Merlin

Anyone able to help this lovely little fellow out of his hidden prison....... please?

I wasn't completely wrong then when I heard they were staying - good that they have decided not to uproot Renee though, which I think is kinder and good news for the cats who did look very sweet.  Thanks Dexter for keeping us up to date.

Ahhhh, that's better - thank you Russethouse!

Ok I am going to cut and paste that so I can refer to it - thank you.  In the meantime can I ask you to get the other pics of Diouk on here for me in the meantime, please? 

Yes that's him and there are some other pictures of him on there I think which show him off a little better.  Russethouse you must pass on your skills at posting photo's to me one day as I really must overcome this technical block that I seem to have with it - my hubby would like to know also as he tried and failed too and he's very computer literate.  At any rate that Diouk people - he's gorgeous.  On the down side he's probably not good with cats and because he's going mad in this small space, will need some patience at first and if he is to be with other dogs, then ladies are preferable for fewer complications.  He's hugely loving of people and just wants to be loved and got out to have his own space.

Yes of course - sorry!  Here it is :  http://www.les-chiens-de-figeac.com/cms/fr/?Adoptions_page_1

DIOUK - N° ID 250269500289384 Beagle - Mâle de 14 mois - Petit Gabarit

Hi - we press on!  There is a little chap called Diouk at the Spa in Figeac - picture and details half way down the two adoption pages - I don't know how to re-process the pictures on here!  I am reliably informed by the lady who runs Poorpaws and two English ladies who volunteer at Figeac, that there is a set of rules there imposed by the lady who heads up the team at Figeac, that only allows people who live in the Lot to adopt dogs from them!  This has stopped several people being able to get this little chap out.  He is in a state!  He is in the "no hope" block that is hidden away from the public, in a kennel a meter and a bit by a meter and abit and he's going mad!  They  say they don't euthanise the dogs there and therefore they just end up staying indefinitely.  He's young, he's lovely (little wire haired Beagle type) and desperate to get out now he's a bit doomed.  Several people have shown interest in the past but because they weren't from the Lot they were turned away and so now he is deemed unlikely to get homed and gone to the hidden block.......  Please go and look at him and if you are in the Lot can you see if you know someone who will free this little chap please!

Yes - he came so very close to getting out!  I'm gutted  He might have made it had several people last week not brought dogs back in that they had previously adopted and then decided they didn't want them anymore, which served to push the Beagle to the top of the list quicker than we thought would happen.  This was also what upset Rowan and I so very much when some Brits chipped in wanting to leave their dogs behind because they were going back to the UK - the refuge was aware and the hit list was stepped up and he flew to the top.  The Spa at Carcassonne employees are no longer allowed to tell the volunteers which dogs are on the list but sometimes subtle hints are dropped and if you go there regularly like Rowan does, you get the drift of whose off and she knew her beloved Beagle was nearing the line but we thought we had till Monday........  He wasn't alone of course and we grieve for all of them and carry on but he was very special to Rowan.

Before this thread is closed I would like to say that this was a personal hell for Rowan and it was compounded and made all the more heartbreaking, quite literally, because she had finally persuaded her husband to agree to take the Beagle last night!  They normally never put dogs down over a week-end (serves to show desperately overloaded they are there now!) and so when we spoke yesterday we felt sure he would still be there went she went today to pick up two more to get them away before she flew out of the country on business this evening!  One can only imagine her elation last night when she had the agreement of her husband and then only to find out this morning that she was too late.............poor doggie and poor Rowan!

Boomer looks gorgeous too - let's keep him bumped up here.

Hang in there Vida - we'll find him a home soon hopefully.  Poor Sue is on overload at Poorpaws right now but she will helpt the minute she can and hopefully whilst the weather is good he's not too much of a burden on you despite all the visitors that you are due to have!  He sounds so deserving and such a good boy we must do all we can to help him find the perfect home - which actually sounds like you..... but.... I understand.  Well done anyway for keeping him safe.

