Merlin

Had someone mail me off AngloInfo this morning so I've got my fingers crossed - he sounds like such a nice dog and yes, we need to keep him out of Carcassonne so I'm working hard on it!

Hey silly - of course I'll help!  Send me the details and I'll post them around for you, you know I will.  You can't put photos on AngloInfo but you can tell them you've got some and also put links to photobucket I think so it can be done.  There is also another forum on Survive France that has a nice chap how is setting up a spot on his own website for the Midi-Pyrenees that has an animal adoption section and figures quite high up the list on Google........ so I'm going to investigate as he's keen to get me stick as many dogs on there as I want.  I already put the two Rotties. 

I forgot to mention, Sampson is near Limoux but his owner would be prepared to travel with him for the right home.

Sampson is a very well behaved three year old labrador type. He's tattooed, vaccinated and his owner is happy to pay for him to be neutered.  His owner is needing to return to London in three weeks for some serious hospital treatment and for an indeterminate stay.  Sampson has been looked after by various people in recent weeks but his owner now knows the score regarding his health and realises that Sampson is going to need a new and caring home with people who people who will love him and make him part of the family which he richly deserves.  He's excellent with all other dogs and farm animals - he's scared of cats and birds!  He was a rescue pup from Carcassonne I believe and has proved to be very easy to train as he now comes immediately when off the lead in response to a whistle or call, waits for the command to eat his food and is without fault in the house and car - indeed a lovely all rounder.  He loves lots of affection and is super good with children.  He doesn't have much time as his owner has to be in London by the end of the month.  Can anyone help him please?  this is the first time I've managed to download pictures without swearing!  Let's hope it's a good omen for Sampson! [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/002.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/001.jpg[/IMG]

I must speak out here at the risk of being 'told off' again myself and have only just started to come back to the forum.  Rowan has managed to do some incredible work over the past months for a lot of dogs - and I know you all realise this probably, though you can't know it all.  This work she does often comes at great personal cost to her emmotionally and quite recently she lost a dog that was very very dear to her and whom she had finally managed to find a home for only hours away from his death!  She was shattered.  She continues to battle with her feelings and gives her all for the dogs at Carcassonne.  Yes she gets frustrated and angry and if she lets rip on here I for one understand and can associate with her urge to give vent ........ and have done it's true.  I don't think it gives rescue people a bad name on here, especially if you are a follower of regular forum contributors and I guess we all kind of feel we 'know' eachother enough to 'explode' now and then and express our anger among friends, as if we were sharing a cup of coffee together!  Am I wrong?  Some of us are more 'tested' by what we see and find it harder to contain our disgust at our fellow man than others - it's not so much judging as despair and rage at what goes on.  Rowan has never ever been rude to anyone on here, no more would she be and her dearest, greatest wish would be to be able to just grab a dog she knew was in imminent danger and sort something out later.......... but she can't - it's not an option available to her.  Therefore, you can understand her frustration when she sees a desperate dog and has to frantically search for someone to help it through her, which is what she does........ but of course it's not always within the time frame available and she knows she is constantly working against the tide.  For this she has my admiration because she goes back again and again and brings what comfort she can to these poor souls, day after day, whether it be to walk them, groom them or just cuddle them and bring them to the attention of the staff if there is something that can be done to help a particular sick one.  She is very much respected at the Spa and they understand her grief and her courage and love her for it!  Rowan would never tell you any of this, but I will.  There are many many lovely kind people on here who do amazing rescue work - that's the reason I am back despite saying I wouldn't be.  It's a great forum and we all need to stick together for the animals - I nearly gave this site up and I sure as blazes don't want Rowan to....

This is a lovely story!  Rowan, bless her, ran the gauntlet for this dog in more ways than one and Sue also - complicated story but they knew they had to get her out and Rowan bit the bullet with a 'hang the consequences' determination.  It's so good to hear her happy ending amidst so many not so happy ones this year - it's been such a shocking few months I think we all know.  I have just taken in my number 8 rescue......... from Phoenix and he will actually be moving to his proper home next February/March but has had a rough time and is appreciating his reprieve from death row and some much needed TLC.  He's a little old Dachsund who got Parvo virus and then when he wasn't recovering as well as he should we discovered he had a huge tape worm burden that Drontal Plus had just not conquered.  We sorted it with Diatomaceous Earth.......... if any of you would like more information on how to use this amazing, safe, organic product for your cats and dogs, let me know.  The little fella is now coming on in leaps and bounds!

Jouals..... what about your lovely Dalko?  He's not a Dane or a Mastif pure but there's some in there I feel as he's so large and docile to boot and just looks so sad.

Lisa - there is someone on AngloInfo (Midi Pyrenees) looking to give a home to a 'big dog' and would also be prepared to foster a couple of small ones.  I have emailed them to ask for more details of what they mean by a big dog and will see if Belle might fit the bill.  They also asked for the Cahors Spa Refuge website (don't think there is one) so I sent them the link off here from a little further back that showed pictures of some of the lovely dogs there.   Been a couple of days and not heard anything so mustn't get our hopes up I guess but you never know. A photo of Belle, when you have a mo, would be good.

