Sylvia's Diary 29-03-24

Yet another weeks passed and yet another week full of worries. Staff have left to study new careers, potential new staff are being interviewed. What I look for is hard working, reliable compassionate animal lovers with plenty of common sense. You would think there would be many wanting the job, but sadly no, they show interest, we talk on the phone, they ask for an interview then don't turn up, don't phone, don't email. Just disregard our calls and disappear!!  I have over 60 paid staff and we need all of them, our dogs need extra time, love and help and that’s why so many staff are needed.

The week started with a dog urgently needing a specialist as she had a broken leg, a fosterer with a dog having a fit and a lady falling on the walk around looking at the dogs. All of this was called by phone to me while I was in Northern Ireland picking up dogs. Dear Dupree our Frenchie was due to go to a specialist for an MRI on Tuesday too. All played on my mind as I drove around chasing the clock to get to all the kennels picking up dogs before the ferry left.

Picking up dogs from Southern Ireland requires an agent in Southern Ireland vets to do health checks and passports but it is so much easier than Northern Ireland. Southern Irish dogs cost a lot in vet bills and getting passports but you know exactly what is coming, weeks in advance.  However, picking up from Northern Ireland is a different story. I am contacted by breeders or by vets or by individuals who have been given my number by other breeders or vets. Breeders supply me with a picture of their licence and address to pick up and I always ask how many dogs and what they are. Those licensed kennels are inspected regularly, they are not back yard unlicensed breeders. However, from the time I get the information, to the time I pick up the dogs the breeders often change their minds and from picking up the 5 they asked for, there could be 10 more. Anyway, the port demands that no breeders are met on the roadside, which means a considerable amount of driving, watering dogs, cleaning out dogs crates and walking those who will and completing paperwork. From the 55 dogs you think you're bringing home, you may end up with 71, like I did. You get to the port and all your forms and paperwork, licensing and van inspection work must be correct.

Every dog is scanned for a chip and I am asked to tell them where each dog came from and where I picked it up. This inspection takes over an hour depending on the vet.  You can can get written up for any errors or misdemeanours. I did for taking a matted dog.  They said this dog should have been left as not fit to travel as matted. This is hugely stressful as leaving a dog literally makes me so sad I cry and cannot stop.  Anyway while I did all this I was trying to sort out specialist surgeons for broken legs, talk to the fosterer with her fitting dog and sort out other calls too. I came home exhausted.

Dupree however had a lovely day with amazing vets who gave her an MRI and did many, many tests. The conclusion was that sadly they not able to determined what is wrong and she needs many more blood tests and a swallow study. So far we have spent over £3,000 and another £1,000 for swallow study.  If an operation to help her can be done we will have to double or triple this but oh boy is she worth it. She won all the vets, vet nurses and office workers hearts as she has ours and when Dupree came home all the staff greeted her.  One person offered to take her home on his days off and every night and I cried for joy with her (then felt very embarrassed).

Just before I left for Ireland we had a call from a vets. They were literally about to put a Chihuahua to sleep. They had a catheter in the dogs leg and the liquid ready in the syringe to inject. This was because the little dog had a pup caught in her pelvis whilst she desperately tried to push it out, and the family could not afford the many thousands for a c-section. I told them to bring the dog to us to save her life and spayed her. Two pups were dead, but the other survived 5 days but very sadly died last night. We feel he was oxygen deprived due to the whelping problems. Mummy Chihuahua went back to her family and they have agreed a payment plan at cost price of what the op cost us. The little dog went literally wild with excitement to see her family. It was great to save a life and make a family so happy.

I have a loving supportive pair of adult children who help me when ever possible. One of them, Leah, is an artist and knew how worried I was about the 10 frenchies and bulldogs that came in with so many problems that have cost so much to mend. Very kindly Leah (whose work you can see on instagram) has donated 2 wonderful limited pictures of a British Bulldog and a Frenchie to auction to try and raise funds. So every one is trying to help get through these very expensive times. The auction will be on our sites very soon.

Well, that's my week, I am sleep deprived but happy we have had some successful stories and many happy dogs whose lives have been saved because of people like you who have supported us. 

And as for that matted dog? Just look at the difference now! How handsome is he underneath all those knots and tangles! I am so glad I did not leave him behind.

Please help to care for these dogs.  It is only with your continued support that we are able to keep going.
Thank you
Sylvia