2nd June

It's raining! What a shame, still I am sure it will not dampen the British spirit.

Jesse the pup continues to thrive. He has his weaner food twice a day which is helping to fill him up.
His playtimes are getting longer and he can now run a bit as well as walk and jump too.
He now takes himself back to bed when he has had enough.

All my family are helping out.

There are several people I have been meaning to thank for donations (I am sure you know who you are) I apologise, events have rather overtaken me, but I will do it soon.

1st June

Sorry for lack of blogs and blogs being out of sync I am feeling a bit tired!
The pup is thriving. He has been checked by Jane the vet and pronounced to be in excellent health. He has unbelievably grown already and grown little teeth which were certainly not there when he came in a few days ago. He has been wormed and has now started on weaner food morning and evening as well as milk. We have decided to call him Jesse after the chap who brought him to us. We all agreed it was a great name just hesitation as I have a daughter Jessie, but as we normally call her Yassen we thought we could get away with it, I am already feeling pretty vague so we shall see!

Saffy has had her stitches out and her lymph gland checked and all is well. She celebrated with an extreme game of ball at the ponies.

We have received a cheque for £495.38 from Pets at Home Support Adoption for our days during their last fundraising event.
This with their last cheque and the bits we have got from recent shows must make nearly £1000 putting us in a much stronger position than a few months ago.
Thank you to all who contributed or supported in ANY way.

Do you remember the man who we thought would be  a perfect home but wanted a puppy?
Well we found him a puppy through another rescue and they gave us half of the adoption charge as Val had homechecked.

So things are looking up!

Enjoy the Jubilee weekend.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

30th May

Well I was wrong! The people did bring the puppy and they were lovely, I don't mind admitting I was wrong, no bereft feeling, just goodbye to a full nights sleep for a while and being able to fully relax, in fact just like having a baby, which was exactly what I was doing at this time 20 and 18 years ago respectively, as both my daughters were born in May.

The full story regarding the pup was that the girl was walking across Soho Square where there was a group of homeless persons, one of them approached her with a cardboard box in which were several puppies. He asked her to take one saying they could no longer look after them and that unless she helped they were going to die. She gave him a tenner and took the puppy, and who could blame her.
 Apparently there was a small red Staffie running around she believed to be the mother.

She still lived at home and of course when Mum saw the pup she was not too pleased. Several people recommended us including a chap she works with who happens to be an old friend of ours.
So they brought him down this morning.
He certainly looks about three weeks old, he will see the vet on Friday to confirm and to be wormed.
They named him Max but as we have had a very significant Max we will probably change it.
He has special puppy milk which I am becoming an expert at mixing up.
The girls are fighting over him, Sara fed him before reluctantly leaving for work and rushed home for a cuddle in the evening, whilst Jessie held the fort while I did the ponies.

All this coincided with a rare visit from my mother in law and her friend.
I thought I had better warn her about the tiny pup and my pink hair! Just as well, she seemed equally unimpressed by both.
 Surely the Jubilee decorations would impress, but no, Auntie Lily pointed out we had the Union Jack upside down, signalling distress, she explained how you can tell.
 As soon as they had left Jessie and I turned it round. Phew! Good to know we have the important things right.

29th May

We had a few drops of rain this evening but otherwise it has been yet another beautiful sunny day. There is a wonderful carnival feel in the air with the approaching Jubilee weekend and the Olympic torch relay.

Angel wallowing

We have adorned our Victorian Semi (Eton Cottage) with a large Union Jack and eventually, after some trials, with some bunting. The light was fading when Sara, Sam and I commandeered Dave and a step ladder to do the high bits, a couple walking past quipped,'It's better to do it in daylight!' but we don't care we have done it showing our support and playing our part.

Saffy is all but completely healed. So encouraging to see, her scar is only visible if you look closely, the hair already growing back just twelve days later and I have finally given in and let her play ball., by the time she has her stitches out on Friday it will be a mere formality.



