The Wonderful Diesel.....

Diesel has been with us a while now, and we are working on trying to get him into Forever Foster. As you can see he is both playful and athletic, and would be a great fun companion for someone.

Shadow.....

Some pictures of Shadow who arrived with us yesterday after a desperate dash to the vets. Hard to believe that this baby was so close to being destroyed. I'll update you on his progress once he has settled.

A Year On For Keiser.....

It's a year today since we lost another big boy that finally found home when he came with us. Keiser arrived with quite a reputation, but was such a stunning boy. A great personality, and a real character, he wondered into the kennel owners house one day and simply refused to leave.

During his time with us, Keiser battled against testicular cancer and also had to have a toe removed but still he was always pleased to see you. Old age and illness beat him in the end, but it was an honour to be involved in finally making this boy happy. Run free big guy.

A New Hope.....

Some more fantastic news on Hope, as she continues to gain the pounds. She came to see us today, and looks absoloutely amazing. Her new weight is a whopping 19.7kg, a far cry from the 12kg dog I picked up.

SHAK Supporters 200 Club April Draw.....

This months winners are:

1st Prize  - 89 Lee Appleby

2nd Prize - 188 Gavin Phillips

3rd Prize - 7 Thomas Gardner

Thank you all again for your continued support!

SHAK Hits The Madrid Marathon.....

We have some wonderful offers of support and fundraising, and this is another one. Thanks to my old pal David Shearan for running the Madrid Marathon for us on the 22nd April. It's amazing to think that SHAK will be represented in Spain. Anyone wishing to sponsor David and help us out, can do by the following link:

http://www.everyclick.com/shakmadridrun

Thanks David, and best of luck!

Jetta's Easter Weekend (And Lynn's).....

Written by our own Lynn Sharp:

This weekend I was privileged to be accompanied by another SHAK dog as I completed three days of the Hadrian's Wall walk.  On Stephen's request I took a young rottweiler/doberman cross called Jetta who had been reported to have dog aggression problems.  After a day at the kennels on friday I piled all of Jetta's paraphernalia into my car (dogs don't travel light you know!) and plonked him on Andrew's knee who I was giving a lift home. 

On arrival at my flat I let Jetta settle down and then we spent a lovely evening with some friends of mine who were round for dinner.  Jetta coped fantastically with meeting new people in a new situation and took a distinct liking to Liam who
insisted on taking Jetta out for his 'wee walks'!  I suspect if Liam didn't work full time I may well have lost my walking companion at that point as he'd have been off to Newcastle on the bus!

The next morning Jetta once again took up his position as my wingman in the car and then we headed for our hotel just outside Carlisle.  After abandoning the car we set off on the first of three days walking along the wall.  We encountered what seemed like numerous new experiences for Jetta all of which he took in his stride.  The initial problem was the swing gates that he had to wind his way through at every fence crossing.  Initially he was really scared of them and kept trying to get through them at the same time as me and my rucksack which all regular walkers will know is a physical impossibility!  By the end of the day however he was trotting straight up to them and looking at me, patiently waiting for me to push them into the middle so he could u-turn through them at high speed - sometimes forgetting that I was still on the other side of the gate on the other end of his lead!

After about an hour of walking (in glorious sunshine I may add, not that it lasted) the 'dreaded' moment arrived as I saw a man heading towards us with his two labs and a spaniel, all off lead.  Well, all I can say is, if Jetta is dog aggressive, then
so am I!  The four of them were having a good gamble around each other, sniffing and playing and I suspect there may even have been a bit of eyelash batting between Jetta and the girl spaniel...

The rest of the day (ten miles walking) passed really well with Jetta never running out of energy and his tail constantly wagging.  He proved himself to be a loving, friendly, attentive dog with everyone we met.  In fact my only complaint would be we had to keep stopping when we passed people as they all kept asking about him, wanting to pat him and commenting on how handsome he is.

On arrival at our hotel (the very dog and owner friendly Walfoot Hotel) I felt confident enough in Jetta to leave him in the room unattended whilst I went down for dinner.  On my return I found him sleeping on his blanket behind the door with nothing disturbed - and no warm sleeping dog shaped patch on my bed!  Jetta succeeded in charming Nigel the owner of the hotel as well - I thought I was going to lose Jetta again there too but unfortunately Nigel's two labs would probably have something to say about that.

Day two saw us completing a colossal nineteen miles which he once again took in his stride albeit I'm sure the looks during the last half an hour were asking me if there wasn't a bus we could catch! During the day I decided to see what else this intelligent puppy could learn so he's mastered the art of drinking out of a water bottle (invaluable if you do a lot of walking!), indicating when he wanted water by stopping and looking at my rucksack and climbing over stone stiles.  Unfortunately the little wooden stiles were too much for him leaving me to practise my weight lifting (never easy when the 'weight' is wriggling) and he didn't approve of where we stopped for lunch, The Greyhound Inn, which I think he felt should have been called the Doberweiller!

