Calling Out the Big Dogs in Rescue : Underdogs Dig Up the Truth

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I grew up watching Pet Rescue and dreaming of growing up to be an RSPCA officer, driving around answering calls to rescue and save neglected, abused and abandoned dogs all across the UK. I sponsored a dog for The Dog’s Trust for 5 years and I signed and shared every PETA issue i came across as well as using the PDSA charity shops and buying the Battersea Dogs and Cats home Christmas cards and books. These organisations were my hero’s and i thought they were the angels for animals. Having now been running a small rescue for 3 years slap bang in the middle of the UK, I have been enlightened.

I wondered how it was possible for all these phone calls, emails, social media tags and poundie requests that were flooding in, to be asking for my help when i was nothing but a small group of experienced volunteers and our own homes. The shocking moment i first heard the words: “and the RSPCA won’t help” or “The Dog’s Trust won’t take him/her” i was confused and actually didn’t believe these people had approached the organisations. Until i began getting the same phone calls from other rescues seeking support or veterinary centres with animals dumped on them.

So what is going on out here in the secret underworld of rescue? It appears to have turned into a corporate and political trolling nightmare with the root ethos of helping dogs in need being completely forgotten by the larger organisations that are receiving the majority of the public’s monetary support and have access to the best resources and facilities.

The RSPCA
In 2012 former RSPCA employee’s; inspector (2008-2010) Dawn Aubrey-Ward, vet of 12 years David Smith and manager (1990 – 2000) Egan Ravenscroft, gave the newspapers an expose on the organisation claiming that inspectors themselves were reluctant to take animals back to headquarters in fear the charity would deem their needs too costly or time consuming and euthanise the animal. The charity has lost it’s original cause and is no longer helping vulnerable people and their pets choosing instead to focus their efforts on prosecutions of animal cruelty cases as well as political and legislative changes.

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In 2013 they received around £105.4 million, in 2016 the RSPCA received a whopping £143.5 million in donations and legacies and spent £123 million, with £77.5 million on animal care and inspectors, £2.9 million going on campaigns and promotions, and £8.2 million on prosecutions. They “collected” (notice the use of this word oppose to “rescue”) 8,009 dogs in this financial year, but in 2015 it was discovered that they actually put to sleep 46% of all animals they take in and admitted 3,400 had been euthanised wrongly due to a lack of shelter space. They claim those euthanised under “behavioral issues” were never going to be adopted and had little to no quality of life in kennels. Perhaps the RSPCA should consider putting more effort into their training, handlers and care policies and procedures to actually rehabilitate these dogs they have collected up?

They rehomed 10,000 less animals than the year before yet had an increase of 20% in prosecution cases. Surely with all these donations and over £20 million left over in the bank, the RSPCA can more than afford to build and maintain an extra centre or 2 to create space for these dogs? Well they pledged to join the ‘No Kill’ movement by the end of 2017 and never unnecessarily put down an animal again due to spacial or minor behavioural issues so lets hope that is their plan with all that spare cash.

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Now I think we all know that sadly animal cruelty is on a disturbing rise in the UK and this could account for the significant increase in the RSPCA prosecution figures, this alongside the fact that they are the sole authority for seizing and prosecuting cruelty cases, as the local police and councils are both simultaneously too busy and not interested. In 2016, pro hunt and mass production farming MP’s attempted to strip the RSPCA of their power of authority to prosecute cruelty cases, most probably with the intentions to protect their own interests. Whilst the RSPCA might not be perfect, i think we can all agree that it is a dog-send the MP’s did not win that battle.

On the flip side though, another story released in 2012 told of how the late Mr David Brown left his cottage and small adjacent nature reserve to the RSPCA with the “wish” for them to maintain it for the foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and squirrels living there whom he used to keep safe and feed by hand. The RSPCA chose to instead go through a legal loop hole where Mr Brown had not made it a ‘legal condition’, so they sold it to developers The Emerson Group who promptly bulldozed the area killing the animals, destroying their habitat and 6 trees including 2 large oak trees. The RSPCA made £295,000 from this sordid deal.

 

If you google ‘RSPCA Scandal’ you will be overwhelmed by stories of elderly or vulnerable adults having their animals removed for minor misdemeanours or simple lack of education and knowledge. The UK’s favourite animal charity with its expensive TV adverts and Channel 5’s show The Dog Rescuers is trying to maintain it’s loved reputation but as more stories and statistics come to light, it will have an uphill struggle.

The Blue Cross & Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
The Blue Cross is another interesting contender amongst the Big Dog’s of rescue, with 7,500 dogs rescued in 2014 and 525 of them were put to sleep. The Blue Cross works with local councils to take in strays and have an obligation to make space as other council contracted kennels do. Battersea Dogs (and Cats Home) took in 5000 dogs and put to sleep over 1200 of them, that is a 34% euthanasia rate, a third of the dogs they have come in killed due to a lack of space for their council contracted strays as well as the dogs they deem unadoptable due to “behavioural and temperamental” issues.

Battersea Dogs Home had an income in 2016 of £36,716,707 and had total funds of £72,828,752 as well as celebrity endorsement and the ITV show Paul O’Grady’s For the Love of Dog’s. 

Birmingham Dog’s Home
Our local big dog, Birmingham Dog’ Home (BHD), recently took a hard hit after it was discovered to have around £1 million of legacies embezzled by its financial director Simon and his partner, Adele. The scandal shook the nation and certainly the rescue world as for a few months the donations certainly dried up as their was a huge drought of trust.

 

However, this is not my biggest issue with this particular big dog… BHD does not neuter any of it’s dogs, it also has a high euthanasia rate deeming dogs unadoptable with little effort to change that. They also strictly keep to a policy of only taking in strays when they can to increase their revenue from council contracts. I myself have had to take a dog there (once and never again!) when Broken Souls Rescue was full, the RSPCA had refused to get involved in removing a dog from a house where the owner had been taken into hospital terminally ill. BDH wrote down on the intake slip that the dog was a stray and then when it was later discovered by senior staff he wasn’t i received a rude phone call. I later found out the dog in question was put to sleep for “behavioural reasons”.

PETA
‘People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ or PETA as they are ‘affectionately’ known, are the baddest of the big bad wolves. With some of the most graphic advertising campagin’s, known for using pictures out of context and violent, forceful protests that usually endanger the animals they are supposedly trying to protect. They receive over $33 million per year in donations to fund their extremist and usually criminal activist’s. They actually strategically employ people who fail or score lowest on animal warden and inspector tests to work in their “shelters” to ensure no conflict from staff over their actions.

