As we are currently busier than we have ever been before every day is a struggle to just get through. Thanks to everyone's fantastic generosity we have a good supply of dry food to feed the dogs, however unfortunately we are very quickly running out of tinned food.
So please if you could spare a little more in your shop please help us to continue to give our dogs the best we can and donate a tin or more at one of the drop off points below.....
It's 4 years ago today since we lost another big part of the SHAK story, Harry. Harry was one of the most emaciated dogs that we have ever had, probably only "out done" by Hope. He was so bad we had no idea what kind of dog he was, but to be honest even when he was looking better, he was still "a Harry!"
Just as he was starting to look good, and after a period in a foster home, Harry was hit by Lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the Lymph Glands and also took my Shak away that lead to all of this. Having battled back from the brink at least once before, his body couldn't fight this battle and we had to say goodbye.
Harry was an amazing character, anybody that met him will remember that bark, and he had this manner that you just knew he thought he owned the place. He was nicknamed King Harry by foster Dad Mike, and I guess that was about right.
Above is how he was when he left us, below is how he was when he came. I think it is clear to see he enjoyed his time with us, we certainly enjoyed having him.
And this last photograph shows him how I like to remember him..... always after food!
And some thoughts from just after he died from his Foster Mam Karen.....
This has been some week for Shak and a week from hell for me and Mike, I still cant believe that our King Harry is gone, whats worse is that I was away with work and never got to say good bye - but like Steve has said Harry was with his daddy Mike who he simply adored. I thought it would be good to tell you some of the Harry tales we have to make us smile now hes gone to rainbow bridge. As I have said Harry adored Mike and I often used to get up and find them having their ritual boys time in the early hours of the morning - where Harry acquired his taste for an early morning coffee. This little dog who came into our lives as a mere skeleton and showed nothing but determination to get well has left a mark on us which will never go away. Photo shy when the camera came out, barking to let me know that he really didn't want his photo taken. He really did think he was the boss man. I remember the first morning he took himself off to the garden on his own with me chasing to catch up he gave me the Harry sideways glance back over his shoulder as though to say come on hurry up woman !! It was a joy to see him bounce along - when he arrived all he could do was wobble along at a very slow pace. I remember mike being ecstatic when he shook for the first time and he actually had flesh on his bones to shake ! We were very lucky to have had Harry in our lives even if only for a very short time, and although not the happy ending we wanted for him we can take comfort in knowing that Harry discovered that people did love him as all the gang and many of the people following his story did ... I have a picture in my head after this week of Harry and gunnar arriving at Rainbow Bridge and him telling everyone ' Hey I am the boss and this is my bouncer and the two of them running the show up there. Good bye our sweet little soldier brave to the end ... you are gone but will never never be forgotten see you at rainbow bridge. Love mammy and daddy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I guess when you've been doing this for the length of time I have your always going to have sad days to remember, but this week really is a tough one.
Following on from remembering Bodie and JD, today marks the fourth year without a real good pal of mine, Gunnar. So many dogs I've had the confidence to talk on because of what Gunnar taught me.
I owe him and miss him so much.....
This is has been one of the saddest weeks in SHAK's history. First we had Harry being diagnosed with Lymphoma, today one of the special big boys died in my arms.
Gunnar came to us because nobody else would take him. The fact that he was a security dog meant that nobody wanted anything to do with him. He was discarded, after the idiot that had ruined his life decided he didn't want him anymore. The day he arrived, he wanted to eat everybody. It took 4 of us to carry him in a crate to his kennel, it was like carrying a wild animal.
Over time, Gunnar and I bonded to the extent he was my dog. After that "difficult" start, I got to do everything with him, groom him, walk him, even attend to little ailments and injuries. To everyone else he was scary, to me he was the biggest, cuddliest bear. I lived to help him.
After a couple of days of not being quite right, and appointment was made for him to go to the vets tomorrow. Given his past, getting him there was going to be like a military operation. This morning though I went into his kennel as soon as I got there, and on trying to get him out he collapsed. He was never to walk again.