Day three started with my alarm going, the TV going on, Jetta lifting his head...and then putting it straight back down again!  As soon as his lead appeared though he was raring to go again - far more so than I was.  Unfortunately we lost the weather this time and proceeded to do six, hard miles in the rain before 'we' decided enough was enough and headed home without completing the last seven.
 
Jetta has done himself nothing but proud this weekend.  As I said, he's encountered numerous new experiences, tens of dogs and even more people without batting an eyelid.  In fact, I'm not even sure if he can bark!  He even tolerated a bath when we got home today without me having to put a hand on him other than to wash out the shampoo.  He's a fantastic little dog who is incredibly affectionate and impeccably behaved (after a bit of work with sheep!) and deserves a great home.  He really is a little gem and whoever takes him will be just as lucky as he is.    

Big Day For Hope.....

Today was a big day for Hope, as she was declared well enough earlier in the week to under go the dental she so desperately needed. Two mammary lumps had also been discovered as she had gained weight, and it was decided that it was for the best if they were removed as well. I'm delighted to say that both operations went well, and Hope is currently lying on the sofa back home with her Mam and Dad and her three k9 friends. This little girl has come so far so quickly, and today was a big step in completing the turn around in her fortunes. Get well soon Hope.

(Obviously treatment like this is expensive. Anyone who has been following Hope's story and would like to donate to her vets bills can do so via paypal to shak@shak.org.uk or by cheque made payable to SHAK and sent to Wildwood Cottage 3a Stead Lane Bedlington Northumberland NE22 5LT or you can donate at the Moorview Vets directly. Their details are: Station Road,Backworth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE27 0AA Tel - 0191 2566990. Please mark all donations HOPE'S DENTAL. Thanks for your wonderful support.)

Good Luck Tammy.....

Another beautiful SHAK girl that has moved onto a new life and family is Tammy. Another Lurcher that had been badly abused before she came to us, another rescue saved her, and then turned out to be such a darling.

Tammy lived with Charlie, and looked after him, but now it was her time to be looked after. Good luck Tammy, your face tells a million stories. At least now you have a happy one to tell the world.

Holly Goes Home.....

Another lovely girl we've been lucky enough to help on her way into a home is Holly. Fresh from her new haircut, here she is relaxing with another SHAK girl Shabby and Dizzy. I couldn't understand why Holly ended up needing us, but I know now that it was all part of the journey to her finding home. Thanks to our very own Vicki and Jude, both girls look amazing.

Laser, Hope And Gypsey.....

It was with great relief this morning that I was able to pick Laser up from the vets after he spent the weekend at the vets recovering from an operation to remove testicular cancer. Laser, pictured above far left with his best 3 mates Murphy, Butch and Kane(and me)is a lovely dog that has always lived with Murphy, so the 4 days apart have been difficult for both to comprehend. I'm delighted to say though that Laser was the perfect patient, and I'd like to thank everyone at Moorview Vets for giving him nothing but the best care.

Monday is Weigh Day for Hope, and I'm pleased to say she has once again gained weight, and is now an impressive 18kg. Thanks to Sheena for all the wonderful work you are doing with this girl.

Today also marks the second anniversary of us losing Gypsey (pictured above), a wonderful girl who proved everyone wrong. Anyone who enjoys a drink in the Border Terrier Pub will remember the special greeting you received from Gyp as she lead you to the bar. You were amazing girl, I'll never forget you.

The Sun Is In The Sky.....

Brodie isn't the only one enjoying the sunshine. Check out little Sky who recently came into our care. Not only did Serena give Brodie a tidy up, but she also fell in love with a skinny, lump ridden old Staffy that arrived the morning of the day she dropped Brodie back off at the kennels. Sky could hardly stand up that morning, but has really found her feet and a second wind since going into a home. I will try and post some photo's of the state she is/was in at a later date, but in the meantime I think she deserves to be left to bask in the sunshine.

Brodie Gets A SHAK Cut.....

The warmer weather has been greatly appreciated at The Rescue Place. One dog that was definately feeling the heat in his winter coat was Brodie. Thanks to Serena at Woof Cutz for helping out and giving him a proper "SHAK Cut" just like my own!

Hope's Weigh In.....

It was weigh day for Hope today, and I'm delighted to announce the she weighed in at a marvelous 16.6kg. Incredible considering she was only 12.3kg when I picked her up. Once again Sheena, thank you so much.

SHAK Goes PINK.....

I am delighted to announce the launch of the first product in our PINK range.Get ready for the summer with this hot pink SHAK Logo T Shirt. Available for Children and Adults alike, stand out in the sunshine and help us save even more dogs on death row.

YOU CAN ORDER YOURS FROM THE SHAK SHOP HERE:

Please state childs age when ordering a childrens size.
http://www.shakshop.co.uk/-PINK_SHAK_T_Shirt_Children___Adults/p168627_6165081.aspx

Support Us At Waitrose.....

Charity food tokens from Waitrose Newcastle. SHAK is a sponsored charity for the
month of March.

There are a few days left, so why not go & get your groceries there & help SHAK to become the charity with the most tokens & receive the money raised.

A New Hope.....