Most animals are euthanised within 24 hours of entering a PETA institution with more money going towards running the freezers for storing the deceased bodies than on animal care and welfare. They rehome just 1% of animals they “rescue”, putting to sleep 99% with no adoption open hours or promotions. Their facilities do not even meet national minimum standards for animal housing facilities with cramped cages, lack of bedding, no staff on weekends or bank holidays (meaning no food or water) and animals suffering of horrific diseases or injuries are left to die slowly and alone on a hard cage floor. In 2015 alone they are known to have killed at least 29, 426 cats and dogs.

The Dog’s Trust
My preferential Big Dog of the pack, The Dog’s Trust has mostly fantastic policies and procedures when compared to the rest… They rehomed 13,067 dogs in 2016 and put to sleep 270 claiming they “…never put a healthy dog down”. In 2016 they received £98.4 million and spent £86.1 million and put the rest to good use of beginning the building a new centre and £46.1 million went direct to the dogs and their welfare which is over 50%. They also have a strict neutering policy, run free microchipping events, good dog citizenship training groups and education courses in schools for the next generation. They run the most wonderful dog fostering program for victims of domestic violence and offer pre-booked safety for your pet when you pass away. They gave us the phrase “a Dog is For Life Not Just For Christmas” …but when you have as much influence and resources as they do, being the best of the worst just isn’t good enough.

 

The Dog’s Trust have some minor customer service issues they need to iron out as I’ve had adopters come to Broken Souls complaining about having thought they’d reserved a dog only to turn up and discover it has already been adopted out! However, this really isn’t my complaint, i’m more bothered by their stance on puppy sales. In 2017, The Dogs Trust and the Blue Cross opposed a complete ban on third party puppy sales which would have enforced only licensed breeders to be selling puppies ensuring the welfare of breeding bitches and their pups. The Dog’s Trust and Blue Cross were quoted to have opposed the idea claiming it would push puppy farming further underground akin to that of drugs with the welfare of mum, dad and pups being at more severe risk. It is slightly questionable that the dogs trust were happy to take in 330 foreign puppies seized as illegal on UK borders and reap the benefits of the publicity and adoptions fees they generate.

 

My last complaint to the Dog’s Trust is their stance on intake of particular breeds. Whilst they claim to have no official limit or policy on in-taking certain breeds or quantities of some breeds, they do state that they: “do seek to ensure that our centres do not become full of any one particular breed”. We believe at Broken Souls Rescue that our resources should be foccused on the breeds in need, if that means we have 99% staffies in our kennels so be it. The country unfortunately follows fashions with it’s pet types like it does with anything else, one minute it’s all staffies, then lurchers, then husky and akita types…. The resources should be where they are needed, not dispersed to ensure an aesthetically pleasing kennel.

Summary
I’m almost certain some of these statistics and facts will have shocked you but the fact of the matter is the public is blind to what is really going and keeps throwing money at the wrong organisations whose original intentions have long been forgotten. CEO’s, directors and managerial wages as well as promotional financing is a waste of donations when the smaller, no-kill rescues across the country are scrambling to pay their veterinary and boarding bills.

The UK councils put down around 18 dogs every day. Last year 3463 healthy dogs were put down unclaimed with no rescue space offer. The council contracted kennels that take in strays often disguised as re-homing centres, only receive financial aid for the first 8 days, it is then the kennels responsibility to care for these dogs, or alternatively choose to put them to sleep. The Blue Cross and Battersea both have contracts with their local UK council’s and are obliged to make quick turn over of dogs or make space by which ever means necessary.

After dogs in need Broken Souls Rescue have had no space for have been turned away by ALL the above mentioned rescues, deemed as unadoptable due to their size, breed or training issues, i can no longer vouch for them with pure heart. I have no doubt all their hands on, genuine, animal-loving staff and inspectors go into the job with the same ideals and disillusionment i myself had not so long ago and i am not slating them personally. I have dealt with hoarding, neglect, abandonment and cruelty cases that the above Big Dogs have refused to even acknowledge. I have no kennels and an average of jut £17k income of donations and adoption fees per year. We put to sleep an average of 3 animals per year and rescue over 150.

Broken Souls Rescue is currently working towards building our own centre and growing from UnderDog to Leader of the Pack. To donate towards our funds for our own kennel premises please go to: http://www.paypal.me/brokensoulsrescue or transfer directly to Lloyds TSB Broken Souls Rescue Ac: 28807262 Sc: 30-92-33

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It’s a Dog Eat Dog World: International Rescue Dog’s in the UK

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Every Life Matters.

This is a fact not an opinion and before a mob chase me down with pitch forks i completely appreciate that the amount of dogs abroad facing life on the streets or in a “shelter” (where the conditions are often more appalling than the streets themselves) is significantly larger than here in the UK. I cry at every YouTube or The Dodo video i come across that is showcasing an extreme case that breaks my heart as much as the dogs in our own rescue.

conditions
So why are all these dog lovers and rescuers kicking up a fuss about dogs being rescued from abroad and coming into the UK?

Well for starters in 2016 the average amount of dogs put to sleep every day in the UK was 18, hence #18DogsADayUK, now in 2017 that average is 19 per day. 19 dogs being needlessly euthanised on a daily basis because there are no available rescue spaces, adoptive families or responsible owners. UK rescues are scrambling for foster families and kennel space as it, so surely it is irresponsible for us as a country to begin committing ourselves to saving the lives of dogs from abroad when almost 20 dogs here in the UK already are still being killed everyday?

However, this can and usually does, lead to a lengthy, volatile and deeply political debate that takes tangents like a firework and leaves a group of once-friends-dog-rescuers in an angry-no-longer-speaking-dispute. So a reason we can all agree on: the spread of disease. In the last 2 years the UK has seen a significant increase in reported fatal canine diseases such as Parvovirus and the newly arrived CRGV aka. Alabama Rot. The dogs from abroad are rarely vaccinated, do not go through proper quarantining and many become sick during travel. They then immediately join their new foster or adopting family who unknowingly spread the disease like wildfire.

alabama rot map 2

An often overlooked factor is the lack of Home Checks for the adoptive families taking on these dogs. To adopt a dog from abroad with an extreme story of abuse or neglect has become somewhat of a strange fashion for social media posting and general attention seekers. The fees to adopt from abroad are often triple those of the UK rescues due to transport fees, however, there are many who ship the animals en mass and raise the funds online for transport making adoption fees much lower. This attracts an unsavoury type of adopter who may take dogs on for puppy farming, dog fighting and bait dogs. It also means any well meaning but utterly clueless family can adopt any dog without even meeting first and having no option but to take their new friend home from the airport with them.

