Last week was a "challenging" week - challenging in a new way, we took a new boy in last Friday from Tailem Bend name Beau, his Mumma had broken her hip and was no longer in a position to care for him. He arrived at HQ and went straight in for de-sexing. He is an active boy even though he is 9 years old - loves to play fetch and has a very loving soul.
I had tradesman at my house on Monday doing some odd jobs so Beau spent the day in the front yard away from the crew just so he could re-coup. Monday night William had to go the vet after work as he had a seriously red and swollen eye, so on my return home I noticed Beau was not there!
PANIC! I have never lost a foster dog before, he had obviously jumped the fence - he could have been gone for 11 hours - how far could he have gone. HELP!!! I walked the block, calling and calling, my lovely friends Chris and Ray came over and we drove the main roads praying he had not been hit by a car. He was no where to be found
A very sleepless night and a full day at work feeling like HELL, I prayed that when I got home he would be there waiting. It wasn't to be! I walked again the entire block, the main road - calling, calling and calling until it was dark, praying to the heavens above he was safe.
We are trusted with these doggies and I felt like I was a complete failure.
Wednesday morning I am up early getting the breakfasts ready and I hear a lot of barking and carry on, I ignore it for a short while and then I go and investigate - I had to take 2 - Beau was at the back door bailed up by the crew!!! The relief was priceless. He was home, he was safe.
My prayers had been answered and I was every so grateful. Now a new dilemma has surfaced, I really need higher fencing at the front of the house so I can keep these precious pooches away from harm - the next goal - to get it!
HQ needs another area where dogs can be separated - this is on the wish list too - together with a day care hut - a space where the dogs can play during the day instead of in the house - their own abode - I have vision - I am sure that's what keeps me pushing ahead. I have contacted a large number of fencing companies in Adelaide to see if they have any seconds, off cuts etc that they could donate - in the meantime, we just make do.
Tara was here for a 3 weeks with us, she was getting to be a little dominant and I noticed big changes in one of my crew - he was just scared stiff of her. I knew something had to change, Tara wasn't going to get the training she needed here with me - so today she went off to a new carer - she will love the life by the seaside and will grow so much faster getting one on one time.
Tara and her sister, Lizzie are really good dogs, in the right home they will be such devoted companions - but for the first time MP finds itself re-homing black dogs. I have also heard there is a stigma towards black dogs, but had never felt it first hand. I have to say - we have received 1 enquiry on these girls - is it because they are black? because they are so hard to photograph? you cannot see their true personalities in their images? who knows, but I am disappointed and will focus more time on getting them good exposure.
I am getting wonderful updates on Barley and Leo and I am so proud - 2 sweet boys that will furever be in my heart. It makes me happy. Happy to know we had a special part in their second chances.
Changing microchips, adoption certificates, vet records, accounts, emails, last week has been exceptionally busy - we have a larger than normal number of doggies for adoption which means the work load increases and I have to say I found myself more exhausted at the beginning of this week than I have felt for a very long time. I guess work life, home life, rescue life, charity life all tends to add up and after all I forget I am human and humans do need a break every now and then.
Apparently the stress of having to fill out one of our application forms and the fact he didn't have a home with a fence took his anxiety to a whole new level and he went and got himself a puppy! apparently getting a rescue dog was too hard. Mmmmmm I say - it took a lot of my energy not to write back exactly what I thought - but in reality this puppy will probably be a pooch we re-home in a few years when the gentleman is too old to care for it anymore!! and further more MP is not the only rescue group in SA. There truly are some mindless people in the world.
Last weekend I conducted 2 meet and greets with our pooches - meeting loving, doggy people is wonderful! There are people who genuinely care and want to adopt rescue animals - I think of all the negative I see every single day in day to day life and how horrible humans can be and then on the weekends I get to meet lovely people - the heart pumps once again.
We have also had the worry of one of our rescue dogs, Roxie having a lump removed that they feel may be cancer - we have to wait 10 days for the results. I know people think they are just one of our rescue dogs, but to me they are my family, whether they are fostered in my home or not - they are my/MP responsibility and I worry about them like they are my children. We pray for a positive outcome for dear Roxie and I am so thankful she is in the dedicated hands of Michelle who truly looks after this special needs girl. It is a relief to know she is enjoying life after a not so good one previously.
Our biggest issue in rescue at present is money. MP has always been very fortunate in the last couple of years to have a healthy balance, but I guess as we grow we get to care for more doggies and with more doggies there is more vet bills - so atm we are just paying for one vet visit/one dog at a time and the bank balance is the lowest it is has been for an exceptionally long time. We have some wonderful supporters and that is truly humbling. Our mission is to get on board corporate/business sponsors - passive income where we can promote them for assisting rescue. Sharon has done an awesome job in the marketing of this and now we just need to push, push, push!
So that's a week in a wrap.....I look forward to some renewed energy this week and some happy stories and we are working hard on our next fundraiser/get together - Paws in the Park and I truly hope we have a great turn out.
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