Kimmie's puppies

Ok, we'll stop with the extra cute puppy pictures! Here are Kimmie's babies. There are three girls and three boys and she is the most devoted mum. To follow how Kimmie and her pups are getting on, please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9158.0

Prize draw

Chou Chou

Chou Chou - picture courtesy of the South Wales Echo

You may remember little Chou Chou - a beagle x cross type pup who came to us the other week as part of an unwanted litter.

She went into foster care with Lydia in Cardiff and it wasn't long before Lydia realised things weren't quite right. After taking Chou Chou to the vets and having x-rays done on her front, right leg it became evident that this little pup's leg had been fractured in 2 places and left to heal by itself. The bones were fusing together again but in the wrong places and the injury was beginning to calcify.

Little Chou Chou after the operation

The only thing for little Chou Chou was for the vet to operate on her and today, that's exactly what happened. The vet broke Chou Chou's leg and re-set it in the correct position. She will now have to wear a leg brace - which resembles external scaffolding - for several weeks while the bones fuse together again.

Lydia is looking after Chou Chou and will be nursing her through her recovery, until a forever home can be found for her.

This leaves us with a vet bill of at least £1,000, which is only just the start of things. The after care for this little girl will be a lot too so we are putting out an appeal if anyone can help us.

The South Wales Echo have been kind enough to print a story in their newspaper. Here is the link http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2012/05/08/rescued-puppy-chou-chou-needs-a-1-000-operation-can-you-help-91466-30923973/

Lydia set up a Just Giving page at the beginning of the year to raise funds for FPAR. This page has now been updated to raise money for Chou Chou. If you can afford just a little we would be very grateful. The link is to the left of this post 'Lydia's Fundraising Page'. Thank you.

More new arrivals

Poppy

Toffee

These lovely creatures are Poppy, the springer spaniel and Toffee, the Shih Tzu.

Poppy only came into our care today after she was returned to us after a relationship breakdown. Her foster carer Zoe has fallen head over heels with this girl already and will update her details as she gets to know her better. For more information please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9211.0

Toffee is an ex-breeding girl who has only been used to kennel life before she came into our care. She will need lots of understanding and possibly a calm resident dog in her new home to show her the ropes. For more information on her please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9203.0

Babies

If you remember we recently had a pregnant collie come into our care. Leanne and Kaz managed to prepare their maternity ward just in time because today Kimmie gave birth to some beautiful pups.

We will keep you up to date on how Kimmie gets on as she gets used to being a mummy.

Awesome Orson

This is Orson. A 9 week old pup who is looking for a new home. For more information on him please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9173.0

Update: He's now reserved and off to his new home this weekend.

Updated list of kennel dogs

Here is our latest list of kennels dogs who are desperate for foster homes so they can undergo an assessment. If you are interested in becoming a foster carer please follow this link to find out more  http://www.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/page3.html

These beauties deserve a second chance in life and require a 14 day assessment from their foster families before we can put them forward for rehoming.

American Bulldog girl

Gromit

Jade

Otto (reserved)

For more information about them please visit our forum http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?board=9.0

And now the grown ups...

Holly

Stella

Zoey

Drummer

Pip

We have got some more adult dogs in our care too. Please meet Holly the labrador, Stella the Old English Sheepdog, Zoey the collie cross, Drummer the lab and Pip the terrier. Visit our rehoming section for more information  http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?board=8.0

Pound puppies

Blossom - reserved

Sophie - rehomed

Chou Chou - on hold

We have had three beautiful pups in today and couldn't wait to share them with you. We will update their rehoming threads as we get to know them but so far they are little crackers. For more information on them please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?board=8.0

Mighty Millie

Millie is a five month old pup who was sold to a family (by a West Wales puppy outlet) who weren't prepared for an active girl like this one. She is a Pug cross Cavalier and has so much energy! Her foster carer says she thinks the world is her toy shop and like all puppies her new owners will have to show her the ropes and continue with her training. If you have what it takes visit   http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9135.0  for more information.

