Well I suppose my fellow bloggers and supporters might feel like that since I haven’t written since July but I haven’t had that much to tell and I don’t want to bore everyone with treatment that is ongoing until well its not…..
So this blog is slightly different, its about the things that concern me, things that are within my power to change and others that it just makes me feel good knowing I am a small part. They always say Charity begins at home but I think its wherever you seek it……
I love animals – a massive sucker for all but especially dogs and horses. It breaks my heart when I see the amount in this country and others that are abandoned or cruelly treated. Last week I was able to go and visit two wonderful friends Lorraine and Sean who live outside Murcia in Spain. Both are volunteers at Los Infiernos Protectora Animal Shelter and asked if I would like to go walk a dog.
They did warn me of the sound and smell – over 250 animals isn’t going to be a perfume you are going to spray on liberally but I wasn’t expecting the emotion I would feel to see dogs (plural) in cages begging for attention, wanting their forever home, wanting some human interaction – which one do you choose?
Not only that but there are dogs that cannot be walked – those that are deemed dangerous and can only be walked be those that have a licence and then muzzled, their eyes still said they want love.
Puppies galore, these are the ones that don’t stay in long but get their forever home for the fact that they have no history, are adorable with those big puppy dog eyes – who could resist? Nearby are the small dogs and the old ones – who wants to be in a loud shelter in your later years when you should be curling upon a sofa with a soft toy as company.
I came across Linda – one such old lady whose overbite made her look as though she was constantly growling, she melted my heart and Sean got a slip lead so that we could take her out, nervous at first but once out of the pen on her own she loved her freedom – sniffing and pooing to her hearts content. It was lovely to see her outside and also the others that volunteers had come to take out. She wasn’t happy to go back in and showed her disapproval.
Knowing that I couldn’t adopt her myself – even at 8 years old she still might outlive me – I decided to sponsor her so that she could be hopefully adopted outside Spain and set about with the centre at promoting her. Didn’t take long and a couple of days later I got a personal message to say she had been reserved and is due to go to the UK in November. My heart could have burst as she wasn’t doing well – now all she needs is a bath.
My mission now is to get the two longest residents of the shelter homes Otto and Blade both part of the invisible crowd both have sponsorship to be homed abroad, who knew that the Spanish don’t like black cats and dogs.
Both don’t like other dogs and Otto doesn’t like cats but is great on walks and is a strong boy. The centre have posted some fantastic videos of him on his walks and he is such a lovely boy. Blade was given up by an owner who spoilt him so much that while she taught him to obey and be polite she gave him no social skills with other dogs – he loves to play and his favourite thing is his ball. Both dogs need someone with patience, understanding and a lot of love.
All their details can be seen on their Facebook page Los Iinfiernos Protectora Supporters or website
https://losinfiernos.wixsite.com/lips Share, share share because I am always in the mind that if we can’t help at this time there is always someone that will. Just remember Lucky Linda!
Long before Spain there was Norfolk and an animal charity that was asking for a donation of a bale of hay as it was coming up to winter and because of Covid they were short on donations for their animals. Hillside Animal Sanctuary needed more than a bale of hay so I set up a direct debit of £10 a month – the last email I got from them they have 300 pigs, 650 cows, 750 sheep and goats, 2500 horses, ponies and donkeys and lots of other smaller animals and dogs.
It was founded in 1995 to help and campaign for animals in need in particular those in the intensive factory farming industry. Martin Shaw is their most famous patron. Looking at those figures and the fact that feed costs so much my donation it’s a drop in the ocean but it is something and while I can I will.
Mum loves Gorilla’s, the mountain kind and on my Bucket List was to adopt an animal so WWF UK was the first contact to see if I could tick this off and make my Mum smile at the same time. Again its only money I can afford and not a great deal but there doesn’t need one person donating thousands just thousands donating £1. In these times of austerity it is hard to think what we can do and that charities can be losing out so much but I am sure there is a way.
I give to many other charities many cancer related – please help if you can, share if you can. Thank you so much for reading, this time its about helping and not about illness.
canmollyrun 