I rushed him to the emergency vets, where we tried everything. Blood tests revealed his body was shutting down, multiple organ failure the vet called it. She went to get the needle to ease his suffering, but she didn't need it. He died naturally in my arms.
Gunnar gave me so much. Much more than I ever gave him. He died unmuzzled in my arms with vets and nurses trying to save him, just like any normal dog would. A far cry from the crazed beast that arrived that Good Friday. The 18 months we had was perhaps the best months of his life, but he taught me so much and proved so many people wrong. Above are some photos of the good times we had. I am so proud of him, and miss him so much already. Life really won't be the same without him.
You'll remember Dino and Rocco, and their arrivals in terrible mental states. Both were stressed beyond belief, and displaying it in completely different ways.....
Dino.....
Rocco.....
Well, after some fantastic work from Melissa and David I'm delighted to say that these two are now a lot happier, and today they got the chance to play together for the very first time.....
Time moves so quickly, and I can't believe that today is the first anniversary of losing a dog that was so special to my daughter.....JD.
He taught her how great it is for a child to have that furry best friend, and for that I will always be grateful.....
Turning the clock back a year.....
More bad news as we had to say goodbye to a dog that has been an absolute superstar from the minute I picked him up as a stray. JD was exactly as his name stated..... Just Dog, but in the nicest possible way. An over night stay on being collected turned in a forever home for him with my daughter and her Mam, and from that day forward he was the perfect pet. He loved food, he loved walks (a little too much at first as he pulled like a steam train) but most of all he loved the little girl that looked after him.
Lymphoma took hold of JD, the disease itself attacked his intestines, but he was brave and his strength meant he was able to enjoy some more fun packed weeks with his family, especially his favourite place, the seaside.
Today he has gone to a better place, no longer suffering but still loved as much as ever. He has left a family that loved him and will always miss him. He has also left a lasting impression on a little girl as her dog that she grew up with..... Just like a dog should do.
I really can't believe that it's two years today since we lost a big boy that was such a huge part of SHAK. Bodie arrived with such a big reputation. Little were we to know how much he would play a big part in our lives.....
It is a really sad day today as we lost one of true legends that this charity has been lucky enough to spend time with. Bodie came along with his brother Doyle after spending 8 and a half years in a scrapyard. They arrived on a Sunday morning. The bulldozer and a marksmen was booked for the Monday morning.
This morning we found he had passed away in his sleep.
Bodie was a mess and scary on arrival, but he quickly came around. Its a testament to him that when I spoke to people today to tell them he'd gone, at least three volunteers came back with "he was the first SHAK dog I walked." Even more incredibly was that when David came to work he admitted he was scared of German Shepherds. Guess who I made him walk on his second day.....
Bodie has left everyone devastated. Being at the kennels will never be the same without Doyle's sidekick. However, like I told everyone today, we can all be extremely proud of him, and consider ourselves extremely lucky to of spent 3 years with such an amazing, gentle giant. After all before coming to us he'd been left to fend for himself in the snow for 3 weeks, and was less than 24 hours from getting a bullet.
There are so many stories and tales about this big guy and his brother, but for me personally there are two I will never forget. The day they arrived, muzzled, matted and ready to eat me. Stopping just inches from me as they hurled from the transit van that they had travelled in.
Secondly today, as I wheeled his shrouded brother past his kennel, Doyle stopped and sniffed him from head to toe and back again, licking him on the way back up, and crying. He then started playing with his ball again.
Brothers too the end, but life goes on. We all miss you Bodie, the world is an emptier place without you in it. Thank you for showing us so much.
We are very proud to have successfully been chosen to be Sainsbury's Alnwick charity of the Year and are very excited about the fantastic fundraising opportunities this provides.
It all starts bank holiday weekend, with a mammoth SHAK bag pack being held on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday! That's the 29th, 30th and 31st of August.
However for our partnership with the store to work we desperately need your help.....
Bag packs require packers, so if you could spare an hour or two, or even three then
we'd love for you to help us out.
