A New Arrival In A Sorry State.....

Welcome to the first SHAK video update, showing you in motion the work we do.....

This pretty old girl was found as a stray this weekend. She is in quite a state..... This video tells you her story so far:

An Adventure For Big Murph.....

It was another day of worry, as I abandoned a day off to rush big Murphy to the vets. Murph was a little lethargic this morning, and David's call was proved the right one as examination showed Murphy had a high temperature. Being a German Shepherd, there was a concern re Spleen tumours, and having just gone through that with Oskar it isn't something that I'd wish on anyone. As a precaution, blood tests were done and although they cannot guarantee anything, indications are that liver enzymes etc are all functioning correctly.

Murphy left the vets after an antibiotic injection to treat any infection, and tablets, and he started to look a lot brighter soon after. There was more adventuring  to come though, as he headed to my Mam's for a walk with her dog Lacey (who I rescued many years ago) and a bask in the sunshine.

All in all quite a day for the big lad, and although I have to say, old age is catching up with him, it was great to spend that time with him.

Making It All Worthwhile.....

There has been some good things happening at The Rescue Place too, as we try to go on as normal in such a tough time. And I think now is a good time to congratulate and thank all my team for carrying on in such difficult circumstances.

We always try and socialise our dogs, and it is great to see them making new friends. Both Zara and Cooper like the company of other dogs, although Zara is very excitable, Cooper is the perfect gentleman. And as you can see below, it also saves Rich going to the gym!

Zara, Rich and Cooper.

Now these next photo's really are amazing, especially if you have witnessed first hand how frightened of other dogs Maisie is. She displays her fear by lunging at the other dogs, desperate to frighten it away, but hopefully that is all a thing of the past. I called in my boys Kai and Doyle to do some work with her, and well I'll let you make up your own mind......

Next up we introduced our group that are always up for making new friends and playing, Moss, Koby and Luna.....

Maisie, Moss (he knows how amazing this is!) Luna and Koby.

And then for the icing on the cake, all of them together.....

So all together..... Kai, Rich, Doyle, Maisie, Me, Koby, Luna and Moss.

These photo's really are amazing, and seeing them now makes all the heartache and worry we've suffered this week all worth while.

Get Well Soon Fagan......

Whilst everything else was happening last week we had another major worry, as Fagan was taken into the vets for exploratory surgery  for an on going shoulder injury. For the past 3 years or so, Fagan has sometimes limped on one of his front legs. Examinations and X-Rays in the past have been unable to pin point the problem. Moorview vets were once again brilliant, and wanted to perform an endoscopy (a small camera in the shoulder) to solve this once and for all.

The results weren't good, as they disclosed Fagan had completely ripped his bicep muscle in two, was suffering from tendinitis and also had an infection in there! So further surgery was required to try and fix the muscle, or at least take away the strands of muscle that were left so it would healer better and quickly.

Fagan is now on complete bed rest and is enjoying the attention, he's one of our older boys, and thoroughly deserves all the love he's getting. Get well soon Fagan.

Fagan's vet bill is soaring into the hundreds. If anyone would like to contribute, they can by the following:

Send a cheque (payable to SHAK) to Wildwood Cottage, 3a Stead Lane, Bedlington NE22 5LT.

Make a donation via PayPal to the email address shak@shak.org.uk (marking all donations the Penny Appeal)

Call Moorview Vets directly on 0191 256 6990 (please tell them it is for Fagan from SHAK)

Hand in your donation to the SHAK stall at one of the events on the Events Page.

Thank you in advance.

SHAK Loses It's Grandma.....

In a week that just seems to get harder, today was another day that will stay etched in my memory forever. We lost Max on Thursday, then we also lost an Akita and a Greyhound we were trying to help, then today me and my family had to say goodbye to our very special Grandma dog. Ava was simply amazing, one of the toughest and bravest dogs I've had the very big privilege of looking after, but today it all became too much. A suspected bone tumour beat our girl, and left a big hole in our hearts and our home.

When I began off on a new adventure and in a new home two years ago, Ava appeared as a stray. She was in one hell of a state, claws growing into her skin, covered in sores and chronic eye and ear infections. When I called the kennels to see how the new dog was, Andrew who used to work for me said "shes waiting to die." As soon as I saw her i knew she had to come home with me, and we started our new lives both together.

We called Ava "Grandma" and that is exactly  what she was, always telling the other dogs off if the run around the field was taking too long, and without doubt she was the best snorer I have ever come across! Both canine or human!

She was failing quite fast over the last couple of weeks, especially the last 24 hours, but I'd like to think we spoilt her and she had fun. Below are the last few pictures I took of her, just this week, as she enjoyed the upturn in temperature and weather. I am going to miss her so much. When we set off on this new adventure together I thought she'd be with me forever. I guess now all we have is memories, but in those she will live with me and my family forever.....

We Say Goodnight To Wise Old Max.....

Today is a really sad day, as we found Max had slipped away from us in his sleep. Max was SHAK's longest serving resident, and he's a dog we are all going to miss terribly.

Max was living rough in a park when was caught by dog wardens, and travelled to us with his first love Lola. Chronic arthritis never stopped him loving life, and once Lola moved into her new home, he found love in the form of Star. A lot of the progress Star has made since is down to those initial days with Max.

