Jump to content
Inappropriate posts

Rowan

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    354

  • Joined

  • Last visited

    Never

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Rowan

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Well, the SPA sent the papers off in February, so I think it is just a question of waiting. It can take ages, I know. It did with my two.

    Yes, we have treated the concrete kennels, but I don't think the treatment is too effective, as the employees have to hose the kennels out twice a day, and I guess that washes the product off. We try treating the grass parks too, but it is not very effective either.One solution is never to put the dogs out, but they love running round off the lead, so it seems a bit unfair.

    What we are doing now is Frontlining each dog as it goes back to its kennel after either a walk or some time in the park. Gradually we will get to them all, but we have LOTS of dogs, needless to say.

    And I HATE finding ticks on myself, which I do almost every evening. Sometimes they are even "dug in" as it were. I am thinking of getting a scalibor collar for myself!!!

    I got very fond of Pip while he was there, as Merlin knows. I am so happy he is with her being loved.

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    To be honest, it was hard to know what to do while he was still with us at the refuge. After the bath we did as much de-tangling and de-ticking as we could and I am so sorry Merlin still had so many to deal with. We did Frontline him, so some of them may have left of their own accord. I have to reiterate that he was bathed because we thought it would make him more comfortable (his tail was matted to his body so he was unable to move it) and it wasn't done just cos he was due to leave, cos at the time we didn't know. We are trying to treat as many dogs with Frontline as we can, as the place is overrun. Lots of the cost of this falls to us volunteers, as the SPA is veery short of funds.

    Ultimately tho you have to decide if continuing to cut fur off a dog who is getting distressed is the way to go. I went for the option of treating him with Frontline and hoping he would feel better with half a haircut than he had done before any of it was done.

    Ref the papers for Geisha, Christine, they will come from the Central Canine in Paris. The SPA cannot hurry this process up. If Geisha becomes lost, the Central Canine will contact the SPA who will contact you, so that will close the loop before Paris completes its work.

    Glad she is fine.

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Christine

    To answer your question, even before we knew that lovely Merlin was taking Pip, we (the volunteers) gave him a bath with a special soothing shampoo and cut off as much fur from him as we could. When I picked him up the first time, I thought he was covered with tumours, but in fact it was matted fur, which I, along with a couple of volunteers, carefully removed (or as much as we could without causing him distress)

    I had Pip out of his cage and in my arms almost every day while I was at the refuge, and the other volunteers did what they could to make him comfortable, too.

    The people at the refuge are not uncaring. They are just massively busy and sometimes a bit overwhelmed. And as you know, the reason Geisha was left alone was that she had an owner who was expected to come back for her but never did. We DID learn from that and we do our best to make the all the dogs as happy as we can, regardless of age or prospects for rehoming.

    Urgent. English Setter SPA Carcassonne---Another One!

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hello everyone It seems that English setters are a bit like buses... As many of you know, Alex dit Athos is now in the gentle hands of Merlin. Yippee. However last week another English setter was brought in to the SPA. His owner has been hospitallised and at 10 and a half years old, Rhum is now homeless. Rhum has all his jabs, is already tatooed and appears to be in good health, tho at his age he is no spring chicken. He is already suffering greatly at the refuge. It took a volunteer 15 minutes to coax him out of his kennel on Tuesday and yesterday he did not want to know at all. He is sinking into depression, as do many dogs of good breeding who find themselves homeless after so long with a family. Rhum needs only gentle exercise. He sits quite happily by my side without a lead on, but loves to be stroked. Fine with other dogs of both sexes and cats, Rhum still enjoys his food (at least he wolfed down the cheese I fed him). With the refuge gradually filling up again, soon there will be no space for this lovely boy and it would be wonderful if someone were able to offer him a warm place to spend what time he has left. Please, if you can help, contact me via my site www.dogrescuecarcassonne.co.uk Many thanks. I hope the pictures come out okay. It is a bit hit and miss for me! Rowan

     [IMG]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/rowan1965/Rhum3.jpg[/IMG]

    [IMG]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/rowan1965/Rhum2.jpg[/IMG]

    [IMG]http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/rowan1965/Rhum1.jpg[/IMG]

    Meeting place in Agen

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Sorry for this rather off-track post, but it is dog-rescue related....honest!

    I am meeting someone to hand over a dog from the SPA on Friday and Agen appears to be the halfway-ish point. I will be coming from direction Toulouse and the new owners from direction Bordeaux.

    Does anyone know the Agen area well enough to suggest a meeting point? Ideally not a motorway services, cos they are loud and scary. I was thinking more of a trading zone, the sort of place where we may find a Decathlon or a Gamm Vert etc, where it wouldn't be too horrid for the dog to stretch her legs and for me to wait with her till her new owners arrive. And close to the Autoroute, too!

