THE PET SAMARITANS

HELP!   My blog set up has gone crazy!   Suddenly I have no facility to edit my entry - the edit tab is taking me straight to a first page set up - with only add entry and no edit facility.

And how do I report this to aol?   Can't find anywhere on the blog pages.

Advice would be much appreciated.

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 After several months of huddling by radiators and fighting over the heated pads, the cats have suddenly begun venturing out and enjoying the winter sunshine.   This middle aged lady is called Bing.   Yes, I know it's a strange name - and she has a sister called Grondel - they were named because we happened to aquire a beautiful Bing and Grondel china tiger the week they came into the sanctuary.   Bing and Grondel is a famous Copenhagen porcelain factory and their models of animals are superb.   I think that this is the old name for the models and they are now called Royal Copenhagen which is a bit more well known.

Anyway, our Bing and Grondel came into the sanctuary because they were orphan kittens and right from the start they were a bit different from other cats.   They are not clingy at all and are the most laid back and independent cats I've ever come across.   Bing is slightly more adventurous than Grondel - it's hard to tell them apart by the way - and she likes to go off hunting and not come back for days at a time.   Grondel likes to come in at night and although both of them will sit on my knee and purr - I know that if there wasn't any human companionship they wouldn't miss it.   

These two calico ladies do not meow, they don't fuss to come in, or go out for that matter.   They are polite, indifferent to all the other cat cliques and won't join in any of the feline feuds and fancies that everyone else indulges in.   They are cats that tread their own path and I am minded to think that they are 'old souls', very wise and calm and thinking deep thoughts.   Or is it just where the next mouse is coming from?

It's been as busy as ever in sanctuary dog land - fortunately an absolutely huge dog that came in as a stray today was claimed.   But another that came in later on won't be.   Why am I so sure?   Because she is a staffi female and is full of milk and distraught and looking for her puppies.   This is happening more and more and is very stressful for the dogs and for us too.

We have some great dogs in the sanctuary though - one of the new ones is a tiny little chap, full of fire and thinks he's a Great Dane (he's the size of a Pomeranian!).  I've called him Inkspot because he's jet black - and just like a little imp - barking and growling and then fussing round when he's given you the o.k.   

The Death Row dogs are still here, their fate hangs in the balance - not up to us - and I am hoping they can be saved and we can try to rehome them.  They are such handsome dogs but they would never be safe with other animals  -  a chicken for breakfast, a goat for lunch, a sheep for supper.   Would their be a home for them in a careful environment.  If they were split up and never allowed to roam or run off?   I think so but it's not up to me.

Poor Sigmund is still with us and Sundance and Roxy who is a real sweetie and another long term resident.  I wish I could find them good homes.   Maybe tomorrow.......

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 It must be terrible to lose a dog and not know what's happened to him or her.   Do owners know how the system works and how to find their dog?   Some dogs go to the police, others are picked up by the dog wardens, some are brought in by members of the public.   Often they are a long way from home so a lost dog enquiry won't necessarily find them.    During weekdays, normal working hours, all reported stray dogs are fetched in by the local borough council dog wardens.  They're caught and transported to a designated kennels (us in this area).  They're photographed, checked for microchips and then booked in.  The council has the responsibility for the dog for the next 10 days.  During that time, if the owner turns up, he or she can pay a fee to the council and get a Dog Release Form - when we see that, we give the dog to the person producing it.  The council have satisfied themselves that this is the proper owner of the dog.  After 10 days, if no one has claimed the dog, it's handed over to us.   If the council wanted to have the dog destroyed, (because they thought it was dangerous) they could do and we couldn't do anything about it.   After the 10th day it's up to us though and we have a non-destruction policy and our focus is 100% on happy endings!

Some of the dogs are a bit screwed up by everything that's happened to them and we have a very laid back R and R programme - recovery and rehabilitation.  It usually works.  Although it does take a time - we have a little staffi here who is only just o.k. with people she doesn't know - it's taken eight years though!

By the way, Sigmund is still here.   One of our volunteers took him for a long walk at the weekend and he loved it.   But all the people looking for dogs to adopt passed him by - why?  I haven't a clue.  He's not overly big.  I love the stripes.  And his expression and his good nature.   I do hope someone comes for him soon.

And the 'wild' dogs?    They've settled down a lot - super with us and the blue husky eyes are fathomless - it's call of the wild stuff and I wish they could be taken to somewhere remote and turned loose in a forest.   These two would survive and go to live with the wolves maybe.   Or they could be trained as sled dogs and work in a team - I bet they'd love that.   O.k.  I'm just dreaming.   What is going to happen to them?  I don't know.  They are still classed as dangerous dogs by the authorities and their fate is in the balance.

We've had a super young dog brought in this weekend, she's a massive girl, jet black and a bit like a huge wolfhound.   She's stressed though - full of milk and obviously just had puppies.  Where are my babies?  She paces up and down and wants to get out and run back to ..... where?    Wherever her puppies are.   I guess they're long gone though.