Candy

Candy is a foxhound cross and has just come into foster care. She is undergoing her 14 day assessment and more details will follow soon.

We think she is about 3 years old and is proving to be a very loving dog, who is lacking in a bit of confidence at the moment. Loud noises can startle her but this is hardly surprising considering she has had a very mixed up few weeks after being picked up by the dog warden, taken to the pound, taken into foster care. Once she settles we are sure her personality and confidence will start to develop and Carrie, her foster carer, will tell us more about her.

For more information please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9124.0

Collie pup

Rocky is a little collie pup who is full of beans and was handed in through no fault of his own. His foster carer is getting to know him and will update his rehoming thread as time goes on. First impressions though is that he's a fab boy and will make a great addition to an active home. The problem is he doesn't really like standing still long enough to get his photo taken!

Talking of collies our fosterers Leanne and Kaz have taken on another expectant dog - this time a young collie. She needs a bit of feeding up as she's underweight but after a full health check and scan at the vets they have been told to expect puppies in the next week. Needless to say they are busy preparing the maternity unit!

We cannot stress enough the importance of getting your pets neutered and spayed. This dog's litter was unwanted, which is why she ended up in her care. Hopefully now, with the love of two very dedicated and experienced doggy midwives, we can bring these pups into the world and find them some special forever homes.

Terrier invasion

Bella - reserved

For those of you who follow our website and forum regularly you may have noticed the amount of terriers we have waiting for homes at the moment. Bella is undergoing her 14-day assessment and has come to us straight from the pound. She looks like a Labrador Staffordshire Bull terrier mix, but it is anybody's guess really! Her foster carer says she's fallen for Bella's charms already and she is fitting in with the resident dogs with no problem at all. For more information on this lady visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9093.0

Chiko - reserved

Chiko is a lovable Yorkshire terrier who just wants to be close to you and involved in everything you do. He is housetrained and is friendly towards other dogs, cats, children. What more could you want if you're after a pint-sized companion? For further information on Chiko please visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=8747.0

Terri

Terri is an excitable girl who looks (and acts) like she has a bit of collie in her make up. She is a very busy dog and has trouble sitting still. Although, when she does her foster carers say that she gives the best cuddles! Not having had the best start in life Terri can be a little nervous so her new owners will have to be patient with her. For further information visit http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9043.0

Wilbur - reserved

Wilbur is being fostered in Oxfordshire - see - we're not all in Wales! He is a little sweetie aged between one and two years who walks beautifully on the lead. This boy may not be cat friendly as he has shown a bit of an interest in wanting to chase birds and small furries. He adores people and other dogs though and can't wait to have a forever lap to snuggle into. For further information on Wilbur click here http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=9087.0

Expect to see a few more updates like this one because our website will be undergoing necessary maintenance and hopefully improvements in the next few weeks and we won't be able to update it while this is going on.

Donation thank yous

We are overwhelmed with the generosity from the lovely folk at Lush cosmetics company. They have recently held a raffle on their online forum which has raised £1210 for us. If that wasn't enough we received this email recently: 



Dear Four Paws Animal Rescue
Let me introduce myself. My name is Paul Morton and I work for cosmetics company Lush.


I'm not sure if you are aware of our business but we also have a charitable side to our company called The Charity Pot.The Charity Pot is a product that gets sold in our shops and then 100% of the profits from that product get distributed to various animal welfare, environmental and human rights projects across the world.


I have been asked to contact you by one of my colleagues in the animal welfare team to inform you that 'Lush would like to make a £1,000 donation towards your rescue work, on behalf of Lydia Niziblian, who is one of Lush's favourite customers.'


I hope that his comes as a welcome surprise and that the money goes a long way towards helping the dogs in your care.


Look forward to hearing from you soon.


Best wishes, Paul



We are very grateful for this wonderful donation and it goes a long way to helping us reach our fundraising targets.

Bits and bobs!

