Saint Christine

[vervialle]

I know it has all been said before, but I just feel it has to be said again,all of us on living France witness the good work that you do on behalf of all the animals that are abandoned for one reason or another.Seeing your success is uplifting and every time you manage to find a new home for one of these darlings ,we all sigh a sigh of relief, I am sure I speak for everybody who is part of the forum.Christine did you know your name is a form of Christopher, so you see you really are a saint.It would be nice to have a story in the living France magazine in return for a nice fat donation to your cause, lets hope the editor is looking.I am so glad a home has been found for Jerry he looked delightful.

[mint]

Nothing to add to your post.  Just want to second EVERYTHING you have said.  One day (years and years hence), when Christine goes to heaven, she will have a lovely welcome from all the dogs and cats who have been given a second chance in life through Christine's efforts.  Imagine all the excitement, the wagging tails and the meows of pleasure and the little furry bodies rubbing against Christine's legs![:D] 

[Pads]

Here Here you two , I thought this as well.

Come on Editor of this Mag, lets see a good story about what christine is doing and a good donation to the shelter of her choice , and I promise to take out the subscribtion that I keep saying I will do , but never get around to[:)]

[vervialle]

I have subscibed to living france since issue 10 in the olden days when Trevor Yorke used to be editor,and a wonderful photographer, wonder what he is doing now, so a request from me should throw some weight don,t you think.Yes a good story and a nice donation to Christines cause, do you think we need a petition, no of course not, Living France will take the right course of action.Feel Free To Support The Request Living France.A picture of Jerry on the front cover will make every one buy it.

[Just Katie]

Vervialle, I think that is a wonderful idea.  I would certainly get the issue. 

In fact, perhaps it would be a good idea to get a different forum member each month to give their story in the name of their chosen charity.

[Morse98]

Have to agree with you all and it would be fantastic if a story was written and a donation given. Come on Living France do your stuff!!

Christine we think you are wonderful,[kiss]

Rxxx and Lancia

[Pads]

It would be very interesting to know how many animals have been rehomed one way or another  because of this forum and Christine? any one know ?   

[Amanda 61]

Here, here! Through Christine we 'rescued' our dear old Setter from a refuge in Bordeaux last January. He was 14 years old and would not have lasted a day longer in the midst of the heavy snow. He had 4 wonderful months in the Normandy countryside and, for that, we HAVE to thank Christine.

She truely is a saint! 

 

 

[vervialle]

If Christine had been living in the U.K. she would have been put forward for an MBE by now, we cannot do that as her work is in France ,but Living France can celebrate her success story, we all read the heart rendering stories of these animals, and I wonder how she sleeps at night sometimes always hoping that some loving family will come forward to rehome the latest victim. We read it and probably shed a tear, but we are not dealing with it, she is day by day, never ending, always another darling waiting to be loved.Christine is remarkble and as much as she will hate this, it needs to be said. She is a one off, we would all like to do what she does, but we have not got the determination that she has, she is special, very special, I hope Living France celebrate her success and feature her in the magazine.I also hope it will lead to a whole new generation of homers in France, her success is amazing and you know what, I bet she never gives her personal success a thought.She really is a Gem.

[Pads]

Vervialle your so right . and your a gem for putting in words what we have all been thinking for ages. As soon as we are setteled in france I know where my next family member will be coming from[:D] 

[Christine Animal]

Vervialle and you others, thank you very much I am very touched.  I am only another member of this forum which I very much enjoy and only a very small part of the whole rescue network in France which is now immense.  We are all part of it, you Amanda, what you did for Brasco was incredible and unforgettable, the Pushkins who adopted Poppy and are now offering a home to little Nushen San, everyone who has offered a new life to a lost pet, you are all wonderful.

I would not particularly like to be in a magazine, though Jerry could be on the cover with pleasure!  I am just happy to do what I can and to be part of an enormous family where we are all working together and the solidarity amongst us very strong.  Some are rescuing pets, some are fostering, some are helping to transport them all over France, others are donating to help finance all this.  More and more young people are taking part and their devotion and determination is unbelievable.  There is so much more love and respect of pets than in the past.  We are all so happy when one is rescued and loved and all so sad when one doesn't make it, we are all together. 

Come and see on the Rescue forum started not long ago by one young girl and which has now thanks to all its members and a lot of hard work saved thousands of animals from being put down.

http://rescue.forumactif.com/index.htm

 

Thank you again for the post Vervialle.  There is a great love of animals on this forum, Pads I know you are one of them by the lovely photos of your pets, it's always a pleasure to see them and hear your stories.  Thank you all.  [kiss]

I nearly forgot Morse and all the horses she is now helping to rescue.  Bravo Morse !

