WHITE FEATHERS

The one thing this week has taught me is that no matter what happens in my life, I can never get away from Bulldog Rescue. With everything we've gone through and the struggle we've had at work to even begin to catch up, the number of people who constantly call needing their dogs rehomed increases with each passing day. Sometimes I just want time for me and this week I realised that could never happen - and then this morning the worst possible news, the legend that was Winnie Pooh had died. Like I wasn't beating myself up enough .... I'd been out already this morning to pick up the Reggie's Den delivery but it was so early that instead of going to the kitchen, I went back to the bedroom and layed on the bed watching TV for a further half an hour, if I'd not done that Winnie would not have died on his own. It looked like he'd had a fit of somekind, and the most ironic thing is that he only ever had one fit in his life - 5th November 2001! today is 5th November 2009. When Winnie arrived here he was thin and unable to walk, the vet diagnosed him with hemi vertabrae and gave him about 6 months, insisting that he'd never walk, we proved him wrong on both counts, as he got stronger he got up on his back legs but it was at least a year before he ventured into the house, coming as far as the back door but refusing to cross the threshold. then one day he came into the kitchen and from that day on he realised the joys of being a house dog far outweighed those of being a kennel dog. He continued to get fatter, more unfit and grouchier as he got older, and none of us could understand just how this dog kept on going - but he did until this morning when time finally caught up with him and that initial 6 month diagnoses became almost 9 years.

So I'm sat there, having buried the 2nd dog in 7 days thinking I really can't be doing with other peoples problems when there's a call from the RSPCA, a dog we had rehomed 2 years ago had turned up with them during a seizure of 4 dogs yesterday. The Inspector said that the owner had gone down hill very quickly as she'd only been out to her a month before, but after her car had given up the woman no longer went out and after a month of the neighbours having not seen her they called in the RSPCA who found 4 very imaciated dogs (one of which has had to be put to sleep), several dead budgies and an dear old woman who's apparently been sectioned. It makes you realise just how quickly things can change and if you know any elderly people with animals make sure you watch them closely as Lilly is now back here weighing a mear 13kg. This is one of the major reasons why we keep the microchips in our name, because if it had been in the owners name this dog would have gone into the RSPCA system and we'd be none the wiser. To be honest I was grateful for the call out as it meant I didn't have to speak to anyone, but surely that's the end of this run of bad luck ..... isn't it?

If anyone would like to make a donation to rescue in Winnie's memory we'd be very grateful. For many years he was the public face of rescue (until the Harrods incident) and he lived a very long and happy life I'm sure. And the reason why this blog is called "white feathers"? So many people tell me they find white feathers after they've lost their bulldog, the morning Rosie died I spotted one outside my bedroom window, that should have given me a clue as to what was about to happen but we were so busy running around after Katie's accident that it didn't register until afterwards. Whilst burying Winnie I turned to see a white feather in the willow tree in our little graveyard at the bottom of the garden (which is now host to 13 bulldogs aged between 2 days and 13 years). That white feather is actually very comforting and some beleive it's a final goodbye.