Last but not least, these dogs often arrive into the country with behavioral issues that may not have been fully or even remotely disclosed to the unwitting but charitable family. 100’s of these dogs are now being seen being sold online or given away for free, or more often that not, end up in the UK pounds and rescues. They have no “rescue back up” (or RBU to those in the biz), so when the family can no longer cope with the dog; there is no team of staff to support with training or finding a new foster or adoptive home. The already swamped rescue system in the UK is involuntarily taking on an international animal rescue crisis.

dogs intnl.

Now of course there are good international rescues that usually have their team here in the UK, ready and on call to support fosters, home check adopters and ensure things run properly with correct isolation and vaccination procedures. These guys are doing an amazing job and with them i have no qualms.

Please remember to #AdoptDontShopt #StopPuppyFarming and #EndBSL

To support our work at Broken Souls Rescue saving poundies from deathrow please visit: www.broken-souls-rescue.org/donate.html 

Adopting A New Dog Checklist to Ensure Forever Homes

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This week Broken Souls Rescue saw our record number of dogs whom we have already rescued and rehomed once, in a 48 hour period readmitted into our care. The reasons were varied, from behavioral issues to personal health problems to absolutely no explanation at all and a dog on our doorstep… Whilst we strive to be as flexible and understanding as possible, all of these dogs had been adopted under a forever home contract and the average time in their new homes was 7 months which is not exactly a trial period or suggests it is something the dog the did.

Perhaps i should not be surprised about any of it, seeing how these dogs come into rescue initially having been dumped and found as a stray by county dog wardens or via private surrenders with a flurry of excuses. If we received just £1 for every time the emotional guilt train gets passed on to me and i hear the phrase “if you don’t take my dog today i’m putting it to sleep”, we would be able to save every dog in the UK. It seriously makes me wonder; why on Earth did these people acquire a dog in the first place? 

I (rather naively) assume that every person who decides to buy or adopt a dog, be it a first dog or an additional dog, carries out some form of research into how it will affect their life.  However, i am coming to my senses that most people actually don’t and think as long as they can fit the dog bowls and bed in as well as some toys then they are good to go…. Well there are far more things to consider.

puppy kit
Here is the Broken Souls Rescue list of questions to answer before getting a dog:

Housing – Do they have permission to have a dog in their property? Is their space? Is it secure? Is it ‘dog friendly’ (furniture, expensive items out of reach, house proud)? Should you move, are you prepared to search for a dog friendly property?

Family Members – Does everyone in the household want a dog? Are their children in the house, and if so are they dog ‘savvy’? Is there anyone with disabilities (physical or otherwise) requiring consideration? Are there any regular visitors who could be significantly affected?

Work – Are your hours dog friendly? How long will the dog be left alone? How tired are you before and after work?

Finances – Can you afford to cover all the extra costs: food, monthly worm and flea treatments, yearly booster vaccinations, neutering, insurance, toys and chews, training guidance and good standard holiday boarding?

Social – Are you regularly out in the evenings? Are your weekend social events dog friendly? Are your friends dog friendly? Will a dog make you feel restricted in any way? How often do you holiday? Can you provide appropriate boarding care for during your holiday?

Health – Are you physically able to walk the dog at a good pace for at least half an hour twice a day? Are you able to part-take in training activities that may be required, (such as leading a walk, controlling your dog in an excited state around others, agility, flyball)? Do you have any mental or emotional health issues that may restrict your ability to care for the dog? Is anyone who is regularly in your life allergic to dogs? Is anyone who depends on you expecting surgery? If you were to suddenly need surgery or become ill can you or someone you know provide care and board for the dog?

Puppies – Are you prepared for toilet training and cleaning up multiple accidents? Are you ready to accept damage to some of your property or home via chewing or toileting? Are you ready to take the time correct and train your puppy fully? Are you prepared to attend puppy group classes to ensure proper socialisation for a well rounded and safe dog? Are you prepared to teach puppy not to bite? Are you prepared for the sleepless nights of settling? Are you ready for the 6-9 months of age mark where puppies hormones will become particularly strong with females coming into heat as well as both males and females scent marking and becoming dominant which needs immediate correcting?

dog checklist

Each year, the genius scientists in university laboratories across the world discover new fascinating facts about the range of emotion different animals really have in comparison to the human race. Rats and dogs have been found to have just as many emotional processes and reactions as people do, which only further impacts the pain and confusion each dog abandoned to a kennel and a stranger, must feel.

Taking on a new puppy or adopting a dog from a rescue is a big commitment and requires dedication. A dog is the most loyal family member you will ever come across who gives you unconditional love no matter what. So how people can allow what i consider to be ‘life events’ to push them into giving up their “beloved” dog is beyond me.  The UK is supposed to be the most animal loving nation on the planet, and yet we discard our pets like clothing and inanimate objects. Let’s start listening to what we preach as a nation, “A dog is for life not just for Christmas”.

Please take serious consideration into adopting a rescue dog or buying a puppy. to support our work at Broken Souls Rescue go to:
www.broken-souls-rescue.org/donate.html

Pictured: Toby, Jug puppy surrendered Winter 2016 happy in his forever home.

toby

Summer Guide for Your Dog

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Summer is here and how marvellous it is to be walking in glorious sunshine surrounded by other people enjoying the current UK heat wave. How ever, your dog might not be loving the rise in temperature quite as much as you perceive so here is some quick tips for keeping your canine companion cool this sunny season…

1. Water
Seems pretty simple and logical and you may be rolling your eyes at me like “durr, obviously my dog needs water”, but what you might forget is that you will need to be refilling and cleaning that bowl much more often that usual. Besides your dogs extra water intake to remain hydrated emptying the bowl every few hours, the rise in temperature will also be evaporating the water quicker. You might want to relocate the water bowl so that it is always in shaded spot away from any windows to keep it cool and lasting a little longer.
Keeping your dog’s water bowl fresh and clear of scum will ensure your dog is not put off hydrating themselves by a murky, half emtpy, luke-warm water bowl. Adding ice cubes to your dogs water when you go out will help keep the water cool and also act as a slowly added water supply. If your dog is not a big water drinker then add some water into their dinner and mix it up to secretly hydrate them.