Sorry I forgot to tell you how to get to their post - it's on Angloinfo in the Languedoc section - animals and pets - dogs need a home by bob hart

Hang on a minute Christine - I did offer them help first off as I have had an enquiry for a passported dog from an English lady I spoke to yesterday.  I therefore gave them the opportunity to get in touch with me - let me have pictures of the dogs so that I could pass this information on to these people first of all.  I then told them the situation at Carcassonne and offered my 'opinion' that it would almost be kinder to have the dogs put down rather than subject them to the SPA at Carcassone if they ran out of options and had to leave having not resolved the situation.  I further advised them that if the dogs were already UK passported then surely it would be better to take them back to the UK and put them in a shelter there?  Failing all of that I then said that they should seek another shelter other than Carassonne.  I never explain myself well when I'm angry so once more I have come across as having said something without thought.  So what would your advice be to them Christine - what did I say that was so wrong because I doubt anyone frequenting Carcassonne right now would be able to deny that it's a cruel place to put a couple of dogs that have been used to a home environment and it could be months (if ever) before they find homes and finish up at the vets?  You know how hard Rowan and others work to get dogs out of there and is it any wonder we feel so betrayed by our own countrymen who do this - time and again!  I have offered these people help to  potentially home one of the dogs - I don't think I have been unfair or spoken wrongly but of course there will be those who think I have .......

A big DITTO to all of that!  I have just given some English people on another AI forum the same words as they have decided they can't take their already UK passported dogs with them and were toying with leaving them in Carcassonne Spa - heaven forbid but I emailed them and told them to have the dogs put down as it was kinder and more responsible!  I have not had a response from them but then I'm not holding my breath as people don't like hearing the brutal truth do they.  Rowan is breaking her heart out there today to give some last comfort and freedom to this little fellow and I know she will continue to do this bless her - but it's taking her apart at the seams!  I admire her and wish her strength in all she does up there against huge odds.

Vida - everyone.  Stig is now on Poorpaws site as well as here and so we have to hope someone nice will take him soon.  Having spoken to Vida, he sounds a real sweetie and but for her lack of space I know she would keep him he's such a dear.  He's done his bit to stay alive against odds and find Vida to help him and he deserves to find a forever home with someone as kind and caring as her!  It's going to be a shocking few weeks from the point of view of abandoned dogs, summer hols etc., so please lets do all we can to keep the numbers from swelling in the already busting refuges or dog hell holes as I prefer to call them!  When I go to the SPA at Carcassone (getting another one out this week-end to foster) and stand and despair with Rowan as more are brought in, it makes us wonder if perhaps just sometimes, they wouldn't all be better off let loose instead of cooped up in such awful stressful conditions.........so many of them just waiting to die anyway when their turn on the list arrives...bit depressed today I guess, but it's the reality of things.  So - give Stig a lovely home someone SOON!

Hey - relay our congratulations to the owner Christine!  Tell her she did well and we're all happy for him and the family!

Brilliant!

I have sent Boomer pictures to people who are looking for a dog - ever hopeful as I am.  He's lovely and being good with cats and children is a real bonus!  He looks like a real family dog so come on folks put the word out.

BJC - so nice to hear how lovely Albi is.  I have recently taken three dogs from Carcassonne and have to say they are ALL wonderful too!  I call them my Carcassonne three!  They shadow me everywhere and sit and wait for me with wagging tails when I see to the hens etc.  Sleep at my feet in the evenings and, dare I say it, two of them on the bed with us and the third with the others round the bedroom......it's an orchestra of snores at night with my husband leading the band!!  Rowan works hard to keep getting the dogs homes from Carcassonne and I keep hammering on about how good they are, without exception so far, as the feedback we get from all the ones that have been 'sprung' from there is always excellent!  Hugs to all the lovely doggies that have made it out and the ones that are patiently waiting.....

Ok I see that you are flipping miles away from the Lot - so wouldn't have been any good today anyhow.  But the offer to have him at the end of July still stands if you can get him there or maybe some of the way there and he's bomb proof with other males...... it's the best shot I can come up with right now I'm afraid but will keep looking for homes in the meantime.

Vida - been trying to get hold of you but line engaged..........!!  Shame as I spoke to Sue just now -  a friend of hers who helps with the dogs was going to come and see Stig (and possibly take him off you if he's ok with other males) to take back to Poorpaws if I could have got hold of you in time.  She is leaving at 10am and needed to know where you are in case you are on her way (North Lot).... look if I don't manage to work this one we have an another option.  Sue says she can take him at the end of July if he hasn't found a home before then BUT he has to be good with other males - do you know if he is??  Maybe you could try him and see bless him.  I know he would be happy at Poorpaws and would stand the best chance ever of finding  a home from there.  Going to keep trying your 'phone! 

Vida I have forwarded the pictures to Sue at Poorpaws to see if she can have him by any chance ......... we can only hope as she has lovely big parks for her dogs and a good success rate for homing them on.  He must get on with male dogs is a must for her mind so I hope he does but he sounds so kind and willing to please I can't see that being a problem.  Let's wait and see.

So glad to read this Jean - I have my fingers crossed for both dogs and hope a visit makes the difference.  Please let us know.

Bumping this one up as she's such a lovely dog and is not having a great time of things right now!