Meet the Newbies & Vixen Update!

You may remember a few weeks ago we took in a 10 year old greyhound girl who was in a hell of a mess bless her! She was found wandering the streets thin and in season covered in scars with a mouth full of rotting teeth, a horrendously broken nose and mammory tumours. Since then Vixen as she was named because despite all this she was a cheeky little minx has been lounging around in one of our foster homes!

Today I spoke to the vets and now she has settled in and gained some weight its time to undergo the massive amounts of surgery needed to get this happy go lucky girl a happy go lucky body to hopefully enjoy and prance around in for the we hope remaining few years!

The vets Vixen is under arnt the cheapest but they are one of the best and serve the area of care she is in and the costing isnt going to be pretty!!!! We are hoping to hold one of our speciality online auctions to help with the costs which we estimate are going to be anything up to around £1000.

First stage of operations will start next week when she will go in for a very evasive dental surgery as her teeth are so bad they are affecting her whole body sending poison coursing through it from the infection. She will also receive a jab that will hopefully end any pregnancy should she be unfortunate enough to have been caught in whelp. She is too old and too unfit to be worrying about going through motherhood bless her, the second injection will be administered 24 hours later.

We then need to give her a couple of weeks to rest between surgeries before we progress onto the next stage which will be spaying and mammory tumour removal. The tumour is huge and she will feel much better without it we can just only hope its nothing sinister and is benign so good thoughts for that would be appreciated.

Once all that is out of the way a month after we may need to consider more dental work.

Vixen is a trooper with a huge zest to live and love and we know that if any dog will just take the surgery in her stride appreciate its merit and take the time to reap the benefits it will be here. She is such a special girl, deserves the best and we hope we can give it. We will keep you updated.

Now meet the newbies.... Today myself and Trish headed up to the kennels early doors to get photos as we knew you would all be waiting to see them.

So with no further ado here there are

Allow me to introduce

Billy, Foxy & Angel

and last but not least the beautiful but somewhat shy Jade

All of these dogs are looking for foster homes. If you think you can help please call!

Another bit of good news..... after yesterdays appeal the beautiful Robson will now be heading to foster at the weekend. Massive thanks to Sue & Andy who normally only take in our oldies but are willing to help this lad out as he is doing so badly in kennels.

Gap News the week of my holiday - update

First of all have to say a massive thanks to the Gap team for holding the fort whilst I took the break and especially Liz who took the strain of all the phone and email work on which we normally share between us so she handled two peoples calls!

The day before I left for holiday Tess who landed in our care the week before was taken very poorly. There was something not quite right with her that I couldnt put my finger on but she seemed too quiet for a young beddy x girlie. Thankfully she went in for full health check and spay and our vets took the decision to open her up and see what if anything else was going on! Thank god they did! Tess had a seriously enlarged spleen that had just ruptured, probably from a trauma before landing in our care poor girl! Her insides were hideous and the next 48 hours were critical, being a young girl Tess thankfully pulled it back quickly and has now made a full recovery. Dogs unlike humans dont need to take any medication and can live happily without her spleen so she is expected to have a normal happy life now we are over the moon!

On the intakes front this week saw lots of new arrivals need in whilst I was away! Roxy a black greyhound female landed from her trainer owner, Molly another black bitch originally rehomed via Cheshire dogs home but once again needing out arrived, also a very nervous RSPCA case girl Jade the lurcher and three more greyhounds Billy a handsome Brindle male, Angel (snort more like fallenangel!) a cheeky quirky happy smiley blue girl and Foxy a beautiful deep red. At the moment I only have photos of Molly as you can see below she is a little darling but will update with pictures of the others as soon as!

Aswell as the ones expected to leave us we are also happy to report that both Mork, James and Murphy have also found their forever homes! Be happy boys xx

I would also like to use the block to issue a plea! On return from holiday ive found that Robson our gentle giant broken coated boy is not doing so well in kennels! He is dropping weight quickly and urgently need to find him a foster home. Robson is a very quiet boy and isnt vocal or destructive in the kennels just quietly pining away! He gets on great with all other dogs and seems fine with people he is however not cat friendly.

IF ANYONE CAN HELP WITH A FOSTER HOME FOR ROBSON PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP THANKS!

.....And a great time was had by all!

