Little Gifts

They are savvy sourcers - fleece in bulk at the best price and the same with the mats. I suspect they get both items wholesale through where some of them work. They take bloody hours to cut the strips and then tie/knot! and the lady makes at least 6 every week for the group! Like me they wouldn't factor in time to make because it is a charity fundraiser rather than a business. C4P also seems pretty good with postage - actual charges (no handling fee and they let people hold open bags so they can fill them over a couple of weeks before posting).

Thanks DDD! Craft 4 Paws is actually a supporter of Chi Rescue. Often people buy products on the page and have them donated on to a rescue group too, which is lovely. I will check about the smell but there have not been any complaints come through behind the scenes. She buys those mats in bulk and I suspect they come through a business link rather than as a retail purchase. She's quite fussy so I can't see he being happy with toxic mats. But as I say I will check. And thank you for the thunder shirt suggestion - I will see what they have on offer!

Geez, how do we a directors job there? Only in animal welfare would you get away with having as many volunteers as you do paid staff. That's another thing RSPCA do.

I can't believe I even noticed this post but I did! I don't make them but I know someone who does. She sells them for $30 and the money all goes back to support animal rescue. The catch is you can't order anything - all items go up on their FB page (link below) every Sunday afternoon and it is first in best dressed. Snuffle mats go quickly. The group is also closed until 4/2 (we are all busy creating). I'm not sure what balls you mean but if you are talking about pom pom kind of balls (tried to add a pic but file is too large) then yes I will be putting them up on the page too. Not sure what price but maybe $5. Both items are handmade and we aim for quality! https://www.facebook.com/groups/960472634022102/?ref=bookmarks

I had a stafford with all kinds of serious health issues but every single bloody day she was at the centre of everything, still acting like she was top dog! We had her at the vet every single month that last year of her life getting our vet to check her because she showed no signs of pain or discomfort and was not spending all her time asleep or off her food like you might expect of a sick dog. It became impossible to determine if the time was right for her but what helped me decide was her increasing unpredictability. She would get stuck in odd places due to dementia, blindness and mobility issues. She would jump off furniture having no clue how far she needed to travel or what was in front of her. I couldn't risk her seriously harming herself, particularly if no-one was home. So 3 months shy of 17 we got all the dogs (including her) to do us some art out in the yard, they went for a walk (she mostly in her dog pram), ate some roast chicken, had lots of cuddles and we took her to the vet that one last time. I still have no idea if I did it too soon but I know that I couldn't live with myself if I'd not been home and she had had an accident in my absence and was suffering. That was my yardstick - when she became a danger to herself. It might have to be the same for your girl - if the risk of suffering unexpectedly in your absence becomes too high then you need to make a hard decision out of love. Some people in your situation have made a bucket list of things their dogs loves and has spent the last days doing those. My girl was on a strict diet due to pancreatitis so that last meal of chicken was like heaven to her! And her art works still hang in our lounge room. She was a big part of our life for many years and remains that way now.

I wonder how many of the 15 staff are related to each other in some way? Pet Rescue are following the RSPCA's model - say the right stuff and pull at the heartstrings to make money but don't actually get your hands dirty - leave that to all the independant rescue groups running on the smell of an oily rag. It is just so deceptive to the general public! Why does an online platform need 15 staff and a million odd dollars to run? I wonder how they assess their KPI's against their forever home vision? It's really disheartening that we have the RSPCA, puppy farmers, back yard breeders and now PR all making money off the backs of companion animals. When does it end? Where is it going to lead? It's certainly not saving more animals!

What a man! Based on posts someone has submitted an application. Good for him! My gp is on r and r and I don't have her personal contact info so I'm hoping they will keep actively looking till they find the perfect bubba! Thank you though RP!

I saw people at Movieworld with kids and picnic stuff in them at a White Christmas event! Wished one of the daddies would've pulled me around in one for a bit!

I had 3 dogs of varying ages, the oldest being an almost 17 stafford. She could hardly walk but insisted on not being left behind so we got a dog pram. She'd get out of the car, start the walk, give up and go into the pram. Then we could finish the walk and the other 2 could get exercise! I was also at a doggy event and there was a lab inside one of those bicycle attachments that I think are designed for children to sit in while the parent pedals the bike. So doggy prams and the like are good for even medium and larger breeds, not just your small fluffies!