water summer

2. Walkie Times
Now that it’s summer you must resist the temptation to walk your dog during the day in the hottest times. The pavements beneath your protective footwear are lava hot and will burn your dogs paws causing severe pain, blistering and possible infection.
Try to go before the sun really heats up and rises high in the sky and after it has dropped in later evening. Alternatively, find somewhere that is completely 100% grass such as a field or large estate where you can carry your dog to the cool grass and let them pad around freely. It is important to be well stocked up on water during as well as after the walk.

burnt paws

3. In The Car
Oh yes, i’m going to say it; do NOT leave your dog in a car. Even with the window open, it is too hot. Even in a shady spot with all 4 windows half way down, a car sat completely still in the humid heat will drive your insane, and if you still think i am being OTT on this subject, i suggest you go and try it, see how long you last before you wish to be zooming down a motorway at 70mph. A dog left in the sun or even just the heat, in a closed car can physically bake to death and in the UK this year it was made legal for members of the public to break into any closed car in the sun containing a dog.
When travelling in the car, please be sympathetic to the pure fact that automobile air con does not affect the rear of a car as efficiently as it does the front, and therefore you may have to suffer the ‘windswept and interesting’ look from open windows on the motorway oppose to air con that wont even cut through your dogs fur to relieve any heat.
Always travel with plenty of water and a bowl.

hot car

4. Pool Party
You don;t have to be rich to throw your dog a mini puppy pool party. Children’s sandpits and plastic paddling pools can be bought for next to nothing, fill it with water and watch your dog cool off in complete bliss. Get the hose on and give them a cooling spray, also a good way to allow your dog to exercise in the garden to relieve some energy without over heating. The water will also get off some of that excess hair pup has been malting all over your house.

pool party
5. Sunscreen & Shade
Sun cream is an essential item on our children’s and our own summer shopping list, so why aren’t we conscious of the dangers to our dogs’ exposed skin? White dogs and dogs with thin coats (eg. the greyhound, bulldogs) are particularly susceptible to sun burn but all dogs have areas that require keeping an eye on this summer: the muzzle and areas around the nose and mouth, the belly and undercarriage including around the genitals and the ears; edges, behind and exposed internal area. Specialist doggy sun creams and wipes are available online and large high st pet supply retailers.
Always allowing your dog the option to remove themselves from the sun to be in the shade is essential. Most dogs will choose to lie indoors usually on a lino, wooden or (the favourite) tile floor oppose to carpet as it has a wonderfully relieving cooling effect.

It is a strange fact that although when it comes to their birthday or Christmas, what they wear or even their discipline method (doggy time out is not effective), we treat our dogs like people, humanising them physically, emotionally and psychologically. Yet when it comes to summer we forget that they are as susceptible to things like dehydration, sun burn and sun stroke as children are, mistaking their open mouth panting in the baking sun for “a smile whilst sunbathing”… Every dog is different and whilst some may cope in the summer heat without issue, others, particularly those in the UK born in any time other than a Summer month, may be severely effected by the heat and humidty with extreme malting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and lethargy, even if kept in the shade. Be mindful this summer about your dogs condition and should any severe blistering or significant changes occur please consult with your vet.

To donate to the rescue dogs at Broken Souls Rescue saved from Death-row in the UK pounds please give via Paypal to:
broken-soulsrescue@outlook.com

Thank you.

One Dog At A Time: Foster For A Rescue

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“By saving that one dog i may not change the world, but i will change the world for that one dog…” 

Running a dog rescue in the UK i hear all the time from the 1000’s of dog lovers from across the country how wonderful what i do is and how they wish they could work in dog rescue like me because it must be so rewarding… Well it is and you can! Without my voluntary staff of foster homes i could not run a dog rescue, and you reading this right now could volunteer for your local dog rescue to take in one dog at a time…

So you have definitely heard of foster homes for children who are waiting to find their forever families and be adopted, well this is much the same. Fostering a dog basically means the dog lives with you until somebody adopts them. The majority of rescues will financially reimburse or provide food and care equipment as well as taking full responsibility for any veterinary needs.

So what is required of a foster? A foster placement may well be the first proper ‘home’ a dog has been in, the dogs pulled from pounds may have been kept outside or in very poor conditions and many have suffered abuse.
The foster’s first job is to introduce the dog into this new environment and guide the dog through the process of adjusting to family life, being prepared for issues such as toilet training and redirecting chewing behaviours is essential as the stress and upset of moving can upset even well trained, indoor dogs.
Patience and understanding is also extremely important in those first few days of a new foster arriving. A foster’s temperament must be patient, loving, knowledgeable and calm to balance out correcting and teaching the dog with comforting and love.

Ellie 2.jpg

Foster’s come from all walks of life, it isn’t about how much money you have or how big your house is. As long as you have the space for one more dog in a clean, tidy, hygienic, secure and safe environment, your stature in life really isn’t important. Time management is crucial when fostering a dog, making sure you split your time correctly and don’t push out any of your own pets, as this can create resentment and tension. In reality, fostering a dog friendly dog really doesn’t affect your routine except you have to hold an extra lead, carry an extra poo baggy and make up an extra dinner. Fostering dog aggressive dogs can be a more difficult but not at all impossible situation, as long as you have the extra space to separate and manage them. A spare bedroom or unused back room can be converted into your foster’s room to chill, sleep and eat, but time management here is essential to allow all dogs their walk, play, cuddle time etc. Fostering for a rescue is a flexible way to get involved, taking breaks when you feel like it and joining the team again when you are revitalised, but each dog’s length of stay varies between just a couple of weeks to 7 or 8 months, this is why commitment and dedication is necessary.

The lengthier the stays, the more ‘foster fails’ are seen. This is when a foster family becomes so attached to their charge that they decide to actually adopt the dog. Now this is obviously wonderful for the dog’s in question, but this does tend to take that specific foster off the rota unless they do own a large property.

When you join a rescue as a foster home, you will find yourself becoming more involved emotionally with the overall efforts and actions of the organisation. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a community and meet like minded people but it also means you will be effected by the frequent negative occurrences in the rescue world, such as adoption cancellations, adoption failures, behavioral issues, social media trolling and much more… Please don’t let this put you off.

