Little Gifts

If you are interested in supporting groups overseas then these guys seem worthy. They care for street animals in India and some are in such dire circumstances you can't imagine how they are still alive. Even more intriguing is how they do everything in Third World style - they operate outdoors and don't have any fancy catch poles or cages or other shelter paraphenalia. I will be donating to them because I appreciate what they achieve for animals that would otherwise die horrible deaths in silence. http://animalaidunlimited.org/

He can't help it if he is big boned! It actually looks like you have two litters on the ground and one is about two weeks or so ahead of the other! And they are all beautiful, including their mummy (who I still can't over is old enough to have her own babies!). I send them imaginary belly raspberries and kisses all the time! I love the smell of puppies!

He is HUGE!!!!!!

I am with Team Bart To The Rescue http://www.teambarttotherescue.org/ (you can also find us on Facebook). Team Bart started in September last year and every two months we connect with about 3 rescue groups and get their wish lists and try and fulfill them. Some items are bulk purchased and delivered with donation dollars, some items are purchased and sent by post by individual Team Bart Champions and other items are handmade and delivered/posted. This approach allows people with practical skills (but perhaps not a lot of money) to still be part of the giving process. There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing an animal using the item that you made on a rescue's Facebook page! And you can opt in or out of every round so if you are not a fan of farm animals or are short of funds there is no expectation that you will again participate. The rescue groups can be based anywhere around Australia and there is a tendency to support groups who might not be well noticed (but who are still doing important work). So far we have done dogs, cats, wildlife and are currently moving into pocket pets. In the future we will do farm animals and the pets of homeless people (and I think birds?). The more Champions we have the more rescue groups we can support. Team Bart is also working towards getting charity status already. Team Bart Champions are a very supportive and flexible bunch too - nothing is too much hassle for the rescue groups. The person who runs it is of course an animal lover and long time rescue supporter and as far as I know 100% of dollar donations are used to buy goods - she covers all other costs in running Team Bart To The Rescue herself. I personally wouldn't donate to the RSPCA. They have funding sources that so many other smaller groups don't. They also have a recognised name and PR options. I wont talk about what they aren't doing with all that money already in their accounts or the sob stories they tell to get it in the first place. It's your money so you should donate it where you feel most comfortable. In this instance size (of funds and the group you support) doesn't matter!

Thank you Rural Pug! Another great tip!

I was going to wait till next week and if no-one here wanted them I was going to look at small local rescues and RCR was definately on the top of my list!

I got the email too but something about it just didn't feel balanced or legit so I didn't even click the link.

The RSPCA should be bringing a cruelty case against police. If any of us kept a dog in a 9 x 3ft cage for 2 years we'd be facing fines and in fact those who are responsible for law and order should be held to a much higher standard than your average joe. How anyone could think that any living thing could be kept confined and without comfort or stimulation for two years and not change in personality and behaviour is ludicrous. If I were the owner I would be suing the police for damaging and loss of property. I'm glad it is not my dog or I'd have busted Stella out after 6 months.

One of our dogs (my sister's heart girl) had to be put to sleep very unexpectedly this week. She has some supplements and meds that might be useful to rescue. I can drop off (if based in SEQ) or post at my cost. The items are as follows: 15 x 20mg Prednisolone tabs (only issued last week - not sure what else it is used for besides what we were dealing with) 1 unopened bottle of Glyde Mobility Chews for Dogs (30 chews in the bottle) 1 unopened bottle of Technyflex Canine (240 capsules in the bottle) 1 unopened 250g bottle of Sashas Blend Powder 1 opened 250g bottle of Sashas Blend Powder(about a quarter left - spoon still in bottle) My sister hopes that other rescue animals can benefit from these items. Please let me know if you need any more information about the items from their packaging.

She had just been the most amazing mother! She clearly adores her bubbas as much ad we do.

I think rescue groups do have to think of fun ways to spread the word about their dogs. As long as the same assessment process is used with adoption applications then I am fine with how people find their dogs in the first place. I was at the Dog Day Out the first year and so many dogs were adopted and left then and there with owners that I doubt home checks were done on them all. People actually turned up with leashes in their hand despite having no idea what dogs they would find there. That's not really the kind of 'prepared for a new dog' scenario I was comfortable with. We had the ability to go and do home checks (and there was a private meet and greet area) but I know there was at least one very persistent woman we repeatedly said no to. Somebody probably said yes and let a dog go home to no fence and yard full of chickens. Off topic but where I am working now there is a cat café on the same block and I have to find the time to go and check it out.

The website is http://www.dogfirstaid.com.au/courses.html ... the courses are 5hrs long and are run at 51 Wellington Street, Virginia and also Bankstown, NSW. They have a Facebook page as well - which I how I came across them. I have booked into the session on 2nd April. Thank you and will you please post in here and let us know how the course was?

Who is the course with Tilly? Could you add a link please? It's something I'd like to do too. Not prepared for much here either.

Marcus must think we are all cray-cray! I love the name Obvious - it's very fitting.

Neko's puppies come in small....medium....and extra large!

