Why Is A Dog’s Life So Bad Anyway?

It has been a while since we have been able to help our canine friends here at the Society for Abandoned animals. Our old kennel unit had served its purpose for many years but had become too badly outdated and worn down that we were faced with no other choice but to close it completely while refurbishment were made. Now we are very very close to getting dogs back again and once again fulfilling the wishes of the fantastic woman who founded our charity many moons ago.

Peggy Henderson started off the SAA as a way of feeding the stray dogs that were left to fend for themselves during the housing clearances in South Manchester in the 60s. Her life is a wonderful thing to learn about and we have a few remaining books on her life story available to purchase from our site.

With this mission in mind it never really made sence to us to not have dogs, why wouldn’t we when that was the one species the SAA was founded on? Well soon we will be graced by the incessant barking of happy dogs once again but until then we are still very keen to help rehome as many dogs as possible by less direct methods.

First there was Harvey – The dog that everybody needed but didn’t know it yet. Now there is Alfie. Watch his story…

If you have any questions about Alfie’s campaign or where you can adopt a dog in the Manchester area while we are still dog-less them please leave a comment below and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

We don’t think there is anything wrong with Alfie

You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch!

The Grinch turned up early this year

The Grinch has come early this year to the Society for Abandoned Animals.

 

Last thursday we suffered a break in. The first one since we moved our offices into the on-site bungalow out of the portacabins we used to use.

Vandals broke into the bungalow and managed to gain entry into all of the rooms, including our Treatment Room that currently houses two rabbits! There is so much destruction, it is going to take a long time for us to get back on track. And all of this is taking our time away from the animals that we are here to look after!

 

Thankfully, the two rabbits in our treatment room were left safe in their kennel, very very scared but they have recovered well and are eating and pooing normally (which any rabbit person will tell you is a very important thing!).

 

What was taken? All of our major prizes for next weekends Summer Fair event day.

 

The Summer Fair is our biggest event of the year, last year we raised a record breaking £7000! Now, we have no prizes for our auctions and raffles and no prizes means no people entering. We face a major problem. With no prizes, no one will want to enter any of our games therefore we will not raise any money.

 

This is an EMERGENCY APPEAL going out to anyone who may be able to help. We are in DESPERATE need of prizes for our games and auctions! If you have anything such as bottles of wine or non-alcoholic drinks that we can use in our bottle tombolla, unwanted gift sets of toiletries or maybe even children’s toys that are still in a saleable condition, we would be eternally grateful for it all!

 

In addition, if you think you could help us with repairs then please contact us as soon as possible on (uk) 01619735318 or office@saarescue.co.uk

To donate please contact us on the above details or send items to the following address

 

The Society for Abandoned Animals

Mosley Acre Farm

Barfoot Bridge

Stretford

Manchester

M32 9UP

 

(our site is positioned along the canal tow path in between Dane Road and Edge Lane. Access by car is from Dane Road, we are signposted as ‘Animal Sanctuary’)

Read All About It! Bruno’s Best Foot Forward.

Animal Care Coordinator Helen Messer, General Manager Bob Gregson and Bruno. (copyright The Messenger Newsgroup)

Our boy Bruno, the 3 legged staffy, is making is mark once again by winning the hearts and minds of readers of our local newspaper the Sale and Altrincham Messenger.

• Exclusive By Chris Griffin »

A THREE-legged dog has given a ‘paw-up’ to impressive new kennels at Trafford’s Society for Abandoned Animals – eight months after a Messenger-backed fundraising campaign saved the centre.

Six-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier-cross Bruno was the first canine ‘guest’ to sample the state-of-the-art kennels, which have replaced outmoded ones that closed 18 months ago.

The new facilities have been completed thanks to a Messenger-backed ‘Save our Sanctuary’ (SOS) campaign raised £50,000 to prevent the cash-strapped 45-year-old centre from closure.

But, even though the kennels are superb, Bruno is not staying on there – as he has become the first dog to be rehomed after completion of the £10,000 project.

His new owner is the animal sanctuary’s general manager, Bob Gregson, who couldn’t resist the lovable pooch – who has twice been nursed back to fitness by the sanctuary.

Bruno has cancer which will cut his life short, and no-one knows how long he has left.

Bob said: “I want to make sure that every day is the best day of his life.”

Bruno – who lost his leg at a young age in a road accident – was first taken to the animal sanctuary in December 2009.

The sanctuary eventually found him a new home, but he came back to the sanctuary when the new owner became unable to look after him because of a change in circumstances.

Bruno before being nursed back to health

When he returned he was in a very poor condition, suffering from dehydration, malnutrition and with multiple sores.