Rescues across the UK are desperately appealing and scrambling for foster homes to join their team as more and more dogs are left in the pounds everyday to face being put to sleep after just 7 days…

The dedication and commitment of all staff, volunteers and supporters to a rescue is what makes them special; the resilience against the negativity, the patience and empathy to put up with mishaps, the love they have to give over and over to new faces in need.

To Foster for Broken Souls Rescue in the West Midlands UK, please visit:
www.broken-souls-rescue.org/foster.html

#18DogsADayUK

The Lepto 4 Crisis: To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?

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Canine vaccinations are an important and vital ingredient in your dog’s health schedule as well as their monthly flea and worming treatments. Once a dog has had it’s initial vaccinations from 10-12 weeks old, they are only necessary to boost every 12 to 36 months, or extras if you’re planning to travel to certain countries with your canine companion (Rabies, kennel cough etc).

Your puppy’s veterinary visit for their first vaccination will usually occur around 10 weeks of age and at this visit your puppy will be vaccinated against:
Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis (Adenovirus), Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis.
2 weeks later, you will return for a second round of vaccinations, these are like a booster against:
Distemper, Parvovirus, Hepatitis and Leptospirosis again.

vaccine schedule

So What Is The Issue?

Lepto 4 is causing adverse, parvo-like and fatal effects across the UK with dogs becoming extremely ill almost immediately post vaccination. Dog’s temperatures rise, they can have appetite loss, sudden behavioural changes, diarrhoea, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, renal failure, heart failure, blindness, brain damage and death. The amount of reported cases are mounting, yet the vaccination is still on the market with many vets across the country refusing to even acknowledge, never mind discuss the issue with concerned and confused owners.

Leptospirosis is a cork screw shaped bacteria that drills through the skin into the system and slowly infects the urine and blood. It is a zoonotic bacteria, meaning it can be passed from canine to human through bodily fluids such as urine, blood and semen. It attacks the liver and kidney as well as other organs and depending on how quickly it is diagnosed and treatment is begun, it is a nasty infection causing life changing problems and is fatal in 20% of cases, mainly due to the subtle nature of its development. It can cause organ failure and blindness in more severe cases but more common symptoms are:
raised temperature or fever, stiff or sore muscles and reluctance to move, shivering, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, depression, increased thirst and rapid dehydration, excessive urination, dark speckled gums, yellow eye whites, increased breathing rate, runny nose, cough, vomit and diarrhoea possibly with blood.

So now we know how awful Leptospirosis is, where does it come from? Well mainly tropical climates with areas of water in humid temperatures, however let’s just say for the sake of the UK, large unclean bodies of water such as warm canals, marshes and bogs. It can also be transmitted in the urine of other animals such as rats and cattle. However, it is rare to actually be contracted in the UK, with the last official statistics of human contraction having been done in 2012 with only 25 cases reported to be contracted without occupational or international cause and only 72 cases in total with 80% of them being traceable back to another country of recent travel or having been in water or on a farm. It should be noted here that people are not vaccinated against Leptospirosis in the UK. There is no official report of cases of Leptospirosis in dogs in the UK, only a estimate from a veterinary game of Chinese whispers, however we can assume it is extremely small, especially if it has not been significant enough to bring about an official report.

However, there is an official report that over 2,000 cases have reported severe adverse affects from the Lepto 4 vaccine and over 150 deaths since 2013 when the new Lepto 4 was brought in.

What’s New & Why Now?

Previously up until 2013, the vaccination against Leptospirosis used was a pharmaceutical called Lepto 2 and protected against 2 strains or ‘serovar’ of Leptospirosis, where as it is claimed that the new Nobivac Lepto 4 vaccine protects against 4 serovars (types) of Leptospirosis.

The noteworthy pharmaceutical components in Lepto 4 compared to Lepto 2 are interesting as they both contain Thiomersal (mercury) which is known to have adverse effects on the brain in both canines and humans, having been found to cause autism and other neurological development issues. However, Lepto 4 also contains a multitude of new noted ingredients; Sodium Chloride (adding a high concentration of salt to our dog’s injections…hmm) causes a sudden increase in thirst, dehydration, vomitting, disorientation and even coma can be caused by this. Potassium Chloride, a key player in the human lethal injection to cause cardiac arrest, can also cause gastrointestinal issues,  and too much potassium in the blood causes hyperkalemia which is the weakness and pain in muscles and movement. Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate which can cause; renal failure, heart failure, cardiac arrest, high blood pressure and death. Now none of these have anything to do with actually vaccinating your dog against Leptospirosis and were either not present in Lepto 2 or were sneakily not displayed on the ingredients list…

vaccine

What Are the Regulator’s, Manufacturer’s and Veterinary Surgeon’s Saying?

The manufacturer (Merck Animal Health) Nobivac have claimed to have done all the necessary testing on this vaccination and the veterinary pharmaceutical regulators in the UK “Veterinary Medicines Directorate”(VMD) have listed the ‘adverse side effects’, (under statement of the century), in alongside the side effects of the overall vaccinations. They claim there is no way to connect the apparent reported cases of reactions and fatalities to the use of the Lepto 4 vaccine despite the obvious direct relation to dogs who have had the vaccine recently administered.

Yet, the  European Medicines Agency (Eu MCA) managed to find and publish in their report in 2014 that Merck Animal Health should compare the adverse effects of their new L4 to the previous L2 and felt it had significance enough for a mention in the EU report.

Veterinary practices across the UK are rightly facing confused and worried owners, who the majority seem to be subduing with simple reassurances of scare mongering and scientific jargon.

What’s My Opinion?

With 100’s of dogs and puppies in the rescue to initially and booster vaccinate throughout each year, i also face the decision of to vaccinate or not to vaccinate? I have opted to speak with my vet firmly but politely to inform them that my own personal dog will be receiving his annual booster vaccination against; hepatitis, parvovirus, distemper, parainfluenza and kennel cough, but that i do not consent for the Lepto 4 vaccine.

Lepto 4 is not a required or ‘core’ vaccine that dogs must receive in the UK (unlike the others, which i would never skip or advise against). The fact that there are over 300 serovars of Leptospirosis, and the majority of the few cases brought into the UK come from abroad meaning they could be any of the 300 strains, this coupled with a lack of Leptospirosis cases across the country; versus the extremely and significantly high amount of reported illnesses and fatalities directly following an L4 vaccine leaves me with no choice but decide that the negatives outweigh the positives.

