Romanian Rescue
Romanian Rescue
If you are thinking of adopting a dog, whether as a companion to an existing one or because you have just lost your old friend do consider adopting a dog from Romania.
I was sent some terrible video footage of animal brutality in this country, which included dogs hung from trees, beaten to death in the streets. The women who voluntarily do this unpaid rescue, work tirelessly to help as many dogs as they can and deserve our support, and are in need of foster carers as well as adopters.
It is worth noting here that I also recieved a video showing a little grey pony who had collapsed pulling a cart and was being beaten senseless while lying on the ground unable to get up. I was so horrified by this I contacted every equine charity I could think of in this country to try and find some help.The only reply on the little grey pony was the Brooke Hospital, so if dogs don't arouse compassion in you but equines do I think this is a charity to support.
More recently I was sent footage of the Chairman of some Croatian Horse Breeding society allowing his dogs to feed off a live injured horse that was strapped to the ground. (I sent this one to H&H but they must have thought it too horrific to publish)
I am assuming that the readers of this website would all consider themselves to be "animal lovers" and love the animals they own. The fact that so many of us get so much from our relationships with other species is great, but that in itself should make us feel more keenly that the abuse of any animal is unacceptable. We all need to be aware of the horrendous cruelty inflicted on animals and if we all do a little bit we can make a difference.
I sometimes shut my eyes and imagine a planet with no other species but the human one. It is a totally barren landscape .
Some of my rescue dogs are pictured below.
MIRI
(left) was the quickest to adapt to her new life in England, LUCY
(on the right) arrived in a cage and it was weeks before we could touch her and months before she could walk out on a lead. Sadly her puppy was killed and this must have added to the trauma she had suffered as a street stray.
New Arrival - Fe Fe
so frightened by her life experiences so far that she suffers from agrophobia to the extent she falls over on her back frozen with fear when anyone approches her. Hopefully now looking forward to a happier life.......
Fe Fe loves cats (she shared her kennel with cats in the rescue centre in Romania) here she is pictured with Little Gem, a feral cat we found living in our feed store two years ago. Gem had suffered the feline equivalent to a stroke so her head was "upside down" and she had lost her balance completely. Two years on she has made an almost complete recovery and is the most affectionate cat you could meet. Hopefully Fe Fe will gain some confidence watching her interact with humans.
Post script. Fefe is now (six months later) a much more confident dog. She has remembered how to play and is constantly engaging Swansea Jack (my black GSD rescued from death row in a Welsh dog pound) in play fights.
I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my latest rescue. Photos sent from Romania of" Ollie".
Ollie and Fefe are both doing well.Although both are still quite timid! Pictured below with The Mole, a very old blind cat who I adopted after she was found living under pallets in my stables many years ago.
It took two years before she would come to us for attention but as can be seen from the photo is now fully domesticated.
I am now awaiting the arrival of Lilly from Serbia. She was found lying by the road side having been dumped there by someone who had inflicted such terrible injuries on her that she will never be able to walk again. However she is a resiliant little soul and can get out and about with the aid of a special "wheel chair" and hopefully will enjoy her life with me despite her disability.
Lilly has arrived and is pictured in her cart being watched over by Swansea Jack in his usual role of the new arrival's minder.
And finally Swansea Jack, who might only have been snatched off death row in a Welsh Strays Pound , but deserves to have his portrait here as wiser than many of us and kinder than most of us he has been magnificent in sharing his home with a stream of these poor little Romanian refugees. And as you can see from the photo below he is also a great help to me in the office.........