Now though, he has regained his strength and has settled in with Bob and his two other dogs, as a member of the ‘pack’.

Bob added: “On walks with his new pack he is so happy it seems as if he is smiling.”

Bob said the Messenger had played a vital role in saving the sanctuary and ensuring it had the funds to upgrade its facilities.

He said: “The momentum of the SOS campaign has led to us being in a position to improve facilities for all our animals.

“I would like to thank Messenger readers for really caring about animals, and contributing both time and money to help them.

“Financially, things are still difficult, so improvements are being done in phases.”

*If you would like more information on our new kennel facility or about what we are planning for our dogs then feel free to pop down to our site off Dane Road in Sale and have a chat with our members of staff.

Every Dog Has It’s Day!

And Sunday the 26th of June is no exception! This year’s all Trophy Dog Show and Family Fun Day promises to be a fantastic success with new, never before seen games, a brilliant barbecue (with stuff for the veggies among us too), stalls and prize games galore and not to mention the Dog Show in all its glory!

This year sees a very busy schedule with 7 (yes, 7) classes including Cutest Puppy, Most Amazing Trick and (my personal favorite) Best 6 Legs where our panel of expert judges will look ast not only mans best friend but also his human handler! So ladies, time to get your glad rags on and fellas, well we never could say no to a touch of designer stubble.

The full range of classes will be announced shortly on this blog and on our official website www.saarescue.co.uk so stay tuned! There will be rosettes and certificates awarded to everyone placing 1st 2nd or 3rd in each class with a trophy being awarded to those placing 1st! Your dog will then have its photo taken by one of our brilliant photographers to be included in your winner’s package.

In addition to this the winner of each class will then be entered into the last category of the day, BEST IN SHOW! To win a fantastic huge trophy aswell as a hamper of doggylicious prizes including a voucher for £25 redeemable at Petlife, the UK’s leading supplier of pet bedding and health care.

Gates open at 12PM with the first class (Handsomest Dog) starting at 12:30PM so get here early, we are expecting a fantastic turn out. registration will end 30 minutes before the start of the final class.

For Every ‘Peter Rabbit’ and ‘Benjamin Bunny’

Beatrix Potter, 'Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny collecting onions' © Frederick Warne & Co. 2006

The wonderful children’s stories by Beatrix Potter began with the Tale of Peter Rabbit, a mischievous little rabbit who went against his mothers wishes and ended up making himself sick by eating the wrong things and putting himself in danger by venturing too near the wrong people. These stories are often the catalyst behind a child’s declaration that they want to own a pet bunny! While the stories are simply that, the wonderous imaginings of a truly gifted children’s author, they have indirectly elicited an endemic of rabbits being kept as children’s pets.

For decades now, rabbits have been kept in hutches which in itself is not a bad way of keeping rabbits. This practice however dates back to times when rabbit was a cheap source of meat. Families would buy two live rabbits and allow them to breed creating a sustainable source of meat for the whole family. In these times, conditions in which rabbits were kept didn’t matter much. Thankfully, the idea of animal welfare has come on in leaps and bounds in the past few years and, thanks to some forward thinking people, so has rabbit awareness.

Rabbits are now no longer promoted as the disposable children’s pets which they have previously been though of as. Hutch sizes have increased dramatically and now, any pet retailer who knows his stuff will tell a potential rabbit owner which hutch is intended as a home and which is intended as a den. Rabbits are now known as social animals that need to interact with their own species in order to remain psychologically healthy. And, as Peter Rabbit found out, rabbits cannot survive on carrots alone and need a balanced diet high in fibre in order to remain physically healthy.

The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund is the leading advocate for rabbit welfare in the UK and this Monday (23rd may) marks the beginning of their campaign Rabbit Awareness Week 2011. During this week, veterinary practices, animal charities, pet shops and animal welfare organisations will all join forces to bring home the message of rabbit welfare and hopefully improves the lives of the millions of pet rabbit being kept in the UK.

Many vets practices are holding complimentary rabbit health checks during Rabbit Awareness Week which is well worth taking advantage off. Hundreds of rabbit charities around the country will be holding their own events too, and the Society for Abandoned Animals is no exception.

We will be holding a Rabbit Awareness event at Jolleys Petfood Superstore in Fallowfield on Saturday 28th May,  during which we will be helping new and prospective rabbit owners to set their pet rabbits off on the right track. We will also be on hand to help existing rabbit owners with any questions they have about their own rabbits.

As children are still so closely linked to rabbits and rabbit ownership we will be offering lots for kids to do during the day including face painting, colouring contests and a Name the Rabbit competition.

Even if you do not own a rabbit you will be able to do your bit for rabbit welfare by taking part in our ‘Buy a Bunny a Breakfast’ competition. For this competition you can feed one of the rabbits at our rehoming centre for just £1 and be entered into our free prize draw to win a fantastic rabbit hamper!

