Steve

Yep thats good - Thank you Julie

Know what that's wonderful too. Thank you.

i asked that and she said it doesn't matter - they eat anything.

Yep I have her permission to give her address out if anyone wants to do that

You guys are awesome! Im just going to try and contact her again and grab her address so I can sort out deliveries. Thank you You have no idea how you make a difference! Julie

Yep Im thinking if we each paid a dollar or two to handle materials and we each purchased a personalised hand made dog themed card [ I know someone who can do this for us] then each send through via email a scanned personal message to go into each one - so they can all be sent off to the address of the person . This maintains their privacy - only one person needs to know their address and keeps everyone's cost down to a bare minimum. Can be all done without them having to leave the house and they get a bunch of personalised cards What do you think?

O.K. Great ideas but - the post card thing. If I buy an album and insert postcards Im assuming the person would see the pretty side and not the side with a message - is that what you mean? If everyone send the post cards to one person and then one person puts them in the album and them sends them on thats a hell of a lot of cash for Australia Post - so lets cost it out . How much is an average price for a postcard?

Steve,I understand that,and i am working on my own submission.Those who are supposedly speaking for "my group" are mostly pushing their own agendas ,often comercial ventures and D.Ds. The real stake holders are those that buy these dogs,whatever their source and most of them are blissfully unaware of all thats going on behind the scenes. They are the ones who happily sign cleverly worded petitions by Peta and welfare groups with out any understanding of what it all means to their choices and options. There are few avenues of engaging these people and opening their eyes to the real,broad picture.Their education in these matters is very limitted,though they often sign with the best of intentions. I am saying there needs to be ways these people can experience a broader view of pet ownership and where their dogs come from.The value of pedigree dogs etc. BTW a point worth mention is the "hybrid vigour" slogan trotted out by D.D breeders and refuted here lies some where between.Hybrid vigour is proven,but true hybrids are inter species,not with in species and are infertile mostly.Any hybrid vigour within species is nominal,but there only due to closed lines of pedigree animals and valid only in the 1st cross. At least thats been my understanding.A bit more discourse and less animosity between ALL groups can only benefit,surely. What I dont understand is why those who do have dogs and breed do not become members of these organisations so they are the majority membership instead of the PETA lunies? surely those who actually have the animals referred to should be the ones in this organisations so there are actually people who do know running them instead of the fanatics? its in dog and cat owners interests to be surely? Many of them are members of organisations,but the organisations themselves are polarised by the whole pure bred/cross bred thing,and this gives Peta type groups their ammo. Ordinary pet owners have no real encouragement to join in any organisation...Its just an added expense that brings no real bennefits to them.It won't allow them to do more with their own dogs,join competions or community fun days etc. There is no one working to solve that basic problem as far as i can see,and yet this is the group least informed and most likely to have unplanned litters.Or see big prices being asked for dogs and think to jump on the graveyy train with no real thought or understanding of what they are doing. In my own case,there is no organisation that fits.My dogs are working dogs,so "pet" registries are unsuited for many reasons,though they live more closely with their humans than most strictly pet dogs do.They are not herders who have their own registries for work purposes.I find myself with dogs that seem to be very unique in their qualities and no way to show that,or encourage research since working competions are closed to cross breeds in their field. I can and do have dogs training with huge success in their field,showing great ability and verstility that hasn't been seen in their dominant "breed" in years,but they are not permitted to compete for titles. I believe this is a great loss to pedigree breeders,who will not recognise the potential the breed was famous for,and could be acheived again because most will never see it demonstrated. I think perhaps you need to look around a little more - Im not permitted to discuss the group that is covering this here however, Im happy to take it private.

Its come to our attention that a member of dogz is in a pretty hard spot at the moment and needs some short term help to get her through. If anyone is in the Lower Templestowe area in Victoria and could find their way clear to donate some dog food for two small dogs this would help take a lot of pressure off her and help a huge amount. Julie

From info coming out of pounds in NSW we believe that there are still a large percentage which are not chipped in NSW as well- even though here its been mandatory for around 14 years! Sort of puts an end to the accusation that pet shop puppies are fodder for this when all pet shop puppies are chipped and have been for 14 years.

Hell yes - we can use you Mantis. Im sorry I missed your call - had to take the kid to footy training but Ill give you a call tomorrow after lunch. I have Doctors appointments tomorrow afternoon, but I will be home after 4pm. No worries Ill catch you then.

Sounds like a nomination - www.mdbaawards.net.au

Hell yes - we can use you Mantis. Im sorry I missed your call - had to take the kid to footy training but Ill give you a call tomorrow after lunch.

O.K. Its come to my attention that we have another doler who is in a bit of need of knowing that she isnt alone - Ill leave that for now but its made me think we need something we can participate in which we can get to them quicker than we can do a quilt . Something they can look at and keep and know we care about them - calling for ideas- anyone.

Thank you for passing us on to him - we also find lots of women who should leave home wont do so because it leaves the abuser behind with the animals - refuges wont take animals - so many of our clients come from that area too. We should be able to sort out a delivery of dog food for you if you want to hand some around too.

Thank you for passing us on to him - we also find lots of women who should leave home wont do so because it leaves the abuser behind with the animals - refuges wont take animals - so many of our clients come from that area too. We should be able to sort out a delivery of dog food for you if you want to hand some around too.

Yep sure is. Where can I find their contact details? 0269276707 -that's me, no phones in the office in Victoria yet as we don't move in to new premises till late June.

Pacers has nothing to do with Dogz except that Troy allows us to talk about it and ask for help and donations here and as a result we have been able to help many people who are members here as well as those who have never heard of dogz if they hit hard times. Its really all about helping people who are struck with a personal or natural disaster to be able to look after their animals rather than neglecting them or needing to abandon them. Usually human welfare orgs look after humans and these days many call us to give a hand with pets as well. So we aim for short term help such as providing quick fencing, penning, food, shelter etc and foster care if its needed and the owners are involved in it all and the objective is to help them get back on their feet and help them to prevent them getting back to where they are. We have been able to help several thousand pet owners now and part of it is offering support and counselling - so we have helped some start their own home based businesses,helped them find pet friendly accommodation etc. Sometimes people shouldn't keep their animals because they have too many etc so we go in and they help us to find new homes and we work with them to ensure their animals are safe and they don't feel that they have no control over it all. Basically its a safety net for pet owners and their animals.

Yep sure is.

Do you mean you looked on this website? http://www.mdbapacers.org.au/

Really, how dare we focus on the dog and not the person. They are a very tight package! Removal of said dog could lead to a very downward spiral, dare I say even more self destructive. I think perhaps I didnt write what I meant very clearly .I didnt mean we should focus only on the dog. I think its sad that some only focus on the dog. I meant that some seem to put more importance on the dog over the human and as you say it should be the package we look at.

You've already done more than your fair share to help us out.

It does bring up many questions doesn't it? Considering taking the dog away because its perhaps not getting the best care and diet but sort of just forgetting that the person on the other end of the lead is sharing life with the dog and needs help to be able to care for themselves and the dog. That the dog is probably simply mirroring their own health and ability to access the basics. How do we focus on the dog and not the person. How sad.

Well done everyone. If you could hear the difference in this lady's voice and the gratitude she has for her having a cat to re united with you would understand why I bawled like a baby when she first asked for help and then again when she told me she was now on the other side. There but for the grace of God go I.