Yes, I assume she is a paid employee.  Some of the dogs in the 'back' would be too old to be tattooed I fear but it could be a way.  I have all my rescues immediately tagged with identity discs on their collars as the paperwork to change the chip address can take several weeks or more - the first few days/weeks of the settling in period is the crucial time that if they do happen to get out they don't know how to get back and can get lost again!  So yes that would be a mandate shen adopting in my view - but then if I ever had the money to run an adoption agency for dogs........ I'd keep them all of course!

All my dogs hate the smell of Palmarosa oil which I put on their collars to repel ticks - it's harmless but they all roll around like idiots when I first put it on and I would be very surprised if your puppy would like the smell or taste of that - only trouble is Max might not like it either.......!!!  Tea Tree oil is another one I use which is quite pungent, an antiseptic and skin soother.  All can be got on-line from Aroma-Zone here in France.

Indeed....... this is what we are trying to do, but I don't know of anyone, hence I put out a post on here some while back, but got no response from anyone in the Lot!  It would present a small problem in that if the dog were passed on out of the Lot and got lost etc., the microchip would still place the animal back at Figeac Refuge.......  I still think it's worth a go, as do others, but as yet we have no one who has come forward for him or any of the others.  There are some pretty sad cases out at the back there!

I don't know - here is the last comment I got from Sue about her the other day.  "Believe me there have been many attempts to get Michelle out of Figeac - English Nicci was the deputy there and contacted all the authorities and even called an extraordinary general meeting but somehow the cow is still there" And this is the message sent to Sue from one of the helpers regarding the Spanish incident - you will see that people have tried unsuccessfully to dislodge this woman and others have given up! " Sue, Je sais que c'est parfaitement ridicule. Michèle a fait adopter des chiens qui sont partis ensuite à l'étranger, elle l'a su mais elle ne dit rien parce qu'elle fait ce qu'elle veut, elle seule décide ce qui est bien et ce qui est mal !!! Elle a fait adopter un gros chien à des jeune marginaux qui vivaient à Figeac, mais comme c'était Figeac, pas de problème. Le problème c'est qu'ils sont partis en Espagne et qu'ils ont perdu le chien à Barcelone. Et comme elle ne parle pas Anglais ni Espagnol, c'est moi qui a été obligée de régler le problème pour que le chien ne soit pas euthanasié en Espagne. Sue, il n'y a rien à dire, rien à faire, juste essayer de faire adopter le plus de chiens possible et surtout, NE PAS TOUT LUI DIRE !!!

The sad thing about this poor chap and numerous others there is that the woman in charge of the refuge is incredibly difficult.  She has chased away numerous volunteers after making their lives very miserable.  I have regular contact with one of them who has told me a lot about the place and the reasons why so many of the helpers no longer go there which is hugely sad for the dogs.  Sue at Poorpaws can't even be mentioned!  This woman has a screw loose basically and there have been attempts to get rid of her, but all to no avail.  She has a dreadful policy of putting what she considers the 'no hopers' (this little chap amonst them!) in pens out of sight and dozens of them finish up in a large pen all together with the result being that they fight amongst themsleves and for food - the fittest survive and others suffer terribly.  I can't understand it and how it is allowed to go on, but Sue at Poorpaws tells me that for some reason no one can shift her.  She only allows people who are resident in the Lot to adopt despite many coming forward from other departments ( and were refused a dog) and further, she never allows the adopted dogs to be chipped in the new owners' names - they all remain with the address of the refuge.........  It's completely daft as the other week a dog who had been adopted was lost in Spain (had been adopted by some idiot hobo types just because they had an address in the Lot!) and one of the outside helpers had her work cut out to stop the Spanish authorities putting the dog down and then getting it back!  Poor Diouk is one of many who are 'lost' to the refuge and never stand a chance of being homed.  I have put out lots of pleading posts to people in the Lot to come and help out......... but not had much luck!  It's a very unhappy situation and Sue is particularly worried about this little guy as he's losing his grip and giving up.

Also, what is she like with cats and hens?

How long exactly before you leave her please.

Beau Gus - for sure everything you say about this breed can more than be applied to these two, Gaton and Gabrielle, thank you for your postive comments for anyone who might be interested.  I can vouch wholeheartedley for their obedience and characters as I chat to their minder regularly to keep abreast with various options we're working hard to think of.  She is breaking her heart at having to leave them this week but is going to continue to search for help.  I was approached by another potential pet sitter who might be able to take over in September but I'm not entirely sure the owners will approve unless we can check references before allowing someone they don't know on to their property.  We have had some interest from a family but they have other dogs and we're not sure how it will work but they are willing to go and see the dogs...... but, it would be a long journey half way across France and the husband is working abroad at the moment.  So nothing positive in the pipeline as yet for these superb dogs.  But we bash on regardless.  Thanks Beau Gus