Murphy is the gorgeous first foster for Helen

Everyone here wishes you all a very Happy Easter and hope you manage to get a few days off work to enjoy it.

We have had a very successful weekend with many of our dogs going to their new homes and many more being reserved, subject to a successful homecheck so fingers crossed for them.

We are also celebrating a flurry of new foster carers. These lovely people have recently joined our team and have taken in their first foster dog. In case any blog readers are thinking about becoming a foster carer one of our newbies has put together a few words on their experiences.

"My name is Helen and I'm a Registered Nurse working part time.
I love my dogs & cats, all rescues/strays and after adopting my last girl, an ex-breeding GSD, from another rescue and experiencing first-hand the work that goes into finding dogs their forever homes I really wanted to help other dogs find loving new homes so I started volunteering as a homechecker in my area.


"After a pow wow with my kids - 19yrs & 17yrs - and explaining to them what fostering would involve, I applied to Four Paws and was warmly welcomed on board as a newbie fosterer.Murphy, a gorgeous 18mth lab boy has recently become my first house guest & after a few little scuffles with my Jack Russell Terrors he's settled in beautifully.
I love having him here, watching him grow in confidence in preparation for his forever home .... though I know I'm going to cry buckets when that happy day arrives!

"My role is to help the dogs placed with me to adjust into a family situation, to assess their likes/dislikes & responses to other animals, adults, children in order to help place them with the most suitable home match.

"As a new fosterer the support, advice & humour offered by the team at Four Paws is second to none and I'm excited to continue to develop & grow in order to help more dogs. I feel privileged to be part of such a dedicated rescue."

Please think about letting a foster dog into your home. Foster carers are vital to us and to the dogs we save. It allows them to be assessed in a family home and we can then place them in a suitable forever home. It's an emotional process but a necessary one so if you are interested here is the link to our application form.   https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDEtVF9tc2xvQWRxMlZmWFFVWXRaaUE6MA

We would also like to say a big thank you to Jacqueline Radford who has nominated FPAR to receive two cases of schmackos on the Pedigree Facebook page. The dogs are sure to love them!

The other big news is that we are offering this beautiful bespoke Four Paws Animal Rescue chimenea that has been made and donated by Flues and Flashings of Kidderminster. We will be holding a raffle at our next Paws 4 Tea event in May so if you would like to be in with a chance of winning this great item for your garden then follow this link to find out more http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=8988.0

Foster homes wanted

Bruce

Jonnie

Rocky

Seth

If you can offer a foster home for any of these beauties please let us know http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?board=9.0. They are all safe but are currently in kennels.

Paws for Tea

Great baking as usual

Lucy, crossbreed girl

Norman, crossbreed boy

What a weekend of great weather we've had. It has been gorgeous and it definitely helped bring the crowds in to our latest Paws for Tea event at the Heath, in Cardiff.

Trixie, crossbreed girl

We tried something different at this event and had a special foster dog corner for all our dogs needing homes. It saved on confusion hopefully and people were more able to spot a foster carer if they wanted to talk about anything! Thank you to all who supported us as we raised just over £500!

Tavi, crossbreed boy

 Admittedly, this post is a couple of days late to catch National Puppy Day (last Friday) but some beautiful puppies came into our care on Friday so if you are looking for a new companion and are able to give time and training to a young dog then keep an eye out on our website for details. As a little taster here are some pictures of them.

Two crossbreed boys

No time for self pity

When you have a dog there is no time for self pity. This was told to me some years ago now, by a lady who adopted one of my foster dogs. The lady in question will not mind me telling you this as she happens to be my sister. It is possibly the only wise words she has ever said to me!


The phrase has stuck in my mind ever since as it is so true. I have met countless people who have mental health issues, bereavement, lack of confidence and who are isolated. The one thing they all had in common was the fact that their dogs helped them heal and get out of bed in the morning.