Here is my take on desexing. Most people do not give it a thought until something goes wrong or it becomes a problem - a bitch in season, spotting on the furniture, escaping, unwanted litters. If they have a male dog it could be escaping, barking, marking, leg humping, paying higher impound fees every time it is caught on the hunt for a bitch in season. Then when these people have the idea put in their mind that it can all be resolved with desexing they ring maybe 2 local vets and decide it is horribly expensive. For an operation that can save you a whole lot of stress (and maybe money if you end up with an unwanted litter of puppies) it is not expensive at all. It pays for itself in lower council registration fees too. Plus many vets (and the RSPCA) run desexing specials and of course there are payment plans. Desexing your pet will be the cheapest surgery you ever get and if you can't afford that you can't afford a pet (or unwanted litters). I don't know how you educate those who are not interested in being educated but I think that is where the problem lies. So many people just don't see it as an issue until it becomes a problem for them. Compulsory desexing is unlikely to be the answer. You will just get more people not registering their dogs - council can't police what they don't know about.

I pronounce it tit-ra. Oh dear.....

Bastards! I hope it is found soon with all your gear still in it.

I've never had pet insurance and I have also been pretty lucky in having healthy dogs and an income that enabled me to cover any large, unexpected bills that came in. I've been with the same vets since 1988 and get a loyalty discount from them. I've noticed though that costs have increased to the point that I always scrutinise my bill now with a lump in my throat (my income is not what it used to be). I don't begrudge what my vet charges - I don't even think they are expensive, but it all adds up. I think you need to make sure any policy you get covers the things you need - many don't cover things like dental for instance. It would certainly be beneficial for a major illness or accident, particularly after hours, which can cost thousands in one hit. This issue is like having private health cover for humans. I reckon if I had've started putting $25 a week into a separate account when I first started working I would've had enough money to cover every specialist, dental and allied health bill I've ever had. Instead I've been paying into a fund for decades and the two times I've had major illness I've still been out of pockets thousands of dollars (plus paying for Medicare services I am never able to access as I get slotted into the private system). I'm sure you could apply the same kind of principle to pet insurance. Part of what you pay for is that piece of mind that you (or your pet) can get the tests and treatment needed regardless of how your bank balance is looking.

My nephew and his partner were in the Bundaberg floods a couple of years back. They only had to evac towards the end and packed up their ute with all their camping gear and their cats and dogs and headed to the high school because they were told no evac centre would take pets. Unfortunately they got trapped there with several other families and their pets and those other people were not very organised so they had to share all their supplies with them. Even worse, peoples pets were just roaming the streets for several days without clean drinkable water or food until rescue workers came back into the area. It really was traumatic for them even though they tried to prepare as best they could.

Dewclaws I don't have time to post in detail now but there are reasons behind the price of some pups bred by quality breeders. Litters in some breeds are small, potential need to do a cesar, importing semen, health checks, vaccinations, registering, limited number of litters per bitch, only 1 or 2 litters on the ground at the same time. Small numbers in litters and high demand for a breed can also increase the market value (just like any other in demand and hard to obtain product). It really isn't right to compare prices by backyard breeders who are offering no guarantees (because they can't), no post purchase support and who spent squat on the bitch or breeding and socialising their pups with the good breeders who are out there, particularly with breeds prone to some genetic issues. Sadly with puppies you don't always get what you pay for and most consumers don't seem to care enough to shop around. Geez you even get a better 'product' through most rescues than you will ever get for your money with a puppy farmer or backyard breeder. They are the ones ripping consumers off (as are pet shops who stock puppy farmers products). The majority of good breeders have to hold down paid jobs to cover the real outlays of breeding - they are not sitting on their arses, letting their dogs do all the work while lining their pockets. A good breeder is trying to progress the breed, not breed as many pups as they can and sell them for as much as they can. There is a world of difference. And no, I have never bred a dog and have no plans to but I have house sat for several award winning breeders (their bitches and pups) and been involved in a breed specific rescue that has a lot of genetic issues (and a lot of backyard breeders). I've seen with my own eyes the differences.

Hey maybe you should call the 'wombpo' Coal (as in lump of....).

Have a look at this DOL thread. We have three different breeds of dog here with three different coat types (including a large breed long hair) and a calendula tea rinse makes them all look clean and shiny, feel soft and smell, well, like nothing! It is so quick to bath them (no rinsing required), which is good because two out of three hate baths here. I also do ours on the lawn on any bald patches so nothing goes to waste - you can't get much more natural than that! In the interest of honest disclosure though I will say we did have some problems with the calendula and our pei girl for a bit. Her skin didn't like it for a period of time (no idea why) but we are back to using it without issue. http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/254792-o-m-g-calendula-tea-rinse/

I reckon in an emergency or evac situation council would have to be flexible about the council disk issue so I wouldn't stress too much about that. Reuniting a dog and owner would have to be the biggest priority in that scenario. I get all my tags off ebay too - I like the tags to match the colour and pattern of the leash and harness/collar sets!

I'm pretty sure you only had two puppies. That big one looks like a baby wombat!