Sainsburys suggest the following ,
Between the hours of 10 & 12 4/6 packers
.. .. .. 12& 2. 11 packers
.. .. .. 2 & 4. 6 packers
If you can help , please contact fundraising@shak.org.uk and advise us of your preferred day(s) & time .
This is a fantastic opportunity to raise much needed funds for SHAK and to take some immense pressure off the fundraising team as the charity continues its fight for survival.
Without your help on this and the rest of the Sainsbury's project, being able to save many more dogs on death row is in severe doubt.....
This video really isn amazing sight, as anyone who has met Max will testify. Max came to us having nearly lost his life for being dog aggressive. On arrival though it was clear to see that Max wasn't aggressive towards other dogs, simply terrified. He had no idea how to interact with another dog and that frustration and lack of social skills was escalating, and presenting itself in all sorts of forms..... mainly redirection.
After trying several methods of getting Max through this, without success, it was time for me to bring out the big guns..... Kai and Maisie. Over the last 6 weeks or so these 3 have moved from tolerating each other, to becoming very comfortable around each other. Yesterday I'd say that finally moved onto becoming friends.
The incredible thing about this is both Kai and Maisie were once deemed as dog aggressive, now they are my best stooge dogs, helping others get through their issues in a way that no human could ever do.
Myself and all of my team that have worked with these three are so proud of them.
I think these photos from today show how far Rocco has come in the few weeks he's been with us. We have all worked so hard giving him that chance, but it is him himself who had made this happen.
Melissa, David and I are so proud of this boy and the results our patience and faith in him have produced. It's a far cry from the dog that arrived on the video below.....
Since finding mobility again with his set of wheels Doyle seems to have found a new zest for getting up and about. I said earlier that we would do everything we could to help our big boy and make sure he was happy.
Yesterday we tried something new, and it seemed to work. We tried Doyle in a rear support harness meaning that he can still walk himself but we support him by taking the weight of his back end. Hard work for us all, but I think Doyle's face shows just how much he enjoyed his new found independence.....
It's 5 years today since I lost a dog that I was only lucky enough to have for ten days, but has had a lasting impression on the lives of so many other dogs. Of course I have now lost Oskar too but the effect that Spirit had on his life and of so many others, an effect that lives on today in dogs like Kai and Maisie that Oskar helped, will never leave me.....
I first saw Spirit on a website where a rescue were trying to secure dogs rescue places. He was very skinny and appeared to be holding his back leg up on the photos, I was delighted to hear when I enquired that he’d found a place and would be moving on any day soon. The next day I got a phone call to say that his placement had fallen through and could I take him. Of course I couldn’t say no.
When Spirit arrived he was painfully thin and there was obviously something seriously wrong with his back leg. I decided to take him to the vets and decided that he could stay at mine over night before returning to the kennels. The vet discovered he was suffering from severe hip dysplasia and was going to need surgery on both hips. A plan was hatched, the vet kindly donated his time to keep the operation as cheap as possible, and Derek even came up with a Spirits For Spirit raffle to help raise the funds to pay. But the most amazing thing was still to come. My GSD Oskar was at that time dog aggressive, so for his sleep over I decided to sleep on the sitting room floor with Spirit to keep them separate, forgetting Oskar can open doors. The next morning I was woken by the sound of the sitting room door opening, then the shock sank in, my eyes burst open to see Oskar and Spirit kissing before Spirit toddled out after him. I couldn’t believe what I’d seen. They were best friends after that, and for the next week they went everywhere together. Spirit was happy, and Oskar loved the male company.
Then the shock hit. A routine x ray to see the damage to the hips showed that Spirit was suffering from something more sinister than Hip D. That back leg was riddled with bone tumours. I had to go with the vets advice and do what was best for Spirit, I never saw Spirit again.
The ten days he was with me, Spirit changed things forever. All the male dogs that live and have had the chance to live in my home have him to thank, as has Oskar for getting him through a difficult spell in his life. That dog wasso brave, he would have been in so much pain, a true true spirit.