If you scan back through a few posts and compare these photos to the ones taken two weeks ago, you can see the fantastic progress being made by Hope. Thanks once again to Sheena and Roger for being there for this girl, you can see all your hard work is paying off. Another update after weigh day on Monday.

Roman And Chance, True Legends.....

I can't believe how the time flies, and this week has seen the anniversaries of the loss of two very special SHAK boys.

Wed saw it being 3 years since we had to say goodbye to Roman one of the bravest boys SHAK has ever had. Roman suffered from CDRM and paved the way for us to take dogs on such as Dudley and Spirit. He was an inspirational character who found the perfect family to love him till the end. One thing is for sure, we will never forget you.

Then Thursday was a year since we had to let Chance go. I'm sure you'll all remember big Chance, the Bernese Mountain Dog who won the hearts of so many with his sheer determination too. His body gave way under him, but his spirit never died. And it lives on in all of us who try and help these dogs with the ailments.

These two are just a couple that have given us the strength and inspiration to help dogs such as the one that will be arriving shortly.....

Hope Update And Awesome Support.....

A great bit of news today, as Sheena took Hope into the vets to be weighed. Last Monday Hope weighed a measly 12.3kg, today she was 14.4kg! Once again the support from the SHAK Team has been amazing in giving a dog a chance when others may not. More to come as 3 others have moved into Foster recently.....

The Fundraising Team once again pulled it out of the bag this weekend. Thanks to Joan, Sheila, Sonia, Mike, Derek and Sandra for giving up so much on Mothers Day weekend to raise much needed funds for us, and also thanks to the customers, management and staff at Pets At Home in Cramlington for making us so welcome.

If There's Hope In Your Heart, It Will Flow To Every Part.....

This is what waiting for me one morning last week, when I was called out to a very distressed lady who had found a dog in a horrendous state. I think its fair to say that even Harry wasn't quite as bad as this, although Hope (as we have called her) certainly has that spark of wanting to live. Thanks to Sheena for providing Hope with a warm place to stay, and TLC that is second to none.

A vets check up showed that apart from the serious neglect she has been subjected too, that Hope is all working so we just need to try and get her back to the weight that she should be. She's in the best hands now, and I just hope that we can start to rebuild her faith in the very species that caused this to happen in the first place.

More Hope.....

Even More Hope.....

SHAK Supporters 200 Club Draw.....

The results of the March SHAK Supporters 200 Club draw are as follows:

1st Prize: 68 - Chris Armstrong

2nd Prize: 179 - Kathleen Heywood

3rd Prize: 94 - Toby Morgan

Thank you all for your support. Anybody wishing to join for Aprils draw can do by sending a completed form available on the "You Can Help" page.

The Dogs Garden.....

Its hard to believe how long we have been based at our own kennels, and its mad to think how many dogs we have helped in the 2 and 1/2 years of providing day to day rehabilitation. One area where a lot of this work goes on is the outside run. Thanks to some outstanding generosity of two wonderful people, the dog's garden is now starting to take shape. Thank you so much to Jim Douglas of Blackwater North East Limited for providing a brilliant soft surface for the dogs to run on, and thank you so much to the person who wishes to remain anonymous that provided the funds and the builder to build our new fence. And of course, thank you to Dom and the team for building it!

This area means so much to the dogs, and as you can see with Oliver and Judy in the pictures above it provides the dogs with someone to run that they can call their own. Thank you so much.

Time Travels On.....

I'm still trying to come to terms with losing Dudley. My day seems pretty empty without him constantly by my side, or taken him for the little walks we shared everyday, and of course there is the huge gap left from taking him swimming. Life does go on though, and there are others that need SHAK just as much. One such dog arrived on Saturday, and although I cannot post any photos or details on here quite just yet, I can confirm it is the most shocking state we have ever taken in.

It's not all doom and gloom though, and I thought I'd add some photo's so you can see how Luka the emaciated Rottweiler is coming on. He is finding his feet, and has fallen in love with the ball. The weight is gradually sneaking on him, and he is beginning to look better as you can see.

I've also added some photo's of the beautiful newbie Holly. A stunning German Shepherd, we are actively looking for a Forever Foster home for her. She is very friendly and playful despite her 9 years, and loves the company of other dogs. Anybody in the Northumberland/Tyne and Wear/Newcastle area please contact shak@shak.org.uk

We Lose An Inspiration, And My Best Friend.....

I've just had to say goodbye to the bravest and strongest dog in the world. My best friend Dudley lost his battle today, and although he was very much my dog, everyone that had the privelege to meet him in the 5 or so months he was here, has lost a true inspiration. We found a lump which the vet thinks was a tumour on his neck and would explain the rapid decline in the last 48 hours, and also would perhaps be the cause of all his neurological problems. This morning I knew the time was right, and the look in his beautiful eyes told me he knew it too. The big guy insisted on walking into the vets room, and leaves me behind having taught me so much not only about his condition, but also on how to be brave and strong. Run free Duds, I love you so much. The back of my Landrover will never be the same without you sitting in it.