Yesterday I did some shopping in Cranleigh. We called at the butchers and bought three marrow bones one of which was huge, for £1 each. We then called at a small pet shop I have never been in before to get the 'fishy' treats. The shop was crammed with all manner of good things. We chatted to the lady who had 14 dogs, mainly working Springers and Lurchers, telling her about the rescue. She asked how many dogs we had and gave us a treat she said her dogs went mad for, counting them out into a bag for us. It turned out they were chicken feet! And yes, the dogs did love them not sure I felt the same!

Boycie

My daughter has now left college only going back to take her exams, so life is a lot easier for me without the journey to and fro and being 'time tied'.

Chance

I played ball in the sunshine, the heat tempered by a cool breeze, at the ponies this morning  with Angel,Boycie and Chance walking each of them back along the bridleway off lead and no-one came past. Despite the pressure of having so many dogs I feel incredibly privileged to have access to such a beautiful place.

Two messages today regarding a three week, yes, three week old pup. The first was from the mother of the girl who rescued him from a homeless person in the centre of London, the second from her boyfriend.
After conversations with both of them I agreed to take him in tonight.
I spoke to my vet and made up a 'den' like bed, collected some puppy milk and re-arranged my evening.
Then heard the daughter wanted to bring the puppy herself and he would be coming at 9am tomorrow. We will see ... I cannot tell you the number of times I have agreed to take a dog in, going through all the mental preparation and planning only for it not to materialise, leaving you strangely bereft. Yet another of the joys of dog rescue!

27th May

So good news for Saffy.
She goes at 5pm on Friday to have her stitches out and they will also check her lymph node.
After that she can be re-homed as any other dog with no re-occurrence of the lump.

Her scar is now barely visible and she has had a run off lead.

Thank you to all who have donated and sent good wishes.
The cost of the operation was £251.98        We had £306 donated initially then a further £50 from Dogs In Need as Saffy was originally homed by them and when she was returned we agreed to take her on, so only right they should contribute.
We then had a further £20 from David and Pat Bennet. total £376 which is amazing.

The pink hair appeal made a further £79  Any excess money donated to Saffy's appeal will go into our Reuben Fund for emergency veterinary treatment fr any dog who needs it and will not be used in general funds.

Some more good news ... we have received the cheque  from Pets at home for their Chistmas appeal for £353.57 which means I can pay Sara back for Boycies misdemeanour at last.

So things are beginning to look up.

25th May

SAFFY RESULTS


The lump was a Mast Cell Tumour which is cancer, however the margins are good which means it has been fully removed and she does not require further surgery.
This sort of tumour does not usually spread out of the area so although we need to keep an eye and her lymph node checked when she has her stitches removed she should make a full recovery with no return of the tumour.
This is good news!

24th May

Saffy in the garden.

No results for Saffy as yet (23rd May) but I was told to ring if I had not heard anything by today so we should know something by tonight.
Thursday evening.
I rang the vet and spoke with the junior vet nurse who looked on the computer and told me the results were back. She then put me on hold whilst she spoke to someone more senior, she was gone for ages! Jane (the vet) is not available until tomorrow as she is at the other surgery, but I have been asked to ring tomorrow (Friday) at 10.30 am and they have booked me an appointment slot for the phone call.
I think that sounds worrying, but lets hope I am wrong.
We must hope for the best and prepare for the worst!



I have been struggling in the heat to keep the dogs calm,cool and quiet and make sure they have enough exercise. I started at 6.45am yesterday and eventually sat down at 9.15pm

Chance and Boycie are particularly vocal especially when you take one of the other dogs out, when they start up Angel 'spins' and chases her tail. Dealing with this day in, day out really does take its toll so please spare me, and the dogs, a thought, especially if your dogs are able to lie in the garden or you have long walks in the evenings.

 We do our best    BUT  these dogs need homes of their own!

Scar healing well.

Thank you Gareth and Mark for your lovely comments.  The dogs have been a lot calmer and quieter today, especially first thing in the morning in the garden, that is when the photo of Saffy was taken, I wonder if it is good because she is calm. She can get very excited and then does not show herself well but most of the time she is calm and relaxed which is why we have always said she is no trouble to have around.

Thank you to all who have sent good wishes I will try and let you know as soon as possible when I have news tomorrow