The hardest part of running this charity isn't the dogs, but managing the people side. The work we do is so specialised that you have to be a really special person to help on ALL levels.
It's not just at the kennels that we need a reliable, dedicated and highly skilled team, but also behind the scenes we need need just as special an individual to help out with all the aspects of the team that keeps the whole thing in existence..... The fund raising team.
Joan and her team do an amazing job sourcing, arranging and then manning all the official events throughout the year. Without them there wouldn't be a SHAK.
On Saturday two VOLUNTARY positions within this team became available, people move on that's life, but it has left us very short of 'hands on deck' when it comes to the events that we already have booked. Events that we must fulfil, and will fulfil.
So..... Here's another great opportunity for somebody (or preferably somebodies) to join our team. Here's what we need......
-Someone who can give up time slots of at least 3 hours per day on a Saturday or Sunday, at least TWICE per month.
-Someone who is flexible and can fit the time around when they are needed the most to make sure that the whole event is covered.
-Someone who has their own transport and can turn out all over Northumberland.
-Someone who is dedicated to saving the dogs that really do have no where else to go, and can work as a vital part of a team. Whilst at first you will be helping with existing events, we would love to have someone who can work alongside the head of fundraising and look to take responsibility in taking on their own projects.
So if you have all of the above and would like to express an interest in this VOLUNTARY role then please email fundraising@shak.org.uk
(Please note due to time constraints not all enquiries may receive replies.)
ALSO WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR.....
I guess we've become a victim of our own success, and whilst the charity has grown beyond my wildest dreams, it has also become more and more difficult to manage. We are punching well above our weight for such a small charity and running on such a restricted budget.
We would love to have another member of full time staff on board to help with every aspect of the day to day routine and the dogs needs, and to help with the dogs with the severe health and behaviour issues, but unfortunately we just don't have the funding to do so.
However, as they say "as one door closes another opens" and a VOLUNTARY position may provide us with the help we need. So, I am appealing for somebody to join our team that can designate at least 6 hours a day for a minimum of 2 days every week, has their own transport and wants to learn and experience the joys that arise working with dogs that have had such a tough time.
I think it's important to point out that this is not an advert for voluntary dog walkers, nor will we be starting to take on volunteers on a regular basis. It is a chance for someone to become a valued member of our team, to learn all aspects of rescue (including cleaning kennels) and has the time to prioritise two days of their week to help the dogs that nobody else wants. Believe me when I say seeing the rewards of giving your time well out ways the actual time you give.
So if you have two days a week to volunteer for at least 6 hours on each, have your own transport and would love hands on experience of getting to really know man's best friend, then drop me an email at foreverfoster@shak.org.uk
(Please note due to time constraints not all enquiries may receive replies.)
I thought it was time to give Freya a little bit more to think about, and decided to test her out with Star, Laser and Bandit. Well, see for yourself how it went.....
Freya is a gorgeous girl who is stuck with us simply because of her breed. If you are interested in offering her a Forever Foster home then email foreverfoster@shak.org.uk
I have real mixed emotions posting these updates on Doyle, sadness that he is so poorly but also happiness that we are getting to make his time with us fun. There is also a lot of pride in what we are doing for him and not giving up on him.....
Yesterday David and I were very lucky to spend some time with him doing what he loves..... Playing Ball!
A video of Max who arrived in a very difficult situation last week. Clearly terrified, he is beginning to come round, and shows what can be achieved in a couple of days.....
A new promo film to show what SHAK is all about. There are some disturbing images on there, but that's real life and what we have to attend to every day.....
We decided to call the American Bulldog that arrived a couple of weeks ago Dino, and I have to say we are all very proud of him. After making such huge progress, yesterday was a big day for him as he went out on a walk for the first time with two other American Bulldogs that live together, Kennedy and Layla.....
Kennedy, Layla and Dino.
As you can see he had a great time and really enjoyed the company..... a far cry from the dog that arrived with us.....
You'll also hopefully remember his first step into the outdoor world with us the very next day.....
