Merlin

Please can you help if you live near Carcassonne?  The SPA there is bulging with lovely dogs of all sizes and breeds who need to get out of their cages for walks every now and then.  There is an English lady who volunteers there most days of the week who does what she can but desperately needs others to help her out and join her doing this.  If you live near and have a few spare hours a week to spend helping these beautiful dogs and could join this lady - maybe even form a dog walking group to help this very worthy cause - you would be doing something really really worthwhile.  There are fields just outside the refuge where they walk and play with the dogs and nothing more is asked of you.  Please, if you can do this, pm me and I can put you in touch with this lady.  Thank you.

I find it incredible that some on here would question Russethouse as to the difference between foxes and rats....????  Go look up rat infestations in urban areas or the country for that matter.  Believe me that should you be unlucky enough to suffer such a thing as a rat problem, then I guarantee you would embrace every fox you could clap eyes on!  Rats are a HUGE problem and furthermore a growing one that doesn't even come close to comparison with the urban fox population, on every front.  Their rate of reproduction is terrifying and their ability to resist poison and produce immune youngsters an ever growing situation.  It's not something people like to talk about for some strange reason, or publicise when a cornered rat bites, one pops up the S bend in the loo and bites your bum, urinates on your food in the cupboards or the garden where the children play............ and so much more!  But the foxes are taking the hit because of one that stepped out of line and now that makes them all villains!   Bet the rats are sniggering away in the dark corners eh!

I totally agree with Russethouse - people are so quick to blame the whole fox population and start shouting for culling to resolve the problem.  It's so wrong.  We humans have drawn foxes into our environment by leaving our waste all over the place and of course the animals will come for the easy pickings when they have cubs to feed and to exist during hard times.  We humans often love to see them in fact.  The incident with the twins was frightening but it means that a lesson has to be learned.  The media will hype this and the poor foxes will now be persecuted I fear, because one in their midst... ONE only, crossed the line probably more out of curiosity initially, than malicious intent - perhaps the babies started to scream and paniced the fox into action - we don't know!  Considering how many foxes they would have us believe there are in the community areas, it's actually very surprising that something of this nature has not perhaps happened before.  We have to learn to live alongside them in some parts of the country and behave accordingly as Russethouse said.

These are sold readily in large bags at local garden centres and Point Vert etc., as an organic mulch.   Be warned - they are dangerous to dogs and in some cases have proved fatal depending on how much was ingested!  The dogs are attracted to the stuff because it smells of chocolate.

Are there any experienced petsitters (with references please) in the Aveyron region - or who would be prepared to travel to here for a long sit in the Spring?  Two dogs, lovely house in country village area 20km from Rodez.  Would love to hear from you - thanks.