as possible whenm we admit them This helps with rehoming and finding the right match for people and pet.
It has been quite a good day for homing animals so as I finish this entry I feel reasonably upbeat.I can see the swallows flitting about the stables catching insects on the wing and I know that I dont have to put as much effort in for my forthcoming meal.Have Microwave, Will Eat!

Blue stays just two hours with us!

The new collie arrived(pictured here) but there was a home waiting for him and two hours later he was off to Barmouth for a 4 day holiday before travelling home to Worcestershire! Blue,a handsome blue merle collie has been in rescue kennels(notours) waiting for a home for over two months.Rosie had planned to foster him but then I remembered I had someone on our waiting list for a collie.They have had a collie previously which had died and they were thrilled to meet Blue.If ever people and dog were wellmatched it was those three.
Also reserved is the stray Jack Russell"Mason" who was never claimed, he will be neutered tomorrow ready to be adopted and someone is coming to view Misty on Wednesday though she is not ready to go yet as she is still in season.Two kittens have been rehomed today,a pretty older kitten and the last of the chocolate box babies pictured a few days ago.There is Still nobody wanting aduilt cats ,its always quiet when there are so many kittens about so they probably will not start moving until late September.
I took some more photos of William the Wonderdog last night but then felt I was showing favouritism so took some of the Yorkies as well.The Maggie Marthas are in the front and 15 years old Suzie is asleep at the back of them.Amazing to think their combined ages of the yorkies are 58!!!
It has been decided definitely that we are bringing the 4 young ponies back to the shelter a week on tuesday, on this day we will have plenty of helpers and we will need them to catch the four ready for transporting them home.As they have not been handled daily since they have been at their summer home, they have become very wary and frisky and of course now their testicles have dropped their testesterone is rampant.The sooner we can have them gelded the better and the calmer they will become.
A few weeks ago I nominated our lovely Equine Dentist Andre for an IFAW animal welfare award,last week I had a call to say he had been shortlisted and yesterday I received another call to say that he was the one to receive the award.Ihope he will not mind,I hadnt told him what I was planning in case my nomination did not get anywhere.He deserves it for his kindness treating our rescued and often traumatised ponies and for his wonderful volunteer work with working horses and donkeys in Greece.

The feral cats enjoy a new toy.

Another dog has left today for a new home,Sam the young stray cross labrador is off to a new life in Derbyshire.As with all young dogs,he is a handful,I only hope he will not prove too much for his new person to cope with.Youngsters are so full of life and mischief but it can be wearing for anyone unused to this.
A kind person donated a great cat climbing frame, we placed it in the feral enclosure and as you can see the cats love it.There was so much interest in it,almost all the cats investigated and the bolder ones leaped on to it straight away ,still some are a little unsure of this new"building" in their home but no doubt will soon cease to fear it and join the others in their play.It will stop them from being bored,another reason why we often place cardboard boxes and other items in there.When cats are confined, albeit with an outside enclosure,it is not the same as being free to roam and new toys can make all the difference to their lives whilst they are here.
Although today is lovely and the sun has been shining, the torrential rain yesterday has me worried for the ponies out at summer grazing, in particular the 4 youngsters.I think its time that they returned to the shelter and they can be gelded soon after.There is natural shelter in their fields but it will be easier for us if they are here.At least if there are drastic changes in the weather we can put on their rugs or bring them in at night if necessary.
I have heard from the new owners of George and Jess. The collies travelled well and have been for a run around their new home, and were flat out on the sofa when I last heard. Its the goodlife for them at last.There is another collie arriving tomorrow,Rosie will be fostering him,all I know is that he is a blue merle around the age of 6 years and was rescued from a dog pound some weeks ago.
A little black stray kitten was admitted earlier today so all the cat pens are now full though there is one tabby reserved.This season there seem to be mainly black and white kittens,other years we have had assorted and several gingers.I wonder why there is a change in colours each year and why there are more of one colour than another? When I first moved here I was struck by how many longhaired cats we saw and how many gingers, which if not a rarity in Liverpool were certainly less common.
Roy the ferret will have his bits off on Wednesday and then we will try to find him a home. On close inspection he is not a well cared for animal at all, he was covered in fleas and has hardly any hair on his tail- poor creature.I suspect he has been used for hunting and like many such animals has received the minimum care.