Max was ill a few weeks ago, and I rushed him down to the vets. Blood tests couldn't account for his "spaced out" behaviour, and it was suspected that there could be something neurological or a brain tumour at work. The cost of an MRI scan was beyond us, and to be honest knowing wouldn't assist us in anyway in saving him.

This morning he'd slept away when Melissa and David arrived. The vet confirmed he looked at peace, in this we have to take comfort.

I will never forget Max, he was everything I think a dog should be..... confident in who he was, content and a shaggy old black and tan Crossbreed. Just like the dogs I remember seeing on the streets growing up as a kid. Over the years he has done us all proud, and while I often used to wonder what would of come of him if he'd been left where he was doing so very well for himself in that park, I know he would never of witnessed the love he had from Lola, Star or all of us.

Goodnight old fella.

Lola and Max.

Max and Star.

Wise Old Max.

Vote For The Gazette.....

With hours left to vote for the Gazette’s Jam Jar Army as part of a national campaign, representatives of those supported by the Army sum up what a difference it has made to them.

The Jam Jar Army is one of 30 campaigns nationwide in the running for the Making a Difference crown.

Launched on Monday at the start of the Newspaper Society’s Local Newspaper Week, the Making a Difference campaign highlights the power of local media – in print, online, on mobile and social media – to achieve positive change.

And you can vote for the Jam Jar Army until midnight tonight.

Vote for the Northumberland Gazette.....

http://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/local-news/video-jam-jar-army-makes-a-difference-1-6616414

Carla And Cassie Arrive.....

It's strange in this job how things seem to go in cycles, and you have a little burst of activity with certain breeds. After Penny's arrival, last week saw another two Springer Spaniels arrive. It was a bit suspect as both dogs were found within an hour of each other, although in different areas of the county, and both were horrifically stained with urine and smelling very badly!

Meet Carla.....

Who came to us weighing just over 13kg, and clearly been used for breeding at some point in her life. You can see the urine staining on her, and also just how thin she is:

Meet Cassie.....

Cassie was slightly overweight at 21kg, but as you can see from the pictures below, the urine staining and smell was a lot worse for her. Perhaps the worst discovery was that as we were bathing her we found that one of her claws had grown so long that it had penetrated her pad and was growing into her foot!

Both dogs are absolute sweethearts, and I'm pleased to say that we have already secured them breed specific spaces at NESSR. It's time these girls started getting the care and love they deserve.

And Layla Finds Her Home And A New Name.....

It's good to know that I am not the only softy out there, and after a few months of helping Layla recover from her operations, Jenna, Sarah and Lewis have decided that she has become to much a part of their family to let her go anywhere else!

So Layla has found her Forever home, and with it a new name....Kayla, and having seen her just yesterday looking so proud and happy, I know she's where she was meant to to be.

So proud of her, and thanks to Jenna, Sarah,Lewis, Cassie, Fletch and the cats! for giving our special girl this home.

Sad News For A Real Old Gentleman.....

I got some very sad news recently, as I was told one of our dear old boys Till had passed away. Till was an incredible character, spending the majority of his life before coming to us in a haulage yard. His owner loved him dearly but when he died, nobody wanted Till.

We rescued him from a bad situation, and in Walter, Helen, Reise and Sandy he found the perfect family. Throughout the last 4 years of his life, Till lived in extreme comfort and wanted for nothing. He and Reise became inseparable, but it was his love for his Dad Walter that stood out above all others.

I'd like to than Helen and all the family for giving Till his perfect life, like Roman before him, they took a SHAK dog with not much else going for him, and gave him everything. For that I will always be more than grateful.

I'll leave the last few words and pictures with Helen.....

"A copy of this picture went in Sandy's breast pocket to Afghanistan last year when Sandy went on his tour of duty. I think you can see the happiness in Till's eyes and just how magnificent he became once settled, loved and re-rehabilitated into a family life. The second photo is one taken at the seaside with Sandy, William, Walter and I.  How he liked the seaside, drinking the sea and looking for tasty morsels along the beach!

Till wanted for nothing and he lived his short time with us to the maximum; enjoying his favourite things: quiet country walks, dog training, food of any kind, baking days, car rides, compost hills and any rubbish he could eat given the chance (not to mention the opportunist "steals" from the kitchen and his utter joy at barking at not much).  He was Walter's constant companion and shadow.  When Walter was out he would lie patiently waiting under his painting easel in the studio, frequently casting his eagle eyes about looking for any old dusters or paint rags of Walter's to rip up and shred as if to say "why didn't you take me?".

Thank you and all at SHAK for sending us the most wonderful GSD that anyone could be fortunate enough to own."

Ash Goes Home.....

You may remember that Ash came back to us not that long ago, well I'm delighted to see he was just passing by, and quickly found love with his new family and his new brother and sister. Ash took all the changes in his stride, and as you can see he has quickly made new friends.

SHAK On Tonight's Look North.....

For anyone who missed the feature we were involved in on tonight's BBC Look North, here's a link on iPlayer. I think it's only on line for the next 24 hours though.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b042b8d7/Look_North_(North_East_and_Cumbria)_08_05_2014/