Well back from our holidays and what a holiday it was! We headed down to Swallows Dance in Pembrokeshire run by friends Carol and Trev who are very very dog friendly www.swallowsdance.co.uk they also have another cottage Little Dumpledale www.littledumpledale.co.uk . The cottage is very self contained and has a garden around 1/4 of an acre. We went with Anna & David and between us took 12 hounds! I have to say for two different groups of families the dogs all got on remarkably well. The weather was almost too good to be true and although we did visit some places locally like Broadhaven and Freshwater to be honest most of the time we spent in the cottage garden enjoying the company, the hounds playing good food and beer! We also partook in an evening with Carol and Trevor and the other guests staying in the caravan and cottage and reciprocated the next evening by inviting everyone over for a BBQ at Swallowsdance. Hello to Chris, Jen & Tom if you read this it was lovely to met you and your hound thank you for the donation and look forward to seeing you if you can make it to the show!

You can see on the piccies a mocked up fence hurridly put up by Trev! Although the garden is totally secure one of Anna's new additions Arthur was a little bit mind blown by the view across the surrounding fields and was liable to do himself an injury trying to find a way by hook or crook to get out! In true Trev style nothing to much there was a mocked up safety feature installed within an hour of us heading out for the afternoon. Thanks Trev your a hero.

Anyway some piccies of the hounds enjoying the sun!

Two of my own beauties Queenie Bea and Tzar enjoying the garden!

Myself and Tzar enjoying a cuddle in the afternoon sun!

Duchess (brindle) & Lottie (cream) two of our current homeless hounds enjoying playing with my Tzar and Maggies Ruby!

and a group of hounds enjoying the garden!

Getting away from it.

Well Saturday see's me heading off on holiday for a week so a quick Gap blog update before I go! I say getting away from it but im actually taking two of my current fosters Duchess and Lottie with me aswell as three of my own dogs Tzar, Bea & Rodney. Sam is heading into kennels as after 18mnths of being in our care he is still undergoing severe behaviour issues based around the outdoors and the frustration it envokes, it also gives us the chance to allow a behaviourist friend to come and put a couple of days work in with him. Henry my third foster is also heading back in kennels as he has only been out of them for a short time and again has alot to learn before he engages as one dog in twelve out and about. Anna is coming with us along with her husband David and the seven Revitt hounds!! Wonder how much of a break we will have with twelve dogs in total who cares I cant wait. I have no idea if Duchess and Lottie have ever seen a beach before and am really looking forward to their feet hitting the sand.

Today we have another new arrival landing within the folds a 3 1/2 year old black bitch called Roxy. She has been with her owner since retiring from racing but she is such a happy go lucky girl she needs a family and sofa to call her own retirement pad. Im sure it wont be long before she finds her perfect home.

I mentioned earlier Henry. Henry is a big male greyhound who has been in our kennels for a while now so on Saturday I brought him home to see how he did with the others. He is turning into a dream, im going to bring him back here after our holiday and hope he finds his perfect home quickly. He still needs some leash socialisation but has been spotlessly clean from day one. He is getting on so well with the others and has already started to play and is a little bit in love with Lottie as the pictures below show. Who could resist this boy? I also find it hard to believe that the lucious Lottie has now been with us since last October. We just dont seem to have found the right home for her. She needs somewhere without young children 10 + would be fine, no cats but other dogs and not left more than a couple of hours at a time. The right home just hasnt come along!

Henry & Lottie

Spring has Sprung

and that means another busy week in Gapland.

There has been intakes and outgoings galore this week. Its fabulous that we are homing so well and the dogs seem to be settling fabulously and am getting good reports back from all the adopters.

At the weekend we said goodbye to Daisy, Macey, Loafer & Jake. Roscoe is leaving us for his new home today, Tig is leaving Friday and Savannah's new Mum is collecting her early next week. So great news all round.

This week also saw the adorable Sadie move into foster down South with Corinne. Sadie is a cheeky little whippety cross girl who on first test seems cat friendly we will though be putting her more extensively through her paces. This girl is so happy and loveable and although a little giddy doesnt seem to have a nasty bone in her body.

On the welcoming side this week we say hello to Robson. Robson was found straying and taken to the local pound, we have no idea how this boy has found himself homeless. Robson is a big deerhound x broken coated boy. Other than not being cat friendly he is such a loving sensitive boy who looks at you with such adoration in his eyes. After spending just a couple of hours with him at the kennels it was easy to see the bond he had already formed with myself and how he looked to me for guidance. I cant wait to find this boy a foster home because it will be lovely to see him settle and then go on to find the wonderfully lucky family who dont yet know he is their heartdog.....

