2nd July

After a heavy nights rain the skies were gray but we were optimistic. The weather forecast for Saturday 25th June was skies clearing and brighter in the afternoon. This would be ideal, people would venture out with their dogs giving a good attendance.
Parked opposite the stand was the ice cream van, a very good place to be! We noticed that this year outside stands were thin on the ground and we were the only rescue at the show. When we enquired, thinking that this probably due to the recession, we were told that we were the only rescue invited as we work closely with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
Just before the gates opened a young lady appeared at the stand in her Battersea uniform with a tray of soft drinks for us! How lovely, it set the mood for the day.

Ali came up with Squirt after Squirt had done her agility competition. For those of you that do not know, Squirt is not good with other dogs and requires her own space. She is great with the dogs that she lives with and is focused whilst doing agility, she does not show aggression towards other dogs unless they invade her space. Whilst I was cuddling and patting Squirt a lady was about to let her dog put its face into Squirts face. Squirt started to growl and I asked the lady to take her dog away from Squirt she promptly pulled her dog away and walked off. During the day I watched so many owners allowing their dogs to face one another which in my opinion is not the best way of two unfamiliar dogs meeting.
The start was very slow but true to the weather forecast the weather brightened up and with it the dogs and their families arrived. Most dogs were those re homed by Battersea which needless to say at least 70% of the dogs were Stafford's or Stafford X's.
I spied an elderly lady with an elderly Staffie (sound like a line of a song!) and approached her to stroke the dog and talk to the lady. She explained that she had adopted her aged 8 years from Battersea 8 months previously. in her words she said "She is the best thing that I have ever had and she is my life" It is these moments that brings back faith to what we are doing albeit that it was not a Guildford rescue dog but it was a dog requiring a home none the less.
Even though Luci had just come back from holiday and did not get to bed until 4am that morning, she did not let us down and was going great guns with the wine tombola. Although I think the jet lag showed when a couple of people won two bottles of wine after buying five tickets she had not put enough tickets in the tombola. Ops! but we love you Luci for you exuberance and personality.

Helen Parker, from Supreme Steam, Guildford came to the stand and kindly donated 2 vouchers for £20 of ironing to the London Tube treasure map as prizes. We thank her for her kind generosity. She could have so easily just walked on. A young couple won an ironing voucher to which he exclaimed to his wife "At last I will get my shirts ironed properly!". I think he would have suffered when he got home but they also won a bottle of wine to make it up with, I did warning them that sometimes that's how babies come along, To which we all laughed.


On the stand at either end we have two banners promoting adopting the older dog. The dog depicted is our dear Percy who is still doing his bit for re homing of others. He draws in the people remarking how lovely he is and enquiring whether he requires a home. Sadly when Percy needed a home there was not many interested in him due to his age or the home was not suitable due to his poor mobility at the time. However 4 dogs found a home due to enquires for him, one of which was Luci's Blaze. So whenever we do a show Percy comes too.
A young couple approached with a fantastic male Stafford they explained that they had wanted to adopted a Stafford but had been turned down by the rescues they had approached as they work full time. So they had brought their dog when he was 8weeks old. But what the rescues had not listened to was that they work from home most days and the days that they go into the office the parents would look after the dog. Sadly a home was lost and a breeder will probably continue to breed litters of pups.
Mel, Heather and Stuart took charge of the treasure map and bric a brac whilst I helped in between talking to those who wanted advice and enquiring about re homing or adopting.
With out the support of  Mel, Heather, Luci and my husband Stuart who is my rock (when his not asleep or moaning at me) none of this would be possible. They are a great team and I thank them for all their hard work and help. Not forgetting all our dogs forgoing our company for the day to help those needing a home.
Valerie