Let us start off 2025 with a nice story. In December I had a ‘phone call from a lovely volunteer at Resto du Coeur, saying that the group had been anxious about one of their regulars and his dog, neither of whom had been seen for a few days. They went to his house out in the woods where they could hear the dog barking but there was no reply when they knocked on the door. Feeling anxious they called emergency services who entered the house to find the gentleman lying on the floor in a bad way. He was immediately taken off to hospital, but what to do with the dog ? Somebody found my number somewhere and called me. How could I say no ? So Nouschka came to Poorpaws and I have to say she is an absolute pearl. Congratulations to her owner who has obviously educated her and loved her to pieces. After a few weeks, the ‘Resto Ladies’ asked me if it would be possible to take Nouschka to visit the owner who was distressed about where and how she was. So one sunny January afternoon (yes there was one !) Nouschka and I took a trip to Cahors where nurses brought her owner downstairs. Well, you would have to have a heart of stone not to need tissues. I had told Nouschka she was going to see her ‘Daddy’ and she jumped around like a bunny, but when she actually saw him, she leapt up on to his lap and it was cuddle time. Sadly, he couldn’t stay outside for long and we couldn’t go inside, so it was not a long a visit as we would have liked. The owner has now been moved to a reeducation hospital quite a way away, but we are hoping to visit again soon.
Another happy (sort of) ending. Danielle and I both received an enmail from a gentleman in England saying that his Dad had died over here in France and left three dogs. Was there any chance we could find homes for them ? Danielle went to see the dogs, who were being fed and cared for by a kind neighbour, and came back saying the dogs were well behaved, obediant and affectionate BUT not in the first flush of youth. However, St. Cadbury sometimes works in mysterious ways and it just so happened that both Danielle and I had people looking for adult dogs. Two of the three now have new owners and the third could well have one by the end of this week !
The good news just keeps on coming ! Danielle has had a good month for adoptions, but of course there are always some dogs waiting. Urbain and Takar, oh bless, when will they be chosen ?
The Brittany Spaniel who is on our adoptions page, is, as expected, now here at Poorpaws and my goodness, I have never seen such a frightened bunny. Well, not a bunny obviously but you know what I mean. When we put her in the car at the vets, we attached her to a metal loop in the car and had strict instructions not to get her out until the car was safely inside our garden with the gates closed behind. Tick. Lucky that we followed the instruction to the letter because when we opened the car door and I reached inside to grab the lead, I saw the flash of a Brittany Spaniel fly past my eyes, the metal loop from the door still attached to the lead. SHIT (pardon my language !). This petrified dog was now loose in our very large garden and although it is fenced all the way round, there is always the possibility of a hole we didn’t know about. So twenty minutes of panic with the dog speeding hysterically around the garden and me praying to anyone and everyone that she could not get out. No point in chasing her, that would just make things worse. Then, oh thank you to all the dog loving gods, she spotted an open gate and ran for it ……..only to find that the gate lead to another enclosed dog park. Phew ! She has now calmed down a lot but I still keep her on the lead when walking in the garden until she gets over her dreadful fear of humans. I spend a lot of time just sitting in her enclosure on a chair reading, not making any demands and I think/hope we are making progress. Watch this space !
As I have said before, my adoptions page is not always up to date because sometimes, by the time Danielle has had time to update me, the dogs get adopted. So do keep an eye on her facebook page – La Mere aux Betes – to keep up to date. You don’t have to be on facebook, just tape in the name of the refuge followed by Facebook.
A quick mention of the Book Sale, 29th March, I am collecting books NOW !
Oh, Dry January ? Smashed it !!!!
Sue x