Robson

Then Saturday also saw the arrival of the beautiful Tess. Tess is an 18mnth old Deerhound, whippet, beddlington, greyhound. She was a worker but unfortunatly went to visit one of the local sheep and the farmer knows who she is. Tess isnt cat friendly but is a really steady girl, walks well, gets on with other dogs. We dont envisage she will hang around long!

Tess

On a very sad note Monday saw me taking a call from heartbroken adopters. At the end of November last year one of our beautiful hounds Pye was rehomed with a fabulous family in Gloucestershire. Dave & Jacqui fell instantly in love with the boy at first sight. Pye at just coming up to 3 years of age went to join their elderly lurcher girl after she lost Jasper her greyhound companion. Pye settled well and soon became a much loved part of the family.

On Sunday evening an old stress fracture possibly from his racing days we knew nothing about gave way. Sadly the fracture was in his neck and left him paralysed there was nothing that could be done. Pye made his way peacefully to the bridge leaving his family heartbroken and shocked.

Pye was a big Gap favourite who was adored by his foster carers Dave & Kirsty and much adored by myself and especially my son Jack who spent hours on the beach playing chase.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Dave, Jacqui and the family, thank you for taking him making him a Rudge and giving him four wonderfully happy months. Taken too soon but knowing all too well what love was all about.

You think you have seen it all....

When you realise you havent and you probably never will.

This weekend saw the intake of probably one of the most messed up yet still beautiful in looks and soul little girl you could ever imagine.

Vixen is a 9 year old greyhound girl who is in the most terrible state. Two volunteers brought her to the kennels on Saturday and I couldnt have been prepared for what I saw. Once I had her safely home the tears just came for this beautiful girl. When her wonderful new foster family Sandra and Will came over to collect her the tears came yet again.

Vixen had been found wandering the streets of Bury, whatever has happend to this girl over the last 9 years just doesnt bear thinking about. There isnt an inch of her body that doesnt have scars old and new, lumps, bumps, tumours you name it. Her beautiful elegant nose has at some point been severly broken leaving it leaning to one side of her face, her teeth are green, puss riddled and oozing and so so sore. Her poor feet are so badly blistered that to walk on hard surfaces leaves them bleeding she is also in season. Despite all that she is still a canny little girl and we think probably an ex coursing hound considering the way she ran on her little bleeding feet across my garden to smack the resident stone squirrel knocking him flying!

After a vets visit they are confident that once she has a bit of weight on her if we can deal with the teeth, mammory tumours and get her spayed there will hopefully be life in the old dog yet! We really hope so and cant wait to see the turn around tlc can achieve.

Vixen.

On a happier note this week saw yet more hounds head off to fabulous homes.....

Orla, Kyka, Harriet & Honey & Hobo all left with their new families. We cant wait for updates on how they are all doing and wish them and their new found forever people lots of love and luck.

Savannah, Loafer and Macey are all also now reserved.

Two more of our current homeless also headed off for foster and are so far settling well...

Roscoe our big deerhound x cat friendly gentle giant boy has joined Caroline in Warrington till a new family can be found.

and

Selwyn a beautiful 4 year old greyhound boy has currently landed at Lynne and Colins in Leicestershire to build up a bit of weight and condition before we find him a new family.

Arnt they both just gorgeous?

3 months into a new year!

And.... who would believe it the first chance there has been to add a new blog entry!

The year has started worse than ever. The amount of dogs in danger the length and bredth of the country is heartbreaking.

At Gap we are doing all that we can to help as many but that has meant all work and no play and keeping on keeping on.

We have already rehomed around 40 dogs this year which is double this time last year. The numbers piling through the doors are astronomical and at the moment we have 43 dogs in our care. 36 are in foster homes and that alone is hard work to juggle keep on top of everyone and make sure dogs and humans alike are happy. We cannot keep running at this rate though as funding isnt particularly increasing more than other years and indeed last year Dogs Trust were good enough to give us 50 spaying vouchers an offer sadly this year they cant repeat. Its even more crucial now that we try and bring in more money to allow us to continue to neuter all the dogs in our care. We wont rehouse animals un altered so our only other option is to cut down on numbers rehomed. Being totally self funded is such hard work.