For further information feel free to contact us at the Society for Abandoned Animals on 01619735318 or by email direct to our animal care coodinator on helen.messer@saa.eclipse.co.uk

Paws for Thought

“Why was I so afraid of that vet?”

Last sunday (15th may) was the day of our first ever Cat Care Day here at the Society for Abandoned Animals and boy did the cats come out to play! We saw big ones, skinny ones, fluffy ones (but no bald ones) – all different shapes and sizes came to have a visit with our vets who donated their time from the Chorltom Animal Medical Centre Referral Services.

 

The whole event was geared around cats, something we have not attempted before at one of our event days. We were let down by the damp and dingy British weather but our army of volunteers still marched out to bring the words of cat welfare to the visiting public!

 

possibly the most rewarding part of the day was the fact that we microchiped 8 cats who may otherwise have gone un-chipped, risking being separated from their owners forever if they ever went missing. Microchiping is one of the most important things a cat owner can do, it ensures that no matter what someone else does to the cat, it can still be identified.

 

Collars can be removed, identity microchips can’t!

 

If you would like more information on how microchip implantation affects your cat then please feel free to contact us on 0161 973 5318.

 

When all of the monies from the event have been counted we will be announcing the grand total so watch this space!

The Cats Whiskers

“I wish we were tall enough to get to the phone!”

This sunday (15 th May) is our first annual Cat Care Day extravaganza! The day promises to be filled with all things feline from Cat health checks and low-cost vaccinations to fun feline-themed stalls fit for all ages! To book your cat a place with our vet please call (UK) 01619735318 and specify if you would like a health check, preventative health care, vaccinations or advice on any specific conditions that may be affecting your cat.

 

Cat welfare is obviously one of the highest priorities for us here at the Society for Abandoned Animals. We are continually trying to improve the level of welfare we set for our animals and would very much like to help cat owners to improve the welfare of their own cats.

 

Cat behaviour is a perplexing thing, cats are very difficult to read and often do not betray any of the emotions they may be feeling at that particular moment in time. I’m sure that you have seen your own cat doing something very odd like focusing so completely on one spot on the floor to the extent that everything going on around it is being ignored. Our fully trained staff will be on hand to tell you all you need to know about feline antics.

 

We will have our cat vet on hand to do health checks, microchipping, worming, de-fleaing and to issue vouchers for low-cost vaccinations. They will also be more than happy to discuss any issues you may have with your can and can advise on the next course of action on any potential medical problems.

 

There will be lots to do for all of our human visitors on the day too so why not pop down, buy your cat a little prezzie, try your luck at ourn raffle games and join us for a fantastic feline friendly day!

Everything’s Coming Up Roses!

Go on, I dare you to rub my belly!

Rose the cat has been featured on this blog before multiple times in an attempt to find her a home and finally in celebrationg of a home accepting her in. This post is a letter from her new owners who are obviously enjoying the rewards of the choice they made so many months ago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Last October, my wife Hazel and I decided it was time to give a deserving cat a home. We had 2 cats, Kitty and Ringo, who sadly died during 2010. This was a very sad time for Hazel and I. We had always had cats, so we were missing feline company.

We decided we wanted a cat that really deserved a loving home, as we didn’t want to replace our other two. We were aware of the The Society For Abandoned Animals on the Stretford / Sale Border. We had a look on their website and looked for a cat that had preferably been at the centre for a long time. 

 That’s where we found Rosey. She had been in a pen for 9 months at the centre, waiting for a potential owner to give her a home. Usually cats find a home in days or weeks. She was about 2 years old and the volunteers at the SAA could tell that she at one time did have a home, but for whatever reason had become a stray.

She was found scavenging for scraps of food at the back of the Stretford Arndale Centre by one of the volunteers while shopping. The volunteer said that Rosey wouldn’t allow you to get too near. She was a painfully thin and in a bad state, and the weather in January 2010 was extremely cold. The snow and ice stayed for weeks. After a few days of visiting Rosey, the volunteer managed to grab her and put her in her cat box.

 When we went to visit her, she bit both my wife & I. The staff said that they think she had been mistreated because of her behaviour. She would flinch and cower if you moved your hand too fast. At the same time, she was intelligent and  loving. She would sit on your lap for hours. The volunteers at the SAA became very attached to her, but they knew she couldn’t go to just anyone, and that they thought that she wouldn’t be suitable for a family with children, or one with other cats. She also might have been too much for an elderly person.

