Raven's Diary

For the last 3 weeks I’ve been secretly working on a project that has brought me immense fulfilment.

21+ hours – 140+ dogs – 45+ cats … and a few scrapes and bruises …

I launched the initiative to update Animal Welfare PE website with up to date information and most importantly photographs of every single dog, puppy, cat and kitten. It is my vision not to just help one or two little souls but to make hundreds aware of hundreds of little souls desperately looking for love. I unfortunately can’t save them all on my own, as much as I would love to.  With technology taking over it has become more popular to buy cars, clothes, accessories and pets online. Why not then support a local shelter instead of backyard puppy mills by going online and making your choice just as easily. The only thing with most websites is that maintaining and updating is often not done. And so that’s where I came in.

I met up with Nicky, the new Home Manager at Animal Welfare PE, and we hit it off straight away. She is such a positive and passionate person, especially about animals. We had great fun and I felt calm to walk into almost any and every cage without fear. I had to do some acrobatics and practise my reflexes. At one point I was literally almost on my head trying to get the best shot. It was so amazing meeting the Kennel Managers and seeing their passion and love for the animals they take care of. It was even more amazing to see each one of those dogs have a personality unique to him or her. By the end of day one I felt part of the family and pack.

It hasn’t all been sunshine and roses though, this is a non profit organisation afterall and I’ve seen first hand why they can only keep good clean friendly animals. It has opened my eyes and it is my mission to open some more. It takes special people to make the hard decisions which are necessary to save those saveable and to play god to those not rehomeable. It is most sad to see the quality of dog which is neglected and thrown away by “normal” people, those very same people who are your neighbours, uncles or mechanics.

This experience came at the right time. I was one of those that didn’t want to set foot at Animal Welfare out of fear and wanting to carry on in a state of ignorance is bliss. But I am so glad that my path took me here. The staff are friendly and welcoming and I cannot wait to get this project to final completion so that I may spend some time with my adopted pack of 140+ dogs and 45+ cats.

…woof…

…meaow…

Find your perfect paw partner at Animal Welfare Adopt

…1 weekend…2 hands…

What a weekend of paws and tails. I was out and about most of Thursday and upon return was greeted all too eagerly with 6 wagging tails! What a site. It is however quite a trick to make a pathway through 6 excited tails without stepping on one of the 24 paws ranging in different sizes and reflex skill levels.

But we made it and everyone is literally passed out all over the house in their special spot. 4 of the paws who we were babysitting is back home! The rest having had fun with the guest are now bushed. Kodi and Mitsu have taken over the double bed mattress all sprawled out and quite comfy. Lola is too precious, her new perch is the very top part of the couch. Tux is wormed under blankets next to Chris on the couch. And Bentley is in his recovery room after having a bit too much excitement and a few unfortunate slips. So close to the end of his recovery we are praying none of the slips have caused permanent damage. He just loves hopping around with the others a bit too much, like he is finding his inner spring chicken.

Feeding times are interesting to say the least. I stare (and giggle) in amazement at the antics of Chris trying to control 5 dogs while 1 is eating, well actually more like frantic scoffing. He has done such an amazing job with them that more often than not he gets them to sit while the food is in front of them and then only upon command eats. The challenge is keeping all the other away as they all think each bowl is theirs.

We also weighed everyone this weekend. Mitsu is picking up weight like a champ. A mere 2 days ago she was 9.9kg and then today she was already 10.4kg. The others are on diet again as they have picked up a little and since we were ignorant and irresponsible with Tux we are very vigilant now. Bentley also surprised us with his 17kg. We should’ve weighed him the first day to see how much he gained. He’s looking good now with lekker fat on his bones. Lola is the teeniest weighing in at a mere 4.4kg. And we won’t mention how much mommy weighs…

Letter from a shelter manager

Hate me if you want to. The truth hurts and reality is what it is. I just hope I maybe changed one persons mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter, or buying a dog. I hope that someone will walk into my shelter and say “I saw this and it made me want to adopt”. THAT WOULD MAKE IT WORTH IT

I think our society needs a huge “Wake-up” call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all…a view from the inside if you will.

First off, all of you breeders/sellers should be made to work in the “back” of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don’t even know.

That puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it’s not a cute little puppy anymore. So how would you feel if you knew that there’s about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at? Purebred or not! About 50% of all of the dogs that are “owner surrenders” or “strays”, that come into my shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses I hear are; “We are moving and we can’t take our dog (or cat).” Really? Where are you moving too that doesn’t allow pets? Or they say “The dog got bigger than we thought it would”. How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? “We don’t have time for her”. Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! “She’s tearing up our yard”. How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me “We just don’t want to have to stress about finding a place for her we know she’ll get adopted, she’s a good dog”.

Odds are your pet won’t get adopted & how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you, your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn’t full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it. If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don’t, your pet won’t get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the “Bully” breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door.