We hope though to level it out and although we need to get numbers down we are hoping we can handle around 30 dogs at anyone time which is an increase from 20 at this time last year.

Everyone is the same, every rescue we speak to is so highly in demand with no sign whatsoever of it easing off.

Also on a very sad note..

The beginning of the year saw us saying goodbye to Noggin the Nog our old sponsor boy as he made his way peacefully to the bridge. Our thoughts are with Dawn his foster Mum who loved him and cared for him so well in his last remaining 10mnths.

Sleep tight Nog the Dog.

Famous Last Words!

Okay once again I eat my hat! Phone call this evening gentleman dies leaves 19 senior dogs behind what do you do?

Sooooo it looks like Gap can look forward to welcoming 3 x 11 year old lurchers, 1 x 12 year old lurchers and 1 x 13 year old lurchers.

36 dogs! Not sure where they will be going yet but we will find somewhere hey ho.

Now What?

Sitting here writing this blog entry right now im feeling desperate, low, worried. Yet again with 6 weeks to go till the Christmas turn out we have once again been forced to close the doors.

The phones are ringing off and sadly its not with great home offers for our current hounds but with people wanting rid of their dogs again, pounds ringing with pts problems, trainers, you name it they are coming from everywhere.

Were full! Sad fact and I have always prided myself and Gap on finding a solution there is always a space somewhere right? Wrong! All other rescues seem to be in exactly the same boat, no one seems able to squeeze that last little lurcher, or that one final greyhound in anymore. Rescues who have helped us in the past are now having to turn to us for help. Some are openly admiting they have never known it this bad and could never understand why we were always so pressured. Most are rescues down South who are now experiencing just how bad it gets the further North you head for the first time in a longtime. Non of us anymore can see the wood for the trees.

At the moment we have 21 dogs in foster, and another 10 piled up in kennels moving no where fast because the dogs in foster arnt moving on. Its a sad state of affairs but once again the country seems to be at gridlock.

We were full at the beginning of the week but since being full we have taken two lurchers due euthanasia as the council facility they were in were full, another rough coated lurcher, his pound should have only kept him the 7 days but held on for 21 to try and keep him safe, a little 6 year old greyhound girl coming to us who has already lost one eye to glaucoma, her family were moving and dont want to take her with them and so had placed her up for homing in the free ads, with a condition like hers hanging over her head, and then a call from another rescue yet again with a young lurcher male. How can you say no to these dogs? Sadly next week will come another list similar to this and next week we have to say no!

Kenneling costs are now over £1000 a month that is without routine vet treatment, we could raise more money, we could then offer more places of safety. However, the dogs then sit and wait longer and longer in kennels, without dogs moving out of foster homes we cant get on with the assessments, some of these dogs are way to young to be in kennels for a length of time and some are too old. Prioritise them then you get the middle of the roader stays being increased longer and longer and its happening. There is just no easy answers!

Fly one of this weeks intakes.















Prancer















Mortimer
















For more information on this weeks intakes and if you feel you could offer any a foster place please visit the current kennel hounds page on our main website
http://www.greyhoundgap.com

We also need to say a massive thanks.... to all who donated and participated in our big online auction held on Greyhound Gaps forum. The auction ran for a week and managed to raise a staggering £2,599. That will go along way and will cover this months bills in its entirity. Thank you all without this continued support we couldnt do what we do! Thank you.

Lazy Blogger!

I am so sorry for those if there is anyone out there who does pop by to visit and read the Gap blog. The last few weeks have been an awful time with so many dogs in danger. So many have landed so many have gone home and so many I have forgot to thank and mention in the blog.

To give you an idea of the way the last month has gone here is a post I typed for our forum....

I felt the need to thank as many people personally as I could...

Hope this gives you an insight into the current weeks we are having.

Well normally I would just put a broad spectrum thank you to everyone on but this week has been so bloody awful but with so much achieved and so many lives saved im going to try and remeber to thank everyone.Monday morning saw me telephoned out of bed at 8 am by the pound. It says it all I knew that we and more importantly alot of dogs were in trouble and so begins the tale of a miracle week....

I need to say thank you firstly to the transporters....