These two beautiful dogs are now running out of time and their future is becoming uncertain.  Their 'minder' / English pet sitter is having to move on to another job.  She has managed to organise for her brother-in-law to come over from England to sit till early September, but after that ................ we just don't know.  I hear you all say well what is the owner doing about it?  Good question.  She is ill in the UK and her family are not prepared to let her return and seem to have little affection for the dogs - hence they are likely not to give them too much thought!!  The pet sitter took them to the vet to have their 'comportment test' and here is what the sitter wrote to me..:- <<For all of you who are helping to find this gorgeous pair a new home ... Gaston and Gabrielle went for their 'comportment test' yesterday which is now the law in France.  It's a lengthy procedure (over 2 hrs) and they are tested for social skills, signs of aggression, obedience and just general comportment/reactions to stimuli.  They passed on everything with flying colours - each stage having earned grade 1 out of 4 each time.  As with all these things, you just never know - strange surroundings, strange smells of the vet clinic, a guy they don't know at all prodding them and pushing them around - but they behaved how they always do. So basically - as the vet said - they show no signs of aggression at all (as Gaston was licking his face!), are very sociable and well balanced animals and even responded to his commands in French - although were better in English !  In fact as we were leaving, I went to put the muzzles on them, and the vet laughed and said 'stupid law' !  But as he then added, but if they did want to bite, they would do more damage than a yorkshire terrier! We will be sent the certificate / documentation within the next week.  The second and final stage is an owner handling day which is in October.  I'm SO proud of them.>> I have pictures if anyone can think of a way of helping these to two lovely dogs.  Thanks.

Final update on Stig - from Sue at Poorpaws, Stig has now gone to his forever home and is being a very good boy and is loved by one and all - Sue was actually sorry to see him go!!  He really is a very special dog and I am thrilled to hear from Sue and the new owner that he's getting the love he deserves and returns in spades!

I'm watching over all you lovely people and trying to come up with some new spells for some lovely dogs...........xxxx

Are you laying this one at my door by any chance?  I worked hard to find this dog another home and kept her from taking him to the vets for as long as I could and contacted several people who were looking to adopt at the time, but he was a nightmare to keep in and hard to place.  The owner went to Saintes when I kept drawing blanks and was frankly appalled and came back in tears and was at her wits end.  Her neighbours were up in arms against her because of the dog and the Gendarmes had warned her about him chasing round the village.  At the end of the day she didn't have the money to build higher fences and she hated keeping him on a rope.  I did all I could.  Now your second point.  The other people who were going to abandon (there IS no other word for it) their pets at Carcassonne at a time when the situation there was truly at crisis point (Rowan was fuming with them!!) and their dogs coming in simply meant that two dogs already at the refuge would have been put on the list to be put down immediately to make room......... why can you not see this???  I do not see why we should support (as you put it) British people who deliberately (no other word for it) leave their dogs behind when they go back.  Nobody makes a move back to the UK at the drop of a hat and if they organise the transport and expense of taking furniture back, but leave their animals then why should I support that?  Tell me why I should help alleviate their consciences Christine?  For the sake of the dogs yes?  But when should the buck be passed to other to find a solution when there are desperate dogs also in need and get pushed to the back of the queue?  You know as well as anyone that we can't save them all so what determines URGENT in your book that I should have mentioned - they are ALL urgent.  I've heard all sort of sob stories about why people can't take their dogs with them - most of them hogwash (with a very few really tragic exceptions).  It's too damn easy to off load them and walk away and close minds to it and anyone who could even contemplate leaving their so called beloved pets at a place like Carcassonne (I know it well) beggars belief.  I'm very glad they found homes for their pets - good for them and hopefully good for the dogs.......... but it's still confusing and sad for the dogs, still despicable of the owners in my view and one can only hope the homes match up or perhaps one can hope that the homes turn out to be better in fact than the ones that they were left behind from!  If you could have done better for the dog on this thread then why didn't you?  If you want to continue to have a go at me - pm me as I'm about to ditch this forum because clearly I'm not the right person to be trying to help here.  But before I go let me say that I have successfully homed seven dogs through this and other forums in the past five months, another one looking positive in the pipeline at the moment, personally rescued three from Carcassonne and another one coming from Phoenix tomorrow.  I should be above getting upset by you I know but.....  I will continue to work for the dogs in a multitude of ways but not on here any more.  I have met some lovely people on here, brave people that I have had the pleasure to share messages and 'phone calls with.  Thank you all for that and I wish the forum well.

Well yes - but he was going to end up in Sainte's huge dog pound and possibly then have a string of unhappy homes as he was impossible to contain.  I have had some very unhappy stories told to me in the past couple of weeks and frankly it has depressed me no end - another one that I originally posted on here that had found a good home that didn't work out and he's gone back to the refuge and is going to be put down next week because he bit the adoptive lady.......  it makes me so sad, but what can you do.

These people are now in touch with some folks who sound like they would give her a super home - so fingers crossed!

This dog was put down!

This poor lass is still looking for a good home!  She has been carted around a couple of people who sounded ok but turned out to be FAR from OK!  It's such a crying shame!

I am pleased to say that I have just been told that these two have now found a safe haven with two families who are going to leave the puppy with mum for a while longer.