 

[Morse98]

Christine,

No need to Thank me! I haven't done anywhere near as much as you to help save animals, you are a true inspiration.

This thread is To THANK YOU for all the hard work you have done and continue to do. [kiss]

[Panda]

I agree with everything that's been said, anyone who works as Christine does to save animals deserves a great deal of praise.

[quote user="Christine Animal"]

Come and see on the Rescue forum started not long ago by one young girl and which has now thanks to all its members and a lot of hard work saved thousands of animals from being put down.

http://rescue.forumactif.com/index.htm

[/quote]

A word of warning, I went and checked out the forum signed above and cliecked on the youtube link, the scenes are horrific, how can people be so cruel, how do they sleep at night, after the warm glow from the congratulations for Christine, Morse etc. , I now feel sickened and ashamed to be human. 

[Chrissie]

Oh yes, I agree with everyone.   Three ( or three thousand???) cheers for Christine who not only directly saves so many animals but also inspires loads of people to take on a rescue pet, which they might otherwise never have considered.  It would make a great Living France article.......

Chrissie (81)

[Frenchie2]

I second everything that has been said . Christine is an angel.   

[Pads]

[quote user="Christine Animal"]

Vervialle and you others, thank you very much I am very touched.  I am only another member of this forum which I very much enjoy and only a very small part of the whole rescue network in France which is now immense.  We are all part of it, you Amanda, what you did for Brasco was incredible and unforgettable, the Pushkins who adopted Poppy and are now offering a home to little Nushen San, everyone who has offered a new life to a lost pet, you are all wonderful.

I would not particularly like to be in a magazine, though Jerry could be on the cover with pleasure!  I am just happy to do what I can and to be part of an enormous family where we are all working together and the solidarity amongst us very strong.  Some are rescuing pets, some are fostering, some are helping to transport them all over France, others are donating to help finance all this.  More and more young people are taking part and their devotion and determination is unbelievable.  There is so much more love and respect of pets than in the past.  We are all so happy when one is rescued and loved and all so sad when one doesn't make it, we are all together. 

Come and see on the Rescue forum started not long ago by one young girl and which has now thanks to all its members and a lot of hard work saved thousands of animals from being put down.

http://rescue.forumactif.com/index.htm

[/quote]

 

Christine I know you would hate to be in the lime light so to speak, but wouldnt it be great publicity for some of the shelters you work through, this mag could reach thousands of people who dont read this forum and so dont hear about the need of good homes for al these dogs. You could keep to one side and just point them in the right direction of the places that need the publicity. What do you think ? 

 

 

 

 

[Gardian]

[quote user="vervialle"] lets hope the editor is looking.[/quote]

I have reason to believe that she is.

It would be a worthwhile article and hopefully (if approached), CA's personal and understandable reticence would be set aside in favour of the cause. My money is on Jerry in Feb's mag!  

[Morse98]

Feb?  That would be fantastic!!

[vervialle]

I know my imagination runs riot sometimes, but the pictures of the rescued darlings waiting for homes breaks my heart and then when I see a good outcome, it gives me such a good feeling and really makes my day. I do not fully understand how the rescue of animals in France works and I do not know how different it is to England and whether or not it is a big problem . In truth I am quite ignorant about it, so I would like to see some facts in an article, as Christine always talks of Niort, like it is a kind of concentration camp.My only thought to making more public her work, it might attract some support in some way or another.France seems to have such a division in the care of pets, you see nicely dressed ladies with their dogs under the table whilst they have lunch, where as in England we would leave them at home, on the other hand you see some animals having the most miserable of existances in France.I cannot quite get my head round it and wonder, is it mainly down to them not having their animals neutered.Again is it not encouraged by vets in France? I was the laughing stock of the village when I told them I had had a rabbit neutered, as you can well imagine.It is a very emotive subject the rescue of animals.

[Pads]

I think your right Vervialle if an article about this could just reach a few people it would make a hugh difference. Im sick of seeing in just my area of people who get puppies for there children the poor thing gets played with and cuddled for a few weeks , then when the children get bored the poor thing is just left in side all day and stuck in the garden all evening. with no proper exercise and no stimulation they become stir crazy until they become to much to handle and then stuck in rehoming places or worse put down or just kicked out . I see loads of people around hear who start the first couple of weeks walking the puppy then they are never seen again. I see them months later in town and say hows that little puppy and they say it became a real hand full so we had to get rid of it. It makes my blood boil.

