WJT Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Can anyone recommend a good caring dog kennel in the Dordogne? We are near Sarlat so somewhere between Sarlat and Bergerac would be ideal. Dare I say it: preferably English owned. Thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffanyS<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><U>hometown.aol.co.uktiffanystacpooleanimalmatters.html<U><FONT><P> Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Might be able to help you with your dog kennel issue depending on what you need/breed of dog etc. There are a number of options in the Dordogne, including several nice people who board dogs in their own homes as well as some nice kennels and some dreadful ones, both French and English owned!Email for details. Might be useful to know what your requirements are.[email protected] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Hi TiffanyS, just sent you an e-mail. As I mentioned in my e-mail, if we lived in France permanently, I would be tempted to take one of the abandoned puppies. Good luck in finding homes, just wish I knew of someone. Also, must be honest, if we lived there it would be very difficult for me not to end up with a menagerie (which is certainly not what we have in mind or need). I have seen some heatbreaking situations and one is right next door to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffanyS<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><U>hometown.aol.co.uktiffanystacpooleanimalmatters.html<U><FONT><P> Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 [quote]Hi TiffanyS, just sent you an e-mail. As I mentioned in my e-mail, if we lived in France permanently, I would be tempted to take one of the abandoned puppies. Good luck in finding homes, just wish I k...[/quote]Want to specify the problem next door? Anything to be done regarding animal welfare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 TiffanyS, It is a neighbours little terrier dog that is left on a chain on a wood pile 24/7 right next to a road. The poor little thing has very little slack and can really only stay in one place. He looks very thin as well. Being new and strangers it is very difficult because I have noticed quite a few abandoned dogs most appear to be hunting dogs that must have past their sell by date and just discarded, outside of the stray extremely thin and scruffy three legged Yorkie in the village that is. Obviously, I am sickened by all of this and just feel that being new and an outsider makes it very difficult. I did put an anonymous note in my neighbours post box regarding the dog (cowardly I know) in spite of my husband begging me to do or say nothing. By the way he knows nothing about this, he would kill me and it would explain why the neighbour was quite rude to him. It probably wasn't to difficult to come up with a few suspects.In any case we are looking forward to moving there permanently, however I just hope I have the nerve and stomach to deal with these situations and can come to grips with the barbaric nature of some of the French toward animals. How do those of you that live there deal with this? Is it a matter of turning a blind eye to keep the peace like a sympathiser or do you just have to toughen up, I certainly need any tips if there are any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffanyS<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=1><U>hometown.aol.co.uktiffanystacpooleanimalmatters.html<U><FONT><P> Posted April 17, 2005 Share Posted April 17, 2005 [quote]TiffanyS, It is a neighbours little terrier dog that is left on a chain on a wood pile 24/7 right next to a road. The poor little thing has very little slack and can really only stay in one place. He...[/quote]I'm afraid I'm not one to stand back when it comes to wading in and dealing with issues like that, so I'd be less hesitant than you...I find, generally that the French are just as aware of animal cruelty issues as we are. It's not entirely the backward country many people imagine, although obviously out in the sticks (as anywhere) you do get poverty and living conditions which are surprising and unusually harsh for both people and animals. If your neighbours dog is clearly in some distress and not being cared for properly, as anywhere in the Western world, you are completely entitled to challenge them about it, or you can enquire about it at your Mairie. No reasonable person is going to be offended by your concern. If anything, you are likely to discover that others have the same feelings you do, but simply aren't prepared to make the effort to do anything about it.If the dog barks or disturbs you, you can complain. The SPA has a welfare officer who may be persuaded to come and have a word with the owners and this may or may not result in a change of living for the dog.Anyone moving to a new area, let alone a new country, has to be wary of encouraging bad feeling towards themselves so I understand what you are saying about not wanting to make yourselves unpopular, but abandoned dogs and mistreated animals are not acceptable under French law, or social conscience although, of course, as everywhere else, it happens often. You, as an individual, have every right to pick up dogs who are straying, find homes for them if they are not identified, take them to your local animal shelter or any one of a number of options.In three years rescuing animals, including forcibly removing a starving horse from a field in the midst of a huge four-way bagarre between the owners of the field, a local horserider, an animal welfare officer and the horses owner, because the animal was dying and I am not interested in who is to blame, I have never had anything but support and good wishes from the locals, who now bring to me their stray, lost and unwanted animals for re-homing because they know I am happy to help.Most good people would not dislike you for trying to help, they are simply too lazy, busy or self-centred to do it themselves and so are usually happy when 'interfering busybodies' of any nationality jump in and relieve them of the need to feel bad any more!!At least, that's what I've found, and I live near Sarlat too..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 TiffanyS, thank you for the reply and you are absolutely right in what you say. I will be over this time for a longer period and I will look into it further. But it is very difficult, the stray dogs I mention, my husband and I will see all over the area when we are out driving and exploring not only in our little area and village. Before we decided on the Dordogne we spent a number of years exploring many parts of France and saw it everywhere, in supermarket car parks, sides of major roads in Villages etc and of course still do. It is very difficult for me to just turn away. As I mentioned, this summer I will try and be a little more pro active (and courageous) particularly with my neighbour's dog and the little three legged Yorkie in the Village.By the way, I have looked at your site and it broke my heart, I have all the admiration and respect in the world for people like yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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