Those dogs just don’t get adopted. It doesn’t matter how ’sweet’ or ‘well behaved’ they are.

If your dog doesn’t get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn’t full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution, but not for long. Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don’t have the funds to pay for even a R100 treatment.

Here’s a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being “put-down”.

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to “The Room”, every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there, it’s strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They will find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the “pink stuff”. Hopefully your pet doesn’t panic from being restrained and jerk. I’ve seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don’t just “go to sleep”, sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

When it all ends, your pet’s corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You’ll never know and it probably won’t even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?

I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can’t get the pictures out of your head I deal with everyday on the way home from work.

I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this

DON’T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Well I really do feel like we are living in a zoo at the moment! Having two adopted children each with their own vastly different and demanding personalities is pushing my limits….

Bentley is doing very very well. He does not want to be confided anymore even though he is only half way through his recovery. I’m sure if the vet saw how much we actually let him walk around he would be upset. Bentley has put on a nice layer of fat over those previously protruding bones and his coat is getting thicker by the day. He has such a beautiful playful personality but we cringe every time he gets too excited and forgets that he shouldn’t be bouncing around like a pup. He has taken a liking to the new husky pup. I think hormones has a lot to do with that, unfortunately. Sometimes it seems like he wants to play and other times it seems like he wants to bite her. We’re confused probably as much as he is. Surprisingly he is very obedient and knows the word ‘no’ as he approaches the coach but still tries to push his luck. Yesterday I kicked a tennis ball around and he got very scared but then I kneeled down and held the ball and got him to come closer, it was so cute seeing him tilt his head and playfully knaw at it. Then I rolled the ball and was shocked to see him bounce after it and pick it up. I got him to do it three times and then he had enough. But that was incredible.

Now the Husky pup….sheesh what a ball of neverending energy. We’ve named her Mitsu, eventually! We tried a few names but most didn’t roll off the tongue so lekker. All our efforts to find her owners seem to be fruitless. Only one lady phoned to ask whether it was the same husky she was trying to catch for weeks now, I don’t think it is, so sadly there’s another one roaming free. Anyways, Mitsu thinks she’s home and so does pappa bear who I can see does not want to let go. Her and Lola are ruffhouse buddies. The poor Lola gets rolled and pushed and mauled regularly throughout the day. Sometimes I get so fearful that she’s getting hurt, I mean Mitsu is really 10 times her size. But they seem to enjoy it. Mitsu being so young seems to not understand that peeing happens outside yet and pee patrol is giving me grey hairs. We can run around outside for half hour but the minute she gets back inside she pee’s wherever she feels like. I’ve tried all the tricks but this little short of attention span monster doesn’t get it. She is genuinely a gentle little creature though and we’ve all (well except Kodi) has fallen in love with her. Really can’t understand why her owners seem not to want to find her.

And that’s the update today! Everyone, except Mitsu is exhausted! So we shall see what this new week has in store.

I was shown again today that you must be careful what you wish for.

Today I was up before sunrise and wondered how I would spend my day. Everything I should sort of be doing did not have to be done today, it could be done the next day or even next week. The weather was so awesome I didn’t want to spend it indoors, so I decided it was time to visit Addo Elephant Park. I had heard on the news last night that they are running a free entry initiative, but even at their low entrance fees I wouldn’t have minded paying. So I made preparations, packed up the camera equipment and some snacks and headed to Spar for some more special snacks to enjoy on my roadtrip.

At the stop street coming out of the centre parking lot I spot this Husky pup running in front of a truck, I cringe and then speed my way to the nearest driveway. Got out and tried to coax the poor little thing to me. I got whisker close and then it sped off down the road. I jumped back into bakkie and sped after. Fortunately for me she went into the nearest open yard and I managed to corner and grab her. She still wanted to bite me but I just laughed at her and said come on silly pup I wanna help. Loaded her into the bakkie and off we went on a new adventure. My day had just become interesting.

I phoned ahead to Chris at home asking him to clear the front yard I’m bringing a ‘present’ home! When he saw her his heart melted. The introductions to the pack was interesting…they were and are not happy. Tux and Kodi see her as a big threat. But Lola is too precious she just wants to run and chase and play. Poor Bentley was so traumatised in his room he ripped the blinds. And upon introducing him to her it was clear he was not happy either.

At the moment each one is resting in their favourite place while the Husky pup is under my feet chewing a hoof. She has adopted me as her temp furmom. So cute how she runs to me for protection when she feels threatened. She is incredibly beautiful and so soft natured. It may just be the puppiness of her coz she looks barely 6 months old even though she’s almost knee high. A big girl in the making I think.

I’ve put up a notice at the Spar and told the pharmacist and our vet and loaded onto a popular lost and found website, Barking Mad. So I really do hope that her owners are looking for her and that they are good people and will love her when they finally come forward.

But in the meantime I’m having fun having a ‘baby’ in the house! All sweet and innocent. Kodi and Tux are really not game for this BIG puppy!