Plus like you it would be good to understand the workings of a french rehoming centre and hear some facts and figures     

[Christine Animal]

You seem to have summed it up Vervialle, there is a division in the care of pets here.  I don't know what more facts could be put in an article.  Pets are being put down in overcrowded pounds and refuges, when there are any, and we try to rescue them and rehome them, it's as simple as that.  Anyone can do it and luckily a lot are.  I don't know what I could say any more than on all the threads on here.  I have lived here for practically forty years now and hardly know anyhting about rescue in England and am frankly rather tired of all the threads comparing France with England.

Here we are in France and that's how it is.  We all know that spaying is not as common as in England, though it is catching on.  I also have a slight feeling that in the UK when a pet is no longer wanted it is not taken to a shelter, but put down, under the pretext that it is much kinder for the pet than leaving it to suffer in a shelter.  This reduces the number of abandoned pets.  We all also know that pets are put down in England and let's not mention the States with their terrible way of putting them down in a "box" and gazing them, then opening the box and putting another layer of little wagging tails full of confidence on top of the dead ones before closing the box and doing the same again.  There is a video on it which is so sickening I wouldn't even dare put it on here.

Niort is not a concentration camp.  There are kennels which are spotlessly clean, but there is no love and affection, just cleaning and feeding by people paid to do their job.  After a certain delay they are put down.  Well they used to be, now we are quite a group rescuing them from there, the cats also now, which means that practically none are put down any longer.  There has been an enormous change over the past twelve months or so when Dog went to adopt Atlas.

I'm nothing special, only a small part of a big team.   [:)]

 

[Framboise]

I admire you Christine.

There is a great difference between the way people treat their pets, some use them as expendable items in that when they are no longer the cutsey puppy they are abandoned, or worse,  and then there are those who adore their animals. 

Our neighbours whilst being lovely people think we are quite mad with our dogs in that they live indoors on cosy beds, fed twice a day and are treated like children.  On visiting their home I realised that every single one of the feral cats in our garden actually belongs to madame - they are not wild at all because she feeds them every day - yet we were sure they were living rough in our fields because they were so tatty and tore our bin bags open nightly looking for scraps.   Madame loves them even if they do not live indoors, likewise the little dog that barked endlessly for attention that she rehomed with her father as he has more time to devote to him.  Maybe they just look at things with a different perspective to us?   

I cannot pretend to understand the ethic of treating animals in this manner nor could I ever do so myself, but Christine thank heavens there are people like you around who can and do make such a difference to the miserable start in life that too many animals have.   And small cogs make the big machine turn - you bring these dogs to a wider audience which greatly increases their chances of finding a loving new home and for that you deserve a Gold Medal!! [:D]

[vervialle]

Thankyou Christine for explaining a bit more about Niort and good to know you are having some success there.Is there a kind of R.P.C.A. in France that works for the care of any animals not just cats and dogs? I have read on the forum from time to time of concerns for animals, is there no one to report it to in France.I  often say of France, certain things are how England was a long time ago and that is some of its charm,so let us hope the welfare of animals becomes a greater concern in France, one change we would all aggree with I am sure.Christine you may think you are just an ordinary person and that is what is especially nice about you,but I think all of us who love animals on the forum admire you and your team of helpers and have so much respect for what you do.One question I would love to ask you,how do you cope with the miserable side,I think I would be crying all the time and I am not sure I would cope, I think it would take over my life and I am not sure I would be strong enough to deal with it.I just wonder how you do that.Thankyou for telling us about your work.

[Christine Animal]

I cry a lot Vervialle !    [:D]   And yes, it obviously does take over your life, but then you can turn it around and say it is your life, a sort of passion, as Bugbear with his bikes and Cooperlola with her cars.  We all have our thing.  There is the very sad side to cope with, but there are the others to continue for, the very satisfying reward of seeing a condemned pet happy and loved in a new family.

The nearest thing to the RSPCA is the SPA, but it's not the same.  There are so many separate associations and groups, but not one big institution you can go to for any animal welfare problem.  If you see neighbours' dogs badly treated, you don't know what to do about it, neither do I.  You can call the local SPA, usually overworked, make a plainte at the gendarmerie, inform the DDSV (Services Vétérinaires) of your département, the result being often that nothing much is done about it !  A lady called me recently about a couple of dogs tied up without much care and attention.  There is no refuge or SPA in this département for her to contact.  She had called the animal welfare man at the DDSV in Niort who had replied that they were very busy at the moment, but he would go if he passed that way. He gave her my number, so she called me !  I have no power to do anything except to try to go and dialogue with the owners.  Another reason why the authorities probably don't do anything is that if they take the animals away, what are they going to do with them !?

 

[vervialle]

Oh goodness, I wish I could wave a magic wand.I have to say we are pretty lucky in our village in France ,nearly everyone looks after their animals well and I think people would get together if someone was not.Thankyou again for telling us about your work, let us hope it helps to spread the word to anyone thinking about taking in one of your refugees.