After adopting her first dog from us three years ago I watched my sister blossom from having severe depression to someone who got up and out every day, had someone to talk to and things to talk about. It got me thinking that our dogs change us and I think rescue dogs change us the most.


Here are a few facts you might not know.
1. Dog owners who have suffered a heart attack are more likely to live longer than those without dogs.
2. Dog owners significantly suffer less from cancer, seizures or hypoglycemia
3. They have lower blood pressure and cholesterol
4. They find it easier to make friends than people with cats.


"In some cases, the social support offered by an animal is greater than the support another human could offer." June Mcnicolas - Health Psychologist.


I think it is fair to say that they enrich our lives beyond belief and encourage us to do things we wouldn't ordinarily do. You certainly don't have time for self pity when you have a dog - and definitely don't if you own a terrier!

Seran Davies

Peppa has been found

This amazing collection of people are all Four Paws Animal Rescue volunteers who wanted to help in the search for Peppa. Audrey, Peppa's owner, searched tirelessly for 8 days and on the 9th day she had some back-up in the form of these lovely helpers.


Obviously with this many people they could cover a lot more ground and it certainly paid off. In the end it was Simon (red shirt) and his pack of clever collies that found a muddy, thin and thirsty Peppa. She is now reunited with her owner, Audrey (centre in black - with a Peppa).


For more details on this very emotional story click here http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=8604.0

Fostering

In this post we will be appealing to all you dog lovers out there to consider fostering and also letting you know more about it.

At the moment we have several lovely dogs in kennels who are looking for foster homes, where they can be assessed and put up for rehoming. Obviously, all of our supporters here at Four Paws Animal Rescue are animal lovers and most of them already have their own dogs, which is what makes this trickier!

Bliss

UPDATE: Bliss has left kennels and is a step closer to her forever home. In kennels at the moment we have Bliss – an American Bulldog girl who is very friendly towards people and children, even other dogs while on neutral ground but she will not tolerate another dominate female in her household. Perhaps you have a calm, laid back male dog who wouldn’t mind having Bliss come to stay until she finds her forever home? Long term she is looking for a home with experienced owners, children over 10 years old and no other dogs. For more information please click here http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=7363.0

Seth

Seth has come on leaps and bounds since we picked him up from the pound all those months ago. He has been in kennels for far too long now and is ready for his move into foster care so he can begin his assessment.  Despite adoring people, Seth doesn't get on with other dogs so will need to be the only dog in the household. Could you give him a chance? For more information please click here http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue .org.uk/index.php?topic=7284.0

Rolo has recently returned to us after 16 months in a lovely home, where he was loved and adored. He came back to us due to a personality clash with the other male dog in the house. We are hopeful that he doesn’t hold a grudge against all dogs, as he lived with the female dog too with no problem at all. Unfortunately we cannot find this out until a suitable foster home comes forward where he can be assessed. For more information, please click here. http://forum.fourpawsanimalrescue .org.uk/index.php?topic=8591.0

Jasper

 Jasper, the five year old Staffordshire bull terrier, was handed in by his owners as they were working very long hours and didn't want to keep leaving him at home on his own. Now, this boy is dog friendly and people friendly but sadly is being overlooked in our kennels. Could you offer him a foster home? To find out more about him please visit here http://forum .fourpawsanimalrescue.org.uk/index.php?topic=8256.0

Fostering is incredibly hard work, but it is incredibly rewarding. It takes a very special person to put all that time and effort into rehabilitating a dog and then parting with him when his special home comes along. It is all part of his journey though and fosterers realise that there are many more souls who need their help.

Foster carers are invaluable to us and there is always support for them at the other end of the phone or on our active forum. As well as support the charity pays for the foster dog’s vets bills, as well as food and necessary supplies.

  

Please consider having a foster dog in your life and helping them on their journey towards their forever home. If you would like to apply to be a foster carer please click here to complete the form. https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDEtVF9tc2xvQWRxMlZmWFFVWXRaaUE6MA   Once received you will undergo a homecheck and if successful you will be matched with your first foster.