    Many thanks!

    Rowan

    Pedigree English Setter SPA Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Okay, here is the latest on Alex.

    Together with another volunteer I took him to a magnetiseuse last Thursday, and one of the man comments she made was on how Alex has an incredible desire to live. After seeing her, he seems to have improved even further and on Saturday he actually jumped up to greet me when I went into the park to see him

    Right we thought, if he is refusing to give up, SO ARE WE!!!

    Two nights ago we launched an appeal on the SPA Carcassonne Facebook page for a home for Alex, with the promise that if a home could be found, a second appeal would be launched for funds to help with his care. At the same time, Merlin launched an appeal on her site, Doglinks (www.doglinks.wordpress.com).

    The upshot is that as soon as transport can be arranged, Alex is going up to Merlin's magical kingdom, and all being well, a few weeks later will be cared for by a friend of Merlin's, who is a dog therapist.

    YIPPEEE!

    Please bear in mind that Alex is a very sick boy, and no miracles are expected. However he will be in the best of hands and being out of the refuge will give him even more reason to live.

    Also be aware that, although Merlin is doing this out of the kindness of her heart, I am sure she would be grateful for any financial help that can be given. Her site has a donate button on the right hand side, and Merlin will keep everyone in touch with Alex's progress. The SPA Carcassonne appeal will run simultaneously via Facebook.

    Thanks to everyone for their continued interest in this wonderful dog and thanks most of all to Merlin for starting him on the next phase of his life.

    Thanks in advance for your donations.

    Rowan

    New Dog Rescue Website- Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hi Russett house

    I agree ref the categories, and the site is far from perfect...Really there are 4 sizes of dog, as some are VERY big (or maybe some are VERY small) ..I just thought I would make it as easy as possible for people to look for a dog...Some griffons are bigger than others, I know. Equally, if you open the page for large dogs and the first one is a great Dane, maybe you won't go any further...I don't know...All the dogs are on 3 different pages, they are male or female AND s, m or l AND old or young...I am just hoping they will attract people's eye. It is still a work in progress, really. But I was impatient to get on line and get some dogs homed!

    New Dog Rescue Website- Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hi All With the help and patience of two lovely friends, I have been busy setting up a new English language website for the Carcassonne SPA. I would be very grateful if you could tell anyone and everyone you know about this website, especially those in the Carcassonne area. Also if any of you are members of other forums or groups, it would be great if they could publish the details too. www.dogrescuecarcassonne.co.uk Many many thanks. Rowan

    Pedigree English Setter SPA Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    The latest is not good. Alex has leischmaniosis. This is so upsetting, as it is irreversible. Apparently the best that can be done (with drugs) is keep it at bay, but Alex is clearly quite far gone, with very little kidney function.

    So distressing, as he has such a lust for life...He is spending his days out in the park in the sunshine and his nights in the cat house, where it is warm, and he is obviously feeling much better...He barks happily when he sees me and the other volunteers, as he knows he is about to get a cuddle.

    I do not know what can be done for him now. Anyone any experience of this? I know it is a matter of time before the suffering means he has to be put down. Part of me would like him to go out happy, tho. Until the mosquito season starts there is no risk to other animals, so the SPA can keep him, but in a way what is the point?

    I really don't know what to say or do. Sorry the news isn't better.

    Rowan

    Pedigree English Setter SPA Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hi everyone

    To keep you all up to speed. We nearly lost Alex last week. He had some kind of convulsion in his cage and another volunteer and I rushed him to the vet, where he stayed overnight on a drip. It was awful. I kissed his head and told him not to give up, but I honestly never thought I would see him again.

    However he has an incredible desire to live. All kinds of tests have been taken and we are awaiting results. At the moment he has no kidney function, but that may be due to anorexia and may be recoverable. He is being kept warm and is in the cat house at night...However this morning when I popped in, he was in the park, wagging his tail at me! This boy wants to live!

    We don't feel we can get him out till we know what the prognosis is. We just cannot let him be adopted without people knowing what they are letting themselves in for; it is just not fair. Looking after a sick dog that you have had for years is one thing, but taking on a sick dog is a different kettle of fish.

    I am praying that it will be good news, tho, and that we can get Alex out of there and to someone who will love him and care for him, even if it is not for very long. The expense (as yet unknown) may be the deciding factor.

    Thanks for your interest, I am cheering loud and hard for this boy, he is a fighter (in the NICE way).

    Rowan

    Pedigree English Setter SPA Carcassonne

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hi everyone

    We have found an association willing to get him out and we now have someone to look after Alex while he is recovering. He still needs a permanent home, but at least we have bought him some time.

    Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and helpful comments. And if anyone thinks they could offer Alex a forever home, please contact me. He will be in much better shape than he is now, we hope!

    Thanks again

    Rowan
×
×
  • Create New...