Shel is a DOLer so if you change the title to say Saving Pets Blog it might prompt her to come in and explain the article further.

My stafford is now 10 and we still can't leave anything within her reach - no kitchen tidy on the floor, no fruit bowl with bananas in it on the breakfast bar and not even tissues on the coffee table! In the first 3 years of her life she cost me a fortune in the things she destroyed and we were regularly at the vet making sure what she ate was going to come out the other end. She even ate a 6 for by 6 foot corner lounge bit by bit! She has perfect response to the 'leave' command when I catch her but she just can't stop putting everything she sees in her mouth! She will be like it for life so it is up to us to remove the temptations. She's too lazy to get on tables but has been known to use her lizard like tongue to pull things within reach.

If I had parked my car to go on a cruise I'd walk around it 4 times to make sure everything was locked and nothing valuable was inside and on display before I could step away, knowing I'd be gone for an extended period and wanted it to be safe. I know it has happened to children too but I've never even left a bag of fruit and veg in my car let alone a living thing. It's something I can't quite get my head around. I don't know how you'd get over that if it was your dog it happened to.

How can they keep missing the point? If you want a pet suitable for a family then raising it in a family style environment will give it a greater chance of being a successful family pet. What does raising it in a big air conditioned shed with hundreds of other barking animals and then removing it while it is still a baby from its mother and litter mates do? Prepare it for the pound? I don't disagree with formal training but some of the staff's learnings wont equate to squat for the dogs. There wont be the staff to animal ratio to do many of the things considered necessary to raise a happy, healthy, well socialised puppy.

Oh DDD, that is so sad! Run free Orla.

Amazing work!!!! I'll be sharing it! Shel I am with 2 animal rescue support groups (and a third I only support from time to time) based on FB. Is there an option to also add a link to support groups that people can be part of or would that be seen as perhaps detracting from the direct cash giving concept? There are some that make and source items specific to the rescue group's needs, there are some who advertise donated items online (or at markets/events) and when they sell donate the money to a rescue group and there are some where the items donated for sale are sold but the cash goes to one rescue and the sold item is then on-donated to another rescue (dog coats is a common example). Being with one particularly support group (who will support and source anything!), the thing that confuses me is a focus by many rescue groups on just money as the best way of giving. From my experience now lots of people can make and source but not everyone has spare cash, especially not large amounts at any one time. Through these groups I've seen personal connections obtain expensive, specialist items a lot cheaper than straight off the shelf and I've seen bulk amounts of highly consumed items (large dog beds for instance) that can be made by hand and supplied at a fraction of the cost if they were purchased. As well as that, bulk orders for consumables like food can be obtained at good prices by one person using small donations from many in the support group. Same with a gift card if that is seen as the best option (like a Bunnings one for building materials). I totally understand that rescue often needs money to cover vet costs (probably their biggest outlay) but I think they are overlooking ways of spreading their money around differently, particularly in leaner times. Some of these support groups are also willing to do the running around, sourcing at the best prices and arranging deliveries. It seems the number of creators and donators out there is increasing (it certainly is in my circles) while the number of money givers is staying around the same. I've also noticed the money givers now giving less to each because they are trying to give to more groups at the same time. Another thing about the creators and donators is I am meeting people through my work who would love to connect with a specific rescue group to support in an ongoing fashion and will make items that they can sell to raise actual money (or for the animals in their care) but they don't know how to make those initial connections and most rescue groups are (rightly) focused on the animals care and adoptions. The biggest downside to rescue support groups that I see is the 'in and out' nature of most (not all). They will help in one instance and you may not engage with them again that year (maybe ever). They are not usually something you can rely on regularly (although the same could be said for monetary donations). On the flip side they can step in when a rescue group is most in need (large seizures, tragic/natural events) and there is nothing stopping a supporter remaining connected to a specific group they've made a connection with (we all have our weak spots!). If a rescue group had cash flow issues it could definately be a way of ensuring kibble and medical supplies were restocked for a couple of months or that all animals in their care had bedding and coats for that winter. It's just another option and if we know exactly what they need we can source or make it. Are rescue support groups something you are aware of through your research? Is there any feedback from rescue about their value to them? I personally think it is an untapped resource that will continue to grow and that a clever rescue group would jump on board. The ones I am involved with are run by people who take the coordination tasks seriously and who try to be professional and reliable in their dealings with rescue groups (nothing like time wasters or people who let you down when time is not your friend). One group has made at least $12,000 and donated it this year to I think 10 specific groups. They are also running several goods donations programs for items being made and donated on top of the cash donation side of things. This support group has a growing membership too of creators/donators and buyers from right across the country. They also have big networks and are creating their own business models that seem to be working if you base success on growth. So I'd be interested on your thoughts on this when you have time.