Please come along and have a look through our dog adoption gallery - www.petsamaritans.co.uk

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What a day!   Five dogs brought in yesterday - two of them had DANGEROUS DOGS scrawled on the top of their forms.   Aggressive?   No, well, one of them was a bit feisty but these guys had been running wild and had gone off in a killing spree - sheep, goats, chickens, you name it - anything that moved by the sound of it.   When they were caught they were eating a sheep.   They'd gone back to the wild - I don't need mush in cans, I can catch my dinner and get it while it's fresh.   Totally unacceptable behaviour nowadays and ghastly for the poor animals they killed - and their owners of course.   So why had this terrible twosome gone to the bad?   They must have been hungry, so is that what sparked them off?   Or did a wild chase and run around get totally out of hand?    I'll let you know when I find out more.

The other three dogs were strays and thankfully two of them were reclaimed today by their owners - such a relief.    Quite a few folk looking at dogs with a view to adoption but no one

 interested in Sigmund.  You can see what I mean about him being such a handsome chap - he's not only very intelligent but sensitive too.   I guess you can tell he's one of my favourites.   So sad that everyone passes him by and wants to see puppies or labradors or whatever.   Maybe tomorrow the right people will come along for him.

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As usual it's been busy, busy, busy.   Where do all the dogs come from?   We've had four puppies brought in this week - as well as all the other waifs and strays.  It seems especially heartless to throw a pup out when the weather is so cold doesn't it.   One is a staffi, pure bred by the look of her, another a brindle x bred - very sweet, and a beautiful cream Andrex puppy, so cuddly and the last is ........ a very tiny ??? don't know exactly what breed as yet - she's the real baby of the bunch.   Lots more dogs brought in - a smart terrier I've called Flashman - he's just desperate for a new home....

See what I mean?   How does he stay so clean - that's a puzzle - it's muddy in the fields, but this little chap must skip through the puddles.  We've had another emaciated German Shepherd brought in - why does this happen to this breed more than any other?   Yesterday we had a smart little Jack Russell brought in by the dog wardens - and before that another staffi....... so many hungry mouths to feed - I'm so grateful to the people who bring food in - we couldn't do any of this without their help. 

The three legged Yorkie went home to his owners in the end.   He'd got in such a state while he was lost and they'd been looking all over for him.  This is a pic of him when he first came in - they were very pleased to get him back again.

And the dog that was on Death Row because he'd bitten someone was eventually given a reprieve and went back to his family.   Every dog has one bite and in the end the authorities agreed.   It was very suspenseful here because he'd settled down and we'd become fond of him and his owners kept ringing up and sounding distraught because they wanted him back.  We were told they had promised to muzzle him when they walked him in the future - just in case.

Hope it's fine tomorrow - we've had dogs that have been in for ages - and they're all lovely characters - so hoping that people will come to see them.   Sigmund has been here for a long time and he's a smashing chap, very stripey, quite big and a lovely goofy nature.  His size puts people off I think.   So many people want a small dog - Sigmund has a bit of greyhound in him so the legs are long - I love him to bits and want him to get a super home.  Hope it will be soon.

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The weekend's rescue was a tiny Yorkie.  Tangled, matted, filthy.   Couldn't see his face for hair, his coat a mess of knots.   Very thin, his backbone sticking out - and when I checked him over - there was a leg missing.   It made me shiver to start with - but then I realised it was an old injury, the leg had been surgically removed and the scar was healed.  Poor little chap though - he's in a real state.   After he'd had a meal (he wolfed it down) and a drink,  we cut his fringe - so at least he can see now.  Is someone looking for a Yorkie who's been out on the lam for a long time?    He hasn't got in this state in a couple of days.   Or has he been dumped?  He's a sweetie so don't know how anyone could do that.

The dog attack fella is settling down with us but very feisty with other dogs. He's a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character - friendly with us - and over the top snarls and bared teeth if another dog comes near.   Wonder if that's what happened and someone got in the way?  

Loads of smashing dogs for adoption on our website - and cats too.

www.petsamaritans.co.uk

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That's what the vet calls himself when he has to put a dog to sleep.  He hates doing it as much as anyone could but we had a dog brought in a week ago that was very aggressive and had been classified a dangerous dog so it wasn't up to us.   No matter how much we wanted to try to rehabilitate him, it wasn't to be.  This wasn't the dog that had bitten someone but another - a staffixpit bull type - and completely off his head - I hate humans.  I don't know what had happened to him to make him like this but he couldn't be bribed or cajoled or settle in any way - leave him alone was o.k. - go near him and it was a war zone.  We did it the best we could, a chicken dinner, sedation and he just went to sleep without knowing anything about it.   Miserable.  Depressing.  Having to deal with the trouble that other people have left behind.