In my opinion, the Lepto 4 vaccine should be taken off the market and owners should refuse consent to apply.

If the Merck Animal Health and the UK VMD are so sure that the Lepto 4 vaccine is safe and not the cause of the sudden outbreak of adverse reactions and deaths, then fresh primary screening tests should be done for Lepto 4 alone with particular attention paid to the follow up results in a wide variety of dogs from the isolated vaccine and have the results openly displayed. Currently with no official statistics on reported cases of Leptospirosis in dogs, a lack of information purely on Lepto 4 and an avoidance of the subject from all parties involved, dog owners can’t help but feel like our pets are being used as guinea pigs with devastating effects.

Simply put: refuse the Lepto 4 vaccine.

To support our rescue work with pound dogs across the UK please visit:
www.broken-souls-rescue.org/donate.html
or like us at www.facebook.com/brokensoulsrescue 
Follow us on Twitter @souls_rescue. 

Donate via Paypal “Friends & Family” to: broken-soulsrescue@outlook.com

The Ugly Side of Dog Rescue in the UK

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I hate to burst the bubbles of many Animal Studies, Animal Sciences and Zoo-ology students but working in dog rescue is not cuddling cute puppies, bottle feeding, playing with dogs and going on lovely walks…oh no. Obviously, there is a fair amount of kennel cleaning, picking up s**t, mopping up wee, being covered in fur, bathing, flea combing, disinfecting and wiping up vomit just to name a few, all of which you can be trained for to some extent.

However, what you cannot be genuinely trained for, is the constant roller-coaster ride your emotions will be swept along as you begin to realise the imbalance of occasional positive occurrences dotted amongst the relentless waves of heart wrenching and soul destroying situations you will be thrown into the middle of. So let us delve into the darker, uglier and less spoken about world of rescue.

You might well have all seen the horrific images splayed across billboards and television screens depicting dogs and cats who have been discovered by organisations such as the RSPCA and Dog’s Trust, campaigning for donations and animal cruelty legislation changes. But what you do not see, is the worker assigned to that emaciated and sick dog who works tirelessly medicating, nursing, rehabilitating, building trust, a bond with. That person does not stop at the end of their working day carefree; they go home and worry, care and make plans on how to make it better tomorrow. They love. You do not see the day that dog takes a turn for the worse physically or crosses it’s third strike behaviourally,  and that worker must sign the papers and carry the dog to take it’s final endless sleep on the veterinary surgeons cold metal table. How they will hold that dogs paw, apologising for failing them and promising them they were loved. They could wait outside, but they refuse to allow that dog to die alone, not knowing it was loved.

This week, I lost 2 very young puppies at just 10 weeks old to the destructive Parvovirus after a week long battle. They had been 4 healthy 7 week old puppies with a minor flea allergy causing a scabby skin condition that was easily remedied. Playful, active and growing well. Then after 2 had been adopted i was informed they had both been admitted into the intensive care units at their respective vets. 2 days later a third puppy still in the rescue care became sick and was placed on medications. I nursed her day and night, cleaning her kennel at every slightest wee, poo or sick. I cooked her every meal under the sun and tried to hand tempt her which worked at first, and syringed her water every 2 hours. I cuddled her and let her sleep next to me at all times. I had her admitted after a severe blood loss and she picked up for 36 hours, so much to the point i was hopeful to bring her home, in this time one of her adopted brothers, the beautiful Paddy, had passed away. The next morning the vet told me in a very sombre tone that in fact Ciara had become half the pup she had been overnight and was wasting away in front of her very eyes and was in extreme pain. We had to put her to sleep immediately. I could not be with her and hold her paw. She did not know how loved she truly was.

Oh, how i cried. I howled.

ciara 2

Left with the devastation of overwhelming veterinary bills, an upset and angry out-of-pocket- adopter, the rescue’s reputation at risk and a shadowing feeling of frustration that i had done everything by the book in terms of isolation, observation and reservation until 2 weeks had fully passed and our vets were happy with them, yet this had still happened… Whether it is the loss of loved rescue dog, a stolen charity pot, verbal abuse from those to whom you are trying to aid, social media trolling, a serious internal staffing issue or another day where you have to turn away dogs in need due to a lack of space… Each day will bring about questions such as;

“Why am i doing this?”
“Am i even making a difference?”
“Why did this happen?”
“The more i try to help the more seems to go wrong, is it me?”

This time i will answer for you; keep going, four paws at a time. Each dog adopted, saved, rehabilitated and medically treated is a win for the animal world. Even the most experienced and long standing rescue managers, founders and workers still question themselves, still feel drained of all emotion and faith. But it is those who wake everyday and trudge on through the darkest and ugliest side of animal who make the greatest impact, they will comfort others and continue on to save another life.

It is this simple fact that i bare honestly to you: every day in the world of animal rescue we are faced with the blunt, insatiable truth that life is not fair and justice does not prevail in the majority of cases. No matter how accurate, educated, experienced, cautious or reputable you are; there will be a daily shit storm that will leave behind destruction that you will have to rebuild faith, finances, emotional resilience and credibility constantly. Welcome to animal rescue, we need you, but we warn you; you have commenced in an uphill battle.  

To support our work at Broken Souls Rescue visit www.broken-souls-rescue.org 
Follow us on Twitter @souls_rescue and #18dogsadayuk #endBSL 

Feature Photo: Paddy, 11 week old Shepherd x Collie x Terrier puppy. Passed away at the vets from Parvovirus. 

Blog Photo: Ciara, 11 week old Shepherd x Collie x Terrier puppy. Passed away at the vets from Parvovirus. 

 

 

Dog Training Methods: Cesar Millan vs. Victoria Stilwell

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There is an international dog training dispute going on that has been rumbling away in the background of the canine community for years. If you work in the canine industry or just really love dogs, there is a chance you watch some form of dog themed TV show, as more and more documentaries, welfare series and training reality shows hit our screens.

So what the real arguments revolve around is the difference in ethical opinion between the use of positive and negative reinforcement methods in dog training.
1)Positive reinforcement is the training of specific behaviours through rewarding the desired action.
2) Negative reinforcement is the training of behaviours through making an undesirable behaviour ‘uncomfortable’ or through a form of punishment. 

