BARNSLEY AND DISTRICT ANIMAL WELFARE NEWS
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1128029
Sammy's Story
Sammy was found in a very poor state on the outskirts of Barnsley, rescued and brought to our care. He was very thin and had clearly been attacked by another dog and seems to have come off worst. He had a number of mostly minor wounds but had one that ran from his eye down to the corner of his mouth. He was taken to Churchfield Veterinary Centre by us to receive treatment for his injuries. As the wounds were deemed to be some one to two weeks old, partly healed and due to his age and very low weight, it was decided just to treat against any infection, clean the wounds and wait to see if we could trace his owner.
His story appeared in the Barnsley Chronicle, our local paper, and it was hoped that his owner or someone would recognise Sammy. Sadly no one came forward to claim him but a number of kind people who had seen his story contacted us to offer help towards paying for his treatment. Donations were sent and after a few weeks when we had got his weight up to a more reasonable level Sammy was booked in to the vets to have the worst of his injuries, that on his face, treated and repaired as best possible.
Sammy's eyelid wound was abraded (edges of the wound roughened to help them heal together) and stitched up. The wound in the corner of his mouth was already healed up and it was thought by the vet this was best left alone. Sammy returned to his foster home and quickly recovered from his operation.
He is never going to win any prizes for most handsome dog but is now enjoying the comforts of home and company of other dogs. He joins us on some fund raising events and just laps up all the attention he gets. But is happiest just laid out enjoying home comforts.
Update January 2009.
Sammy has now found a new home which he shares with a cat, a stray that decided that he liked the look of the house and stayed. Sammy and "Cat" (that is what the family call him) get on well and share the home comforts, one chair each.
Nadia's Story
Nadia was found tied up in the garden of a public house. She was very wet and exhausted. It is thought that she had found her way in and then someone had tied her up rather than she had been abandoned. Nadia was given a drink of water and then taken to Churchfield Veterinary Centre in Barnsley.
There she was checked over and found to be in good condition and fine health, just tired. She was also found to be micro-chipped. It was thought at this point she would soon be reunited with her owners. This was untill it was found that Nadia carried a microchip registered in New Zealand and no details of any owner in the UK was known. Through this we found out Nadia's real name, Nadia was the name we gave her, but she does not seem to respond to that name so may have been called by another name.
Nadia was passed into our care and we set about trying to track down her owners or any other details we could get hold of. All dogs in New Zealand have to be micro chipped and registered with the local council every year. Nadia had not been registered anywhere in New Zealand since 2003/4. Through contacts in the UK we tracked down the address in New Zealand and, through contacts there someone went to see what they could find. No one there knew of the owner nor where they may have gone.
We got Nadia's story in to local press and on local radio and TV and some national dog magazines. With this coverage we were even contacted by New Zealand based media, TV and papers, who ran the story over there. All to no avail in the end.
Nadia has been in a foster home since she came to us as we do not think she will be good in kennels, and enjoying all her home comforts. We have found her to be a very loving dog but very strong and she has to be walked on a harness, another reason for not putting her in kennels as it is mostly young girls working there and she may be too strong for some of them.
Update February 2009.
Nadia has now been taken on permanently in her foster home and is no longer looking for a forever home.