Monday -Trish for taking me from Stoke to Wolverhampton to the pound for dogs and the list and back to Stoke and kennels with Ted, Mork, Cooper and Sally

Nicky (Cadbury) Wolverhampton to Milton Keynes to Stoke then back to Wolverhampton with Duchess

Vicky for collecting Ralphie the last pointie poundie and moving to hers

Tuesday -

Karen and Colin from Widnes to Stoke to collect Ted and back again

Carl for taking me from Stoke to kennels to Uttoxeter to meet Jackie (Fenjas Mum) who came from Leicester to Uttoxeter back to Nottingham then Leicester

Wednesday -

Dave from Stoke to Wolverhampton back to Knutsford then Stoke with the English Bull Terrier. Allie from Rochdale down to Knutsford then back to Wythenshawe to drop him off then home.

Nicky for Wolverhampton with a poundie to Stoke and then onto kennels with me to Collect Morris and then the local to me pound to collect Daisy and Toby and then back to Wolverhampton.

Anna from Sheffield to Stoke to collect Morris and the poundie girl to head to Kaye at Lurcher Link and the girl to Dogs Trust Leeds. Kaye for coming out when she is so busy herself and collecting the girl and Morris.

Friday -

Liz from Ipswich to collect Lady and take her home from Colchester

Fran for collecting Sandy from Wombwell and taking her back to hers

Mandy (Spikesmum) for travelling to collect Bobby and take him back to hers

Saturday - Mandy (Spikesmum) travelling from Newcastle down to Leeds with Bobby to meet Jackie Fenjas Mum and bring him down to Donnington and Trish for going with me to collect him there and take him to kennels.

Dawn and Lisa for collecting a poundie from Wolverhampton and taking to meet Phebe in West Wales, Phebe (owl) for then getting said poundie onto Xaraworlds and Donna (Xaraworlds) for collecting poundie and taking safely back to Aberystwyth.

Sunday -

Nicky up to meet Jasamines new owners Liz for travelling from Ipswich to take Lady to foster and Wanda for collecting her to take as a foster

In advance I would also like to thank Amy and Missysmum for the mammoth run they are about to perform on Tuesday from Birmingham to Newton Abbot thank youTo every single transporter thank you you are bloody life savers literally

Fosterers -

Karen and Colin for Ted thank you
Vicky and Chris for Ralphie thank you
Trish and Mark for taking in another one Evie thank you
Fran for taking Sandy thank you
Kaye at LL for taking Morris thank you
Corrine for taking Inca thank you
Wanda for taking Lady thank you
Nicky and Rich for Daisy and for Dawn and Lisa for juggling her for a couple of days thank you

Kennels -
Trish and Mark, Nicky and Colin (Skires) and Carl for help making sure all dogs are walked safe and settled. Not to mention my ever patient, happy and obliging wonderful kennel staff who so many of our dogs owe their personal wellbeing, they do all they can with what they have to make sure our dogs are loved, bathed, fed, kept warm and watered and I cant thank them enough.

General

Liz for holding the fort so admirably with the phone calls and homechecks arranging and incoming reports. I know it got a bit hairy during the course of the week and I nearly drove you to both drink and a breakdown but fingers crossed we will get there Also Kevin for not barring me from phoning her

Angela for constantly holding our bank balance, thank you. I know I rib her but there has never been a time she says no, she says do it get the dog, sod the rest and money is money we will worry about it after. I am so lucky to have a treasurer who never second guesses me and is happy that every decission I make for the dogs not matter the financial implications never once questions my ethics or moral standards because well she knows me well enough to know its always for the right reasons.

To everyone else for every second they have put into either Gap, the dogs or the forum this week, keeping it going, a nice place to be where to be honest in weeks like this we all prove that miracles DO happen. Thank you all .....

We can all now welcome this weeks new safe arrivals ....

Ted
Ralphie
Mork
Daisy
Toby
Bobby
Lady
Inca
Duchess
and Sandy

10 new arrivals in a week is a hell of an achievement and im totally gobsmacked and amazed that we managed with more luck than judgement to find somewhere for them all to be.


Also other rescues for taking the poundies safely

Lurcher Link for sorting the little lab x collie girl
Bullies in Need for Oscar the English Bull
Babbington for Sally and Cooper
WAW for three two who are in our kennels in isolation
Hope for a little old staffi x boy
GRWE Newton Abbot for Tuesdays boy
and Boxer Welfare who are about to take another charge.

I know its long and it reads scary but this has been what I hope is no ordinary week So many people have bent over backwards to make such a difference to so many dogs that this long winded appreciation post was the only way I could think to say I know who every last one of you is and for pulling off what you pulled of this week you are insane but in a nice way