Now personally as a dog trainer, i have watched both Animal Planet’s “The Dog Whisperer” and Channel 4’s “It’s Me or the Dog” observing the common but effective methods utilised by both trainers. Now many trainers out there are just as good as those who have their own TV shows, but the effectiveness of any tool or method is the way in which it is carried out, this is where most dog owners find themselves dumbfounded as they copy these TV techniques and yet still fail to see any improvement in their dog’s behaviour. Any form of training strategy, if done incorrectly, can cause more damage than good.

Cesar Millan is often trashed in the canine world as intimidating with a style of training and thinking from cave man days. His dominant methods of becoming the ‘pack leader’ are labelled as old school and his frequent use of the ‘touch’ is thought of as abusive. His steps of often triggering the behaviour that requires rehabilitating can be perceived as over bearing and almost in the dogs face. He is seen as a trainer who uses negative reinforcement by forcing the dogs to become submissive.

Victoria Stilwell uses positive reinforcement through and through with clicker training, treats, toy drive, distraction and other such techniques. Since moving to the USA she has become involved with other dog TV and media such as USA Dogs, America’s Greatest Dog and of course It’s Me or the Dog USA. Positive training method use is her mission in life with her website even being http://www.positively.com. However, the case studies that Victoria publicly handles could arguably be called less severe in comparison to Cesar and on frequent occasions i have felt she could have assessed the family and owners more thoroughly and done more to change the human’s behaviour to make more of positive impact on the dogs training. I also feel that perhaps as we have seen no evidence yet, she would not be able to rehabilitate a human aggressive dog.

As a private and rescue dog trainer what do i think?

I see every kind of behavioural issue from simple lead pulling on a walk and jumping up to severe fear trauma, dog and people aggression. I find that in most cases, the root problem is fear, insecurity or learnt behaviour. The psychology of a dog versus dog training is where i find these lines can cross when rehabilitating a dog, because a dog’s basic psychology comes down to pack hierarchy and instinct. In severe cases where for example a dog has become human aggressive and a trainer must gain this dog’s trust and respect to begin to work with it, i feel some of Cesar’s alpha tactics could have the upper hand. Whilst i would always try to sit next to the dog (with a form of barrier of course) and allow the dog to go nuts and then over time calm down as it becomes habituated to me, there are some dogs that just won’t quit or there is no barrier and pen available. In this instance a completely dominant attitude and the approach to follow the dog until it submits is actually very useful and effective. I also feel that the “touch” that is most widely discussed and debated, is only used in situations where the dog is the one first willing to “touch” you, or to put it less subtly, bite. In this case we should look back the dog as an 8 week old puppy, developing its social skills amongst it’s litter mates, playing rough and boisterous. Puppies will bite each other with more malice and a different energy when a sibling causes genuine pain and injury during play to correct them that “this bite was too hard”. By a small sharp touch to the neck and shoulder joint, you are not hurting your dog anymore than a poke to snap their brain from an instinctive train of thought back to reality and inform them that their behaviour is too aggressive. This is not hitting, kicking, beating or smacking a dog, these are abuse. This is synthesising a natural correction in the canine world.

Cesar’s Techniques

Calm and confident energy that releases a leadership role or alpha male, but can be difficult for owners to understand and recreate within themselves.
Not allowing your dog to lead in front on walks or through entry ways.
Ensuring a dog is always invited onto the furniture oppose to when it wishes
His thought process of nose-eyes-ears to appreciate how your dog is perceiving you
His skills of observing and reading a dog’s body language to know when to correct or treat or sit back
Small touch/poke to snap the brain from instinctive thinking in more serious situations such as food or dog aggression.
No touch, no talk, no eye contact to almost immediately resolve bad behaviour with guests.
Use of other dogs or a whole pack to rehabilitate and build confidence, “Power of the Pack.

 Victoria’s Techniques

Food, toy, attention and fuss based rewarding
Fabulous clicker training
Her skills of owner interaction, explanations and education
Experienced and perfected timing of rewards
Application of consistency, patience and routine
Use of activities to build confidence
Use of techniques and tools that with practice anyone can mirror.

As a dog trainer for the every day owner; i feel that Victoria Stilwell wins the debate here, she has a more approachable persona and better skills at explaining how she does things and really educating owners. She instils a new way of thinking within the household and highlights the importance of consistency whilst using tools that can cause minimal damage whilst owners get to grips with the technique. Her methods can be learnt by anyone who really wants to train their dog with ease where as Cesar’s energy cannot be replicated so easily and once back in the owners presence it is often the case that the dog reverts back to it’s old negative behaviours. However it should be noted that when Cesar does make an effort with the owners themselves to teach them how to properly utilise his methods, he can really make a significant difference in that human’s overall confidence and life attitude.

Cesar fascinates me and will always have my support because of his deep understanding of canine psychology and his learnt connection with dogs. His ability to accurately read a dogs body language and to adjust his own so as to carry out a silent conversation is amazing and can have such positive effects on those dogs that are shut down or are on a completely basic level of social skills. It cannot be said at all that Cesar Millan is in anyway cruel, although he may appear forceful and not be to everyone’s liking. Cesar is simply adapting techniques that canines would show every day in a pack in the wild or with their mother and litter mates, so that he may connect with and utilise the natural behaviour instincts and canine psychology to make the greatest impact in each rehabilitation he embarks upon. His methods if performed incorrectly, (as has been done by many wanna-be trainers), could be seen as cruel and abuse but this is because ignorant people confuse the difference between the dog being responsive due to fear or due to respect…

Each dog training endeavour can only be successful if the owners put in the work with patience, persistence, positivity, consistency, calm and basic canine knowledge. In other words; if the owner doesn’t put the work in each and every day, you can’t expect a trainer to make miracles happen. Although you would probably liken my sessions more to that of something Victoria might take part in, it must be noted that in situations where i see an extremely aggressive dog or a dog particularly difficult to understand the root cause, i always think, “Cesar would be able to fix that case…”.

I offer dog training one to one sessions across Coventry and the West Midlands, UK at £20 per session plus £10 travel charge to some outer areas. To book a private session with me or to support the rescue work we carry out please visit: http://www.broken-souls-rescue.org

#EndBSL #18DogsADayUK

3 Amazing Reasons to Neuter Your Dog

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Oh here she goes again, another boring lecture from another animal welfare advocate about getting your dogs reproductive bits removed. Well you can stop rolling your eyes at me because not a day passes that i don’t see a whole pack of dogs with their wedding tackle dangling or in heat when I’m out and about walking the rescue dogs, so clearly some of you haven’t heard yet….

