Two things I don't do....

...are quit and cry, and I've done both this week. I don't think there's anything wrong with crying, it's just not something I do, but I did on Thursday because I was just so tired and at breaking point. Actually, no, to be fair that came on Friday when I quit, but Gilly and Hannah (my friends and trustees) wouldn't accept my resignation.

I'm ok now, amazing what sleep and a good night out can do for you but it really has been a toughie again this week with animals being returned, falling ill and of course euthanasia. My Gilly sent me Interflora flowers on Thursday to cheer me up, such was my depth of despair. They did the trick and they are beautiful and on my mantel away from the 18, yes, 18 rabbits in my house.

Yes, two more came home Friday, Buffy & Duffy, after falling into gut stasis too. I had a rant about the girls being returned in a previous blog and to be honest I'm pretty annoyed about it all, again, as the reason why they became ill was entirely related to the amounts of dried food they had previously been fed and resulted in poor dental health and one of them needing an emergency dental treatment on Friday. The emergency vet care they both needed will cost over £150 and that could all have been avoided if they had been fed the proper diet we had stated. Our vet bill last month was £2700, that's well over a £1k more than usual and all because of the influx of abandoned animals and new admissions in poor condition - just like Dora bunny, whose treatment cost so far run up to nearly £300. So to have another expensive vet bill this month, when we don't have the cash, is just not good and just makes me doubly annoyed and quite despairing.

So, in a bid to try and be a bit more positive I've been trying to ponder over
highlights of the week. Sadly, they are a bit few and far between, and the quota of abuse from the phone lines has been typically high because I'm not a magical wizard that can make things better, and because I haven't learnt to clone myself yet nor magic up an animal sanctuary with lots of empty pens, oh, and before you ask, no I cannot help you reunite the fledgling bird that has fallen out of it's nest with its mother - please just leave them alone and let nature take it's course. But, probably, having Douglas and Floyd living in my offices this week is the best highlight to share.

They are temporarily living there because we have run out of cattery pens and foster space due to returns, adoptions falling through and new admissions pushing us over our capacity. In fact, we are over our capacity across the board by about 15 animals, maybe more, but the bonus has been hunky cat therapy whenever I have made it into the office. Floyd is my love monster and loves his belly tickles, helping me write things on my lap top and cuddles. While Douglas, on the other hand, loves snogs and playtime and helping me write things down and organising the pens and paperwork. Both are always in your face, so whichever office I have gone into I have been made to feel very loved and wanted indeed!

Another highlight of the week was hearing from two of our dog adopters and learning what our old friends are getting up to. Sasha, pictured above has got another new mate and a few new tricks up her sleeve. This is what her mum said,

"We have found that Sash has missed her calling in life as a sniffer dog. She has the ability on nearly every walk to find the most stinky, rotting, smelly things possible. So far we have had dead sheep (illegally dumped and very rotten - yummy!), fox skin - looked like a smelly moustache- . rotting pheasant and a host of other unidentified dead things!"


The other one was Princess, now called Jess (a much better choice of name). Her mum wrote to tell me,

"I (being completely obsessed with my wonderful girl) want to give you an update regarding our Jess (Princess). She is FANTASTIC. We took her to the caravan last weekend and even got permission from one of the farmers to run her off the lead in his field cos “she is sooo cute”. She “pranced” through the very long grass with the happiest look all over her face that if we could afford it we’d buy her her own acre.

To be honest. SHE IS PERFECT. A dog we never would have chosen due to the Staff mix but one we would have certainly missed out on if you hadn’t have encouraged us to meet her. Thank you. WE ARE VERY LUCKY."

I told her mum I got a bit emotional reading this because Jess came from the most vile conditions and had a really bad time and to know that she has found true happiness makes this damn job a bit more bearable during tough times. I can feel myself getting upset now but if you'd known what she's come from you would too - she had drunk the toilet bowl dry after being left with nothing for days and the toilet bowl was covered in human faeces.

And whilst several viewings and visits have come to nothing, and rehomings have come to a virtual standstill, Roger the cat got reserved and so did Megan and Milo the kittens. But this is going to be a far cry from the predictions I got Catherine to make about rehomings before she went away. She guessed that in the 3 weeks she would be on leave 6 cats and Holly and Red the dog would find homes. Both the dogs had reserves on them but they have fallen through and the cats, well, me may just do it by the skin of our teeth! I think Catherine also predicted two rabbits would be rehomed but instead we've had to have two put to sleep - so not doing well on that front at all.

Well, next week will be my last on my own and then I'm off on my hols for a week. I just really need some time to get on with our Summer Festival and Fun Dog Show planning and to find homes for our animals! I think it's going to be a long summer with quite a shortage of adoptions, but we'll get there, I know, because we always do.