Sylvia's Diary 27-09-24

Yet another week of dramas, tears and joys.  I truly understand the pain of loss and am faced with others going through the same pain each day. We all want what we have lost and any one thing can send our emotions over the top and the flood gates open. For me it was simply a note stuck on the back of the wall cabinet door in our kitchen. It was yesterday evening and I went to get our dogs meds that live in that cupboard and I noticed the scrap of paper stuck on the door. It was a list of dog’s names and their meds and on there was the name Light who was my truly amazing dog, my friend and everyone who met him friend. A mass of memories came back and the tears flowed. Time does not heal, that’s a stupid expression, time just makes you process your loss.

The people I met by the gate the other week who were emptying their car of their old dog who had passed, blankets etc and who were so so sad adopted a puppy this week. This was what they needed but some cannot move forwards or feel they are betraying the dog they lost. All I know is if you have an empty space in your home, to me one day, in honour of your dog, please fill it with another, whether to foster or adopt.

Still daily people are sending emails saying they must put their dog to sleep if no one will take it and there is only so much room in the rescues, so some very innocent dogs are dying these days, but not here.  However, everyone faces this terrible situation in their own way. Today a wonderful 85-year-old lady who lost her dog used her time and grief to do something good for others.  She rallied up her community’s support and with a driver brought up a carload of blankets and towels.

Joyce was off driving all over the country picking up dogs, she left at silly o'clock and I wish I could help her more but driving is near on agony at present so I am driving as little as possible. She returned with 10 dogs and pups and so the cycle begins again of bathing, health checks, booking in, spaying/neutering and the heart ache. 

A few weeks ago, we picked up three English setters, a handsome male, and a skinny female and her 9 month skinny pup. The male was homed, the pup was found to have tiny, shrivelled kidneys and as was suffering so had to be put to sleep. The female had a huge mammary mass that our vet spent three hours taking all he could. Sadly the laboratory has come back to us to tell us her prognosis is very poor. It literally breaks my heart. She and her 10-month pup had found a safe loving place and the chance of a happy ever after and both will not get the chance of this. I don’t just feel sad I feel furious with this unjust world.  I am not the only one who is suffering. The staff, the fosterers, all of us are subject to seeing neglect and great sadness, yet we all continue, for there are some amazing outcomes too.

Amouret who came in so sore and bald has now got a blue merle coat. She was spayed today and is ready for a home. She was being put to sleep in a local pound but the lovely dog warden reached out to us and we helped. Rocco, Isabel and Tinkerbell three wonderful springer/cockers came in and now are also spayed.  Two are already reserved for home and just Tinkerbell is waiting for someone to want her. 

Tomorrow the vet must remove two bulbous blind eyes from a pug to stop her suffering and give her a chance of a home. Summertime our towel eater who has survived an amazing operation was spayed ready for a home today too. These are all stories of dog's courage and just this week we have picked up two pups with three legs each,  one blind pup and so many others. In the meantime, I am organizing pickup drivers and worrying about dogs we have tried to find space for in their own areas but could not. The worry eats you up, it is so bad that I grind my teeth so wear a gum guard but have worn through it.  My broken back feels worse and it feels like my doctor, ER and the NHS don’t care.  My toes are numb and standing, sitting and actually existing is really tough. I should not complain but it’s got to the point I just need to vent a little.

We are still in great need of fosterers for old, young, friendly, timid, scared and the shutdown dogs who have given up on life ones too. Your dog could be their mentor and you could help a dog find the people all dogs deserve but finding fosters who understand is very hard. The ones we have are amazing but still dogs wait and wait for their chance of happiness.

I watched the horse staff in the pouring rain exercising, walking, grooming and caring for our equines.  I thought how lucky they are, as our equines get love, respect, enrichment and never spend a day being bored. The two very naughty donkey brothers next venture is to learn to drive as a pair. This will be a real feat, as they are scallywags and more interested in their own pleasures than pleasing us. But our horse staff will add their magic as they did when their poor mum and dad and other donkeys were abandoned.  We took them all in, pregnant, untrusting, lice ridden and starving. The mums are homed now, as is one of the babies but the brothers stayed. I never want them to be stuck in some scrubby field as ornaments, hence we will teach them some skills.

Now to get on to dogs and husbands. I for the past 20 years have learnt that shouting, screaming, crying and being dominant or forceful works badly on both man and animals (especially husbands and dogs). With dogs my way of training is what I call “canine kidology”.  With Midnight my Romanian dog even now after many years I let her think it's all her idea by setting up the situation just right. I can get what I need from her and she is pleased to do the action and also get praise for it.

With Bill I use the same tactics - plan, suggest, praise and reward. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but I try to listen to Bill’s voice or a dogs body language to see why and it has led to a much more harmonious relationship than many have and one that works well for the dogs in my life whether my own family or others and also for Bill and I. This is what I have been using on Sage, a very smart horse we have here and that’s what we are trying to use on the donkey brothers too.  However that’s a little more complicated, as it does take both parties to listen, and when you could be biting each other’s knees, squealing and bucking around, well what’s the point of listening to a human?

Because of the generosity of those reading this diary we have had extra funds and been able to send canines to specialist eye clinics, to heart specialists and have an extra vet this week spaying, so more can move on and make space for others. What I want to say is thank you again for your support, your kind words and your love for dogs, as together we can definitely make this world a better place.
Sylvia x