I'm so sorry for you and Claudia. This breaks my heart for you both. None of us would want this to be how it ends for our fur babies. Just remember something is wrong with her and she is unable to be the best dog she can be anymore. It may not be treatable or fixable and that is no-one's fault. I don't know why some beautiful dogs get the shitty end of the stick but there is a reason she came into your life - find it and hang on to it now. X

I've passed all the info on to her. I hope she finds the right dog. Unfortunately (for me) she is off on leave for a few months now so I wont get to find out for a while what happened. Claudette is a fantastic dog's name! I'll have to check her out as she sounds cute!

DDD had some stairs made I think? I bought some for our bed (cheap ones) but my stafford girl found them hard to use (each step too high and not wide enough for her gait). We also had a car ramp we stuck over the stairs for my sister's husky/shep to get in and out of the lounge room as she got older but she wouldn't use it (the younger dogs had no problem using it as a side lane around her!). If the issue is the dismount why not consider a larger, firm foam block half the size of the gap? Then he can ooze down to that level and then off. He probably feels he needs to launch himself off to make the total distance.

Oh this makes me angry! Your dogs were totally under your control! The loose dog bought the fight to them! We should be safe to walk down our streets. What if it was children fearful of dogs? Would he also tell the children it was their fault. Yep total arsehole who tried to turn it back around on you. You sensed concern and your gut was right. Report his useless arse.

Thank you RP. Never knew about Little Legs - love the name. And thank you Dogmad. She knows about AWL but wont do Gumtree.

Quick question for my beautiful GP. They just lost their Boston recently and the chi is really struggling. Her husband has disclosed he would really like to rescue a maltese next. The groups I am familiar with do not rescue maltese so I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions? I have told her about Pet Rescue, ARQ, BFR (although I don't think they really do small fluffies) and AWL. They have always supported rescue but usually come across a dog in an unusual way, so I'd like to steer her in the right direction this time. I'd be grateful for any groups names I can pass on to her. They are based in Brisbane, would travel to the north and south coasts but I suspect she would prefer to meet and greet with their existing dog rather than source an unknown dog from interstate. She is semi-retired and hubby is already retired so there would be someone home pretty much all the time. Thank you!

What breed do you have? If it is constant I'd get it checked by a vet. I have a shar pei and it is a breed prone to entropian. Even though mine has had surgery for it she still loves her eyes and face to be rubbed so as long as there is nothing medical, if your dog likes it too I wouldn't worry. But if he is doing it from discomfort there can be long term ramifications from ignoring it and not getting treatment.

I'm so sorry Rascal. Something is clearly wrong and her unpredictability is concerning. I hope the metacam makes a difference. We are all here for you and understand this is extremely difficult. We want the best for Claudia too. Hugs to you both.

Don Burke's show always had a breed segment or breed road tests on it. I'm assuming he had staff researching the info though. The Burke's Backyard website also has dog breed fact sheets on it and a quick google shows he has given support to breeders groups in the past. I assume his interest in dogs is part of the 'backyard' type of focus of his shows, with Aussie backyards being for more than just plants. I couldn't see that he had any professional quals regarding dogs or animals in general.

Also what about some indoors fun with some puzzles? You can make some yourself very cheaply and it wears them out mentally.