 We knew we had to give Rosey a home. She wasn’t suitable for many people, but Hazel and I knew that she was perfect for us. We could give her a chance to have space, patience and freedom to allow her to eventually be happy. After having been locked in a small area of for about 9 months, however loving and caring the staff were at the SAA., she needed a stable calm home with a garden in a quiet traffic free street.

 Today 6 months on she has become much happier. She loves our company. She’s always waiting for us when we come home, even though the cat flap is open always. Now it’s starting to get a bit milder, and we are gardening, she’s always follows us. She climbs trees and many of the neighbours have commented on what a friendly cat she is. She has become friends with many of the cats on our street, which we always wondered what she’d be like. 

Since we gave her a home, she has never bitten us, only pretended to bite us in the first week or so, and she hardly ever scratches us anymore, only when we are too playful with her, or on the odd occasion if we pick her up, though we were never able to at all previously, now she rarely minds.

 She’s come so far in 6 months and we’re sure that as we show her love and affection, and give her space, she’ll continue to become what she should have from the start.

 Andy

Boldly going where no cat has gone before!

The past month has been packed full of event days including the first of this years Rabbit Care Days and our Spring Fair which was blessed by some of the best weather we have had so far this year. Normally this would be the time to sit back and give ourselves a pat on the back for some fantastic fundraising. Not this year!

Now we are steaming towards our next event, our first ever Cat Care Day on the 15th may! The bunnies have had their day in the spotlight, now it is the time for some fantastic felines to strut their stuff and show us just how purrrfect they can be!

This is uncharted territory for us at the Society for Abandoned Animals, we are not sure on how the day will go down. There is one thing we are sure of though. It is going to be day to remember! A day when we can reach out to the cat owners of Manchester and beyond to help them with purrplexing behavioural and health issues.

We will have expert teams of health checkers there to advise on any potential health concerns and we will be providing low-cost flea and worm treatments to ensure each cat is as healthy as can be.

The safety of our pets is a major concern for anyone who owns an animal and in order to help owners with this we will be providing low-cost microchipping and registration. A microchip would allow staff at a vets or rescue centre to identify your pet and contact you in order to reunite you and your beloved pet as soon as possible should the animals go missing. The microchip itself is the size of a grain of rice and cannot be felt after it is implanted under the skin at the base of the neck.

As we have never held an event like this before we would value your input on how to make the event the best t possibly can be. Do you have an idea for a cat-based stall or are you able to help us out in any way? Please contact us to give us your ideas either by commenting below or by contacting office@saarescue.co.uk

Thank you

Brilliant Bunnies and Radient Rabbits!

 Last Sunday was the first of this years Rabbit Care Days  here at the Society for Abandoned Animals. We were offering complementary Rabbit health checks for all who attended with rabbits and had a vet performing low cost vaccinations in order to help the pet rabbits of Manchester be as healthy as possible.

The aim of the day was not only to help people who had been kind enough to adopt rabbits from us in the past but to help those who might not have otherwise taken their pets to see a vet. We managed to identify a number of minor health problems in rabbits that had never seen a vet before and potentially prevented those rabbits from developing serious health conditions.

An alarming percentage of the rabbits we saw were not neutered and were living alone. Their owners believed that as they were single rabbits that they did not have to be neutered as the risk of breeding was nonexistent. Many of these owners were shocked to hear about the health risks to domestic rabbits that have not been neutered, particularly with the high percentage of an unneutered female rabbit developing uterine cancer and unneutered males developing territorial aggression. We hope that by giving good advice endorsed by the Rabbit Welfare Association that we were able to help provide these rabbits with a better future and higher levels of welfare.

Other aspects of responsible rabbit ownership we were promoting included adequate accommodation size, rabbits as social animals and the possibility of keeping a rabbit as an indoor pet. Rabbits are still commonly seen as ‘disposable’ children’s pets with owners still believing that rabbits are cheap to keep and only live naturally for a few years.

The truth is that rabbits have been known to live into their teens and are notoriously expensive to keep, especially if they are taken twice yearly to a rabbits specialist vet. Rabbits are a big commitment and parents of children who want to adopt a rabbit should be fully prepared to take on the responsibility themselves when the children become bored of the commitment.

Hopefully last weekend we went some way to dispelling the myths surrounding domesticated rabbits and managed to improve the standard of welfare for a great number of local pet rabbits.

We also held games, stalls and even pony rides with our partner charity Urban Riderz to entertain all of our visitors, not just those with rabbits. One lucky visitor even won the grand prize of £25 of ‘Pet Life’ Vouchers!

The day was a fantastic success and as soon as we have the official figures in we will be letting you know via this blog our facebook and our twitter pages just how successful it really was!

A massive thank you goes out to all of the staff and volunteers who helped to make this day a fantastically enjoyable one for everyone!