From Our Dogs Point Of View - by Stephen Wylie.
“Nobody comes to see us anymore. I don’t know why, there used to be so many people and we used to have such good fun.
Everyday there was some one different who would come
in and take us out. We never knew who it would be, but that just added to the
excitement. All of us in here used to love it when they came.
Some brought cooked meat and other goodies, some
took us away in their car to the seaside, others would just play with the ball
with us until we were exhausted.
People still come in to see us, but it's the same
ones. They work so hard for a few days, but they have all the boring stuff to
do as well, like the cleaning. It takes until dinnertime because there is so
few of them. Every day is the same, then they disappear too. Replaced by
another three that work just as hard.
I heard one of them talking about a virus yesterday
and how people aren't allowed out of their houses anymore. But I can't believe that. All that time ago
when I had a house to live in, my person would be out all of the time. Sometimes
they'd leave me there alone all day or night.
It must be like being stuck in this kennel forever,
I couldn’t imagine that. No seaside, no fields, no ball! Poor people how are
they expected to live their lives like that? I love going out.
This virus kills people if they get too close
apparently, something to do with touching each other. What if they don’t want
to touch us anymore? Will that mean we won't get any cuddles? Or a pat on the
head when we bring the ball back? I love it when they do that to me. It makes
me feel happy that I have made them happy.
What happens if all the people die? Every single
one that comes here to see us. Who will feed and walk us then? We will end up
trapped inside forever like they are now.
We still get out twice a day at the moment. Once to
sunbathe in the back run with a tasty treat and once for our walk around the field, it's a bit
shorter but we still get to smell all the smells and look at the lambs who are even more curious and playful than us.
We get our tummies filled twice too, which is one
of the best parts of the day, but it just isn't the same as it has to be done
so quickly. The people seem to be under so much pressure.
One of them was talking about what they would do if
things run out this morning. Laundry liquid, whatever that is, and fleece
blankets. Apparently, we go through so many of them. I love curling up in those
blankets, but the dog in the next kennel sometimes rips them when he gets bored.
Apparently with nobody being allowed to go out to
the shops, people aren't able to donate and keep our supplies topped up. The
person said he was worried that one day we might run out completely. That made
me worry too, I really don’t want to sleep on just a cold concrete floor.
Life here has never been perfect, how could it be
without a sofa to sleep on, a fire to lie in front of, or a family to call my
very own, but it was as close as it could be. We had company and nice things, we
got attention and love. Some of us in here had never had any of that before.
The man said they would do all they could to make
sure we still have them, and that things would go to back to normal soon, but I
could see the worry in his eyes.
I am worried and anxious too. I want things to be
how they used to be and still don’t understand why everything has changed.”
The appeal
we have been running so far has been an incredible success. We
have seen such fantastic support for something that was launched out of
desperation in a time when everyone is struggling. Thank you to everybody that
has contributed, it really does mean the difference between life and death.
The
worry is though that this pandemic could go on for months yet. The longer it
runs, the more people may lose their jobs, the less disposable income they will
have. Despite being a vast amount of money to us, what we have now will not
last forever.
We
have started to have to buy the things that you usually so very kindly donate,
because you can no longer get out to the shops. Things like laundry liquid, bin
bags, dog waste bags. They all now need bought, which in turn eats into the
funds that we have.
Bedding
supplies too are going down, as people can’t get out and about to donate them
in the shop or the donation bins. Soon we may even have to start buying the
fleece blankets that all the dogs like, spending more money.
I
have to stress that we are NOT at a crisis point yet, careful planning and
trying to stay one step ahead has gotten us this far through the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am simply trying to stay that step ahead. The dog’s future really does depend
on it.
I know things are especially tight for everybody
right now, but if you can spare a little, you can make a donation via PayPal:
Or by sending a cheque (made payable to SHAK) to
SHAK. Greenwell Road, Alnwick, Northumberland. NE66 1HB.
You can order the products we use in the safety of
your home from our Amazon Wishlist:
Or when you do venture out for your shopping maybe
you can also drop bedding donations (no pillows or duvets please for storage and disposal) and other things in our donation bins at
Sainsburys Alnwick (food only please), Pets At Home Alnwick (they've kindly agreed to take anything), or outside our HQ in Greenwell Road
Alnwick.
Unfortunately, we are also governed by the rules of
lockdown and are unable to collect any donations apart from our designated drop
off points.
The support from all of you has been magnificent.
It has given us the courage and faith to go on, even in the most difficult of
times. We wouldn’t still be here without it, without you. But as this awful
time goes on and on, we will need you even more.
Thank you so much and stay safe.
Stephen Wylie
Founder of SHAK & Author of It's A Dogs Life.