You will remember that Freya has been staying at home with us for a little while as she recovers from a skin problem and being speyed. As you can see she is looking very well, having fun and making new friends.....
And just for your amusement, and like all good films, here's the out take! (Literally)
We would love to see Freya find her Forever Foster home from here rather than her having to face the hustle and bustle back at The Rescue Place. If you would like more information then please email foreverfoster@shak.org.uk
Thank you to everyone for their best wishes and words of support for Doyle and everything we are trying to do to help him. We are all aware that this is the last roll of the dice, and only time will tell how long those dice continue to roll.
In the meantime I cannot sum up in words the joy on his face when he sees his wheels or how great it is to see him sniffing the air and grass and really feeling like he has freedom.....
I guess we've become a victim of our own success, and whilst the charity has grown beyond my wildest dreams, it has also become more and more difficult to manage. We are punching well above our weight for such a small charity and running on such a restricted budget.
We would love to have another member of full time staff on board to help with every aspect of the day to day routine and the dogs needs, and to help with the dogs with the severe health and behaviour issues, but unfortunately we just don't have the funding to do so.
However, as they say "as one door closes another opens" and a VOLUNTARY position may provide us with the help we need. So, I am appealing for somebody to join our team that can designate at least 6 hours a day for a minimum of 2 days every week, has their own transport and wants to learn and experience the joys that arise working with dogs that have had such a tough time.
I think it's important to point out that this is not an advert for voluntary dog walkers, nor will we be starting to take on volunteers on a regular basis. It is a chance for someone to become a valued member of our team, to learn all aspects of rescue (including cleaning kennels) and has the time to prioritise two days of their week to help the dogs that nobody else wants. Believe me when I say seeing the rewards of giving your time well out ways the actual time you give.
So if you have two days a week to volunteer for at least 6 hours on each, have your own transport and would love hands on experience of getting to really know man's best friend, then drop me an email at foreverfoster@shak.org.uk
(Please note due to time constraints not all enquiries may receive replies.)
I am very proud of what we did yesterday, although its also very sad to see Doyle needing to use his wheels. A big old ex scrapyard dog like him being so dependent on help.
Still it gives him quality to his life and allows the back end to move as quickly as the front end and the brain still does. He is so brave and has so much fight that he will not give in to CDRM, but when it comes to Doyle so do we.....
It's a busy time for Freya, as she popped down to see the vet at the weekend for medication to clear up a spot of wet eczema. We thought she deserved a little break afterwards, so she's been here on holiday. Freya has been brilliant, taking everything in her stride, and I think she is enjoying seeing the sunset and the countryside.
She has been in kennels a lot longer than she should of been, I guess if she hadn't had the misfortune of being born an American Bulldog she would of been snapped up by now. Truth is that she is a wonderful friendly and playful girl, who despite her obvious mistreatment earlier in life, is so trusting of people. True testament to what a fantastic breed she belongs too.....
So if you can 'ignore the ignorance' and your not 'breedist' and feel you could offer Freya the home to call her own she so much deserves, then get in touch..... foreverfoster@shak.org.uk
mentioned the amazing little dog that is Buddy a couple of weeks back, well having got sick of me not getting my backside in gear and pulling his story together, Melissa has decided to do her own video..... and a great job she's done too.
Buddy was collected by our Out of Hours team, emaciated, wobbly on his back end and bloated from scavenging off the streets. On the way to the vets he was sick..... kebab and pizza!
Mel and David fell in love with him and took him home. After trips to the vets and eventually a MRI scan it was discovered he was most likely born with a kink in his spine putting pressure on his spinal cord. After much thought it was decided surgery was his only option to have a normal pain free life. The tops of three vertebrae were taken off to relive the pressure on his spinal cord.
I'm delighted to say that once again Moorview Vets were superb, and the operation has been a huge success.
As you can see Buddy's quality of life has had a dramatic up turn, and now he lives and runs like any dog can, and he has a family that adores him.....
All that said though, they say that actions are better than words, so thanks to Melissa, heres..... Buddy's Story:
