Sylvia's Diary 21-06-24

It’s the beginning of the week. I have no enthusiasm for anything and don’t even want to write this week’s diary. My news for the last few days is too raw, too sad, too miserable.  However it’s no good writing a diary and not including true life so I know I must continue and write as usual.

On Friday my horse Molly was very lame. Molly has been in our care for well over 20 years from back when I lived in the USA. Molly was first seen when I was running the Humane society of Rockingham County. She was a beautiful liver chestnut mare who was starving, with her ribs and backbone protruding badly.  I was asked to go and see the owner who was breeding Tennessee Walkers but not to rock the boat with him as the council were trying to buy land from him. All the horses I saw there were starving and I was horrified. I tried to gently reason with him, educate and help, but to no avail. The board of the Humane society would not help either.  Bill ended up paying for Molly just to get her away from there. We fed and cared for her and when we left the States to come to Wales we found her what we thought was her a wonderful home. However, a year later they contacted me to say they could not keep her and if I did not take her back she’d have to go to the sales.

Bill flew her home to Wales and when she arrived she was not sound and the vet found she had laminitis and a rotated pedal bone. We were advised to put her to sleep. However, we called our farrier who disagreed and looked after her hooves, shoeing carefully for many years. We X-rayed her every 6 months to guide the farrier to the angle he needed to trim her to and though not able to be ridden she was extremely happy and loved here.

Back when she had come over to Wales she was very disturbed and out of sorts so we went to the market and bought a miniature Shetland for £4.00. Little Kenny became her toy boy who she adored and he adored her.  Fast forward 20yrs and on Friday Molly became so lame I decided to call the vet as an emergency. Her x-rays had been worse a few weeks before and the vet who adores horses said it was time to let her go.  I write this with tears streaming down my cheeks. I held my girl, said goodbye, and watched the life I loved so much slip away. That was unbearable for me and
I had no idea how it would affect Kenny. We put a Shetland mare he liked with him, but this was no distraction and even today, which is Monday, he stands calling and looking for Molly. Every whinny is like a knife in my heart, its unbearable to see his pain.  I think of all the horses people sell because kids have grown out of or not wanted who are torn from their friends, The cows who have special bonded friends, the dogs parted at breeders who lived all their lives with a friend, and the more I think the worse it is getting.  I need to leave now to pick up dogs and although I need to think of the future and those I can help, I just am wracked with sadness.

I am now waiting for the ferry. We have driven all around picking up dogs today and all are snuggled in their cut up and sewn duvets now snoozing. Tomorrow they will be in my staff’s arms being cuddled but tonight we will be on the boat. It’s always hard to leave them but easy to grab sausages from the canteen and go to them in the morning.

One group of dogs in particular has made me very sad. The owner decided to keep one back from the group and, as she watched her kennel mates bring loaded, she stood on her hind legs at the bars crying, tonight she’ll be on her own. It’s such a hard thing to think about. Tomorrow will be really busy day catching up with work and there are still more dogs to pick up in Wales.

All day I have had requests for rescue space. Some very urgent, others not so, however, all play heavily on my mind. I hope to sleep tonight on the ferry, but sleep is hard to find knowing all those super potential best friends to us humans are alone on the van. Roll on tomorrow when we will all be home safe.

Home now and working flat out….. Whilst I was away over 25 dogs have come in, another 32 waiting to come, some so urgent that they cannot be left. We are BUSY to say the least.

One of the ones that came in is the sweetest 8-week-old Weimaraner pup who has a high grade heart murmur.  We will be raising funds needed to save her life, but heart surgery does not come cheap, however there is not any way to think how much a dog’s life is worth as they are all priceless to me.

I know I constantly talk of my amazing staff but they are. This week one took are two old dogs out to the beach and then to a dog friendly café, the video is so sweet, and through that we have an application for them. This was all done in Tyler’s own time, and she is not the only one who gives extra love time and thought to the dogs here.  To all you fosterers, staff, adopters, and supporters, you all are what makes Many Tears. THANK YOU.

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Thank you
Sylvia