A home is found for Gel.

Yesterday afternoon we were visited by a couple from Hampshire who were here for a wedding in Beddgelert.They had been to their local shelters wanting a collie but there were none available so they thought they might find one here in Wales.The only one we have at the moment is Gel,a middle aged dog with a hip problem who needs daily pain killers. We brought him out with little hope that he would appeal but guess what, he did- they thought he was lovely.Tomorrow he will be leaving us and it will pull at our heart strings because he was such a very sad dog when he arrived and we all thought he would be here for life.Its wonderful to think he will have a a loving home of his own.He truly deserves it,he has gone from being chained up for years and badly neglected to a happy affectionate animal who has really enjoyed his time at the shelter but now he has an even better home to live in,one where he will receive ALL the attention and where he can spend cold winter days lying in front of a warm fire.This is what I wish for all our dogs. They will be getting a passport for him as soon as they can because Gel will be wintering with them in Spain next year and subsequent years.Good luck Gel, we will miss you but we are all so happy for you.
Two more kittens have gone to homes, two been admitted and a feral cat rehomed so not a bad weekend at all.Its strange that today is appalling weather,we have experienced torrential rain all day and we are all soaked to the skin but it has been so busy.On a day like this I would have expected nobody to turn up, I know I would prefer to be warm and cozy indoors!
Mei and Barbara are bringing some of the ponies in to dry them off and give them a feed. If this rain keeps up their rugs will have to go back on,its not just the oldies who feel the cold but some of the thinner coated ponies like William and Blue are unhappy in this type of weather. Its like a winters day today and the ponies are racing in to the stables, I dont blame them.
The other piece of good news is that the rabbits seem to be ok with their new friend, we have lent an exercise run so that they can get to know each other on neutral territory but so far so good.
I think I will go and dry off too,my clothes are making me feel chilly, a nice hot cup of tea seems an appealing option right now.

Jess and George leave us and Misty arrives.

I dont know why it is but some days seem longer than others and today is such a day.It is 6pm and I feel as though I have been up and about for 24 hours!!
Well today the Uzzells from Yorkshire travelled up for the 2 collies in their oh so beautiful horsebox which we all coveted like mad.Jess and George were initially a little wary but soon rallied round and began to make a fuss of them. Tonight they will be sleeping with them in the horsebox and they will be leaving for home early tomorrow.Its a perfect home for dogs like these, lots of space(70 acres) and other dogs to play with.No more living outside and braving the elements for these lucky dogs.In the course of the conversation they mentioned (the people, not the dogs)that they have an old trailer not in use, well actually I was drooling over their horsebox and moaning that we had to hire a horse trailer to move any of our horses. They are going to check it over when they return home as it has been standing unused for several years but hopefully as it is a good Ifor Williams vehicle,it will still be roadworthy.Anyhow if it is, we will go up to collect it.Heres hoping that it is ok, we really do need a horse trailer for emergencies but even second hand ones are beyond our means right now.
A ginger and white cross collie called Misty(pictured here) will be taking their place. Misty has been living outside on a chain for some time and we received a call from a social worker to ask for our help.The owner had moved house and the dog was desperately in need of a home.She is overjoyed to be off the chain and with company but is rather exuberant as are most dogs when they first realise they can run freely without restriction.Unfortunately she is in season so I will not be able to have her spayed as quickly as I would like, nor does she seem to like cats so she may have to be moved to a foster home.We will see how she goes over the next few days.
We were visited this morning by little Minnie Yorkshire terrier, now called Tina and her people who caravan in this area and often pop up to see us.Sandra and her husband have Monty another of our rescued Yorkies and it is always a joy to see them looking so well and happy.We all love to see or animals in good homes and enjoy them visiting,its a real morale boost for us.
2 kittens have been homed today,and there are 4 being admitted tomorrow. Still no homes being offered to the adult cats but who know what tomorrow will bring?
The two rabbits have gone to a home today so providing they get on with their resident female rabbit they will not be returned.Rabbits are so unpredictable,its impossible to say whether they will be a good match until they actually meet and establish a viable pecking order! I am waiting for the news, will they stay or will they go?