Neuter & Spay: The Basics

Neutering is a general term for the surgical removal of reproductive organs from your pet, spay refers only to the female procedure. Every veterinary surgery across the world offers neutering options and the prices do vary from around £60-£150 (male dogs) £88 – £220 (female dogs). Cats and smaller animals are much cheaper as the surgery tends to take less time and require less anaesthetic drug. Animal charities such as Cats Protection and Dogs Trust (UK) and SPCA (USA) often offer free neuter and spay months or weeks and for those in financial difficulty the PDSA in the UK offers a low cost neuter. If you think these costs are outrageous, let’s see how you feel about the costs of problems that could be found later on in the animal’s life as discussed below…

The Surgery

The surgery for your pet doesn’t actually take that long and is a routine operation with minimum risks unless your pet has underlying medical issues which may be affected by anaesthetic. A sedative is given which takes around 5-8 minutes to kick in and then your pet will be shaved in the area of the operation to avoid any hair making the surgical site dirty. A male dogs surgery will take only 20-30 minutes usually as an external removal is much simpler than the female internal organs. The female surgery usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the dog. Your pet will be observed in their vet kennel as they come round from the surgery and can be picked up just an hour or so post op! A follow up will be required a few days after to check the site for infection and again in 2 weeks to remove stitches. Your dog will probably be sent home with a few days worth of pain killers and either a vet cone or body grow vest.

Ok so why am i telling you to do this?

The Good Bits

  1. Prevents any accidental puppies being brought into the world from risky rendezvous in the dog park and adding to the over population problem. 

2. Prevents multiple types of cancers developing in your dog which are becoming more and more common such as; testicular, ovarian, uterus and cervical. These cancers if left untreated can spread through the hormones, blood and lymph system to grow and could develop into other types such as lung or even bone cancer which will be fatal. 

3. Prevents negative behaviours in both male and females such as: increased energy levels and hyperactivity, possessiveness, territorial, aggressive, resource guarding, humping/sexual behaviour, lack of attention, difficulty training. 

So what are you waiting for? The main culprits of the anti-neuter brigade, and i’m not being sexist i’m being honest, are the men who feel they are being cruel to “take away their man hood” or end their favourite hobby of licking their balls… Well guys if the Big-C wasn’t enough to scare you and you still want to argue that you are a responsible dog owner who will never allow an “accidental litter” to occur, let’s put it like this;

Imagine your dog is allowed to keep his “manhood”, and you are a responsible dog owner who never allows him to mate….Your dog is running around pumped full of hormones and no way of releasing them! You cannot allow  a dog to mate with a spayed female because the female will not feel the urge to mate and therefore you will be technically raping the female dog… There is no justification for allowing your dog to remain un-neutered. Get it done.

balls lick neuter

Many dogs who are found in the county pounds left as unclaimed strays appear to once have been well loved family dogs, and we often wonder why they haven’t been found, what happened? More often than not, after a full vetting, we find the dog is riddled with cancer and instead of the previous owner taking the difficult but responsible road of euthanising or treating the dog, it has been dumped.

18 dogs are euthanised in the pounds alone every day across the UK. Let’s end this now. To support our efforts pulling dogs from deathrow go to http://www.broken-souls-rescue.org

#AdoptdontShop #18DogsADayUK

CRGV (Alabama Rot) – The New Incureable and Unpreventable Deadly Canine Disease

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“Cutaneous and Renal Glomerular Vasculopathy” is otherwise known as CRGV or ‘Alabama Rot’, and is in the simplest terms a disease causing small blood clots to form in the blood vessels of the skin and kidney in dogs. These clots form blockages and damage to both the skin and kidney resulting in ulcerations, lesions and renal failure.

Symptoms are initially thought to be ulcers and lesions on the skin, in particular, the paws, legs, under carriage and mouth and tongue. Now obviously dogs cut their paws and legs running around the park or garden quite often, so let’s not all rush to the vet with every minor skin issue. Other symptoms from more progressed cases are lethargy and tiredness in your dog, a loss of appetite, vomiting in general, diarrhoea and both of the latter may contain blood. However, i feel it is extremely important to note that the skin ulcerations and lesions are not always present! Your dog may just suddenly seem not themselves and begin presenting with bloody fluid from both ends…It is an almost dreaded ‘Parvo’ like disease shutting down the kidney function causing havoc across the entire system of organs. A dog can go downhill in a matter of 12 hours and in 9 out of 10 cases: it is fatal.

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So how do you prevent your dog from getting CRGV? Well to be honest; the vets don’t know. There is no vaccine against CRGV currently as the exact cause and specific bacteria causing this outbreak is unknown. The only tips available is to wash your dog down thoroughly after every walk paying attention to the paws and legs and in particular, to dry these areas thoroughly. Other than that, the areas of known cases in the UK is currently at 56 and i suspect many more cases left uncounted.

If your dog appears to be showing signs of or to have contracted CRGV what should you do? Get to your vet. The most important thing is topical treatment of the lesions, IV fluids, nutrients, electrolytes and vitamins as well as glucose. A dog who is not eating and is vomiting and excreting blood needs to be seen immediately to give the dog a chance of fighting off the disease. However, it really needs to be noted here that even once in the care of a vet, they will be dumbfounded as their is no cure or treatment for this disease. Application of antibiotics will negatively influence the already failing renal system and may push the kidney beyond its toxin limit.

There are cases of dogs becoming ill with bloody excretions and vomit across the country with outraged owners suspecting the vaccination “Lepto 4” as the cause. We ourselves as a rescue lost a mama dog and 5 of her 7 puppies and another 4 month old pup to an unknown “infection or disease” that caused loss of appetite and severe sudden weight loss in a matter of 12 hours followed by extreme bloody vomit and blood coming out of the back end like a tap had been turned on…. The antibiotics seemed to make the situation worse and we lost all of them. There was no raised temperature present in any of these cases which would be a usual indicator of infection and illness.

CRGV, Alabama Rot, what ever you wish to call it, is fast becoming a deadly disease with absolutely no information or medical aid to battle it. Anderson Moores Veterinary group are currently the leading UK researchers on it and need urgent funding.

Forget Parvo; CRGV is here UK. RIP Miami who we lost to “Unknown” January 2017.

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