Dogs can make such a mess of us flimsy humans if they really have a go - just thinking about the poor lady who lost her arm the other week.  It's not that we can't cope with aggressive dogs ourselves -  it's mostly the way you handle them - but the problem is that some dogs get used to only one handler and are still as dangerous with anyone new. It's not fair to let anyone else near them and this isn't a very social life/   So it's very difficult although my experience is that they do settle given enough time - it's usually about a year before they are reasonable and good tempered again.  Some are always aggressive with strangers. 

And what about this little bite first and think later young lady?   Our lovely Nolene looks sweet doesn't she - but like lots of little terriers she is always ready to have a nip.   We don't hold that against her though - it's because she's small and feisty and wants to give you a warning - 'hey, just watch what you're doing!'  Our little Nolene only lets me put her coat on or pick her up - anyone else would lose a finger.  She wouldn't go up to anyone and bite them, so if you leave her alone, she's o.k.   It's all to do with trust.

Thisisn't the same as downright aggression that some dogs have bred in them - pit bulls for example.  We see quite a lot of dogs that look as though they have pit bull in them.  It's not their fault.  It's what humans have done to them - encouraging them to fight and be fierce and keeping them in intolerable conditions.   We see the end of it though and it's horrible.

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Well, I'm still here - the dog wasn't so bad.  He's not a youngster, a bit grizzled so he must have got through life behaving himself so far.  I wonder what went wrong?   He's medium size and pretty chunky and really fed up, growling and wagging his tail at the same time.  He hasn't a clue why he's been dragged away from home and put in lock up.  

But we couldn't take any chances with him after what he's done - a bad bite to the face - so we sedated him before attempting to put the lead on.   After half an hour he was woozy and no problem to get out and into the van - he let us lift him and so far hasn't made any attempt to be aggressive.

What will he be like when the sedatives wear off?   Dogs like people can be very unpredictable so we'll be cautious with him.  We don't as yet know the circumstances of the attack - perhaps be able to understand him a bit better when we do.   Dogs bite for so many reasons - feeling threatened, protecting their owner or just not understanding human behaviour and being a bit bolshie.  They're pack animals after all and used to fighting for their place in the pack.   We expect them to behave like clockwork pets.

Even though this chap may be a good dog who's only ever done one bad thing - I doubt if this will have a happy outcome.   Once a dog is classed as dangerous it's not up to us. 

I wish I had five hundred acres of land and could have a real 'dog sanctuary' - let the dogs out to be wild again - wouldn't that be a great life for the dogs - no leads, no controls, no restrictions - just be dogs again.

P.S. We've lots of lovely friendly dogs - both large and small - in the sanctuary - so if you know anyone who is wanting a new companion please check out our adoption pages.

www.petsamaritans.co.uk

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Happy New Year and sorry it's a day or two late but...... you can guess what I've been doing and that life, once again, has gone in a blur of dogs.   Our volunteers are great but they have their lives to live and like to celebrate so it puts more pressure on the rest of us.  We have had some happy endings, thanks folks to everyone who's adopted one of our lovely sanctuary 'soulmates'.   It's a time consuming process though - which dog?   Fetching other members of the family back to help decide, bringing their own dog to see if they're going to get on, vet checks and home checks - it's not a quick process.

It's been great to see some of our old pals who've come back to see us over the holidays - Fritz (a rescued husky) you lucky old thing - opening all those prezzies!   And Kendal (a stray Patterdale) - you look rounded and fluffy and wonderful - and I like your new name - from a Kendal mint cake to a Jaffa cake - and Jaffa suits you.

But what about the poor things that we've rescued.  Yesterday it was a rottwieler - yes, I know they have had such bad publicity recently but there are lots of really nice and well behaved rottis out there - and this guy is one of them.  We're having him put to sleep next week though.   Yes, it's very sad, but he is in appalling condition - emaciated and with a huge tumour - very painful.  So how did he get to be a stray in this state?   We've got him on painkillers and are feeding him up, he's licking our hands and smiling at us.  But he won't get better and putting him out of his suffering is the kindest thing.   We'd do it right away if we could but have to wait seven days first - it's a legal thing and not up to us and never mind the dog.

We're just about to go to pick up a dog who's savaged someone very badly.   We don't know all the circumstances except that the injuries are bad and this is a big chap and still in his hot blood and growling at everyone.   He's behind bars in the dog pound..... what are the cirumstances.... we don't know.    Hopefully, he'll trust us and be glad to get out of there.   Or he'll be too angry and upset to trust anyone.  Or he might have a brain tumour and be off his head.    Or he might just be one bolshie individual .... or he might just have had such a bad life he hates all humans.  I'm guessing he'll be hungry so I've got some chopped chicken, a bit of bacon, a real nice doggy dinner and I'm just setting off..... watch this space.

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