FOR PETSThe magazine for Blue Cross supporters SPRING 2019

LEFT OUT IN THE COLD

ABANDONED DEAF CAT’S FRESH START

PLUS

Dog Vader transforms the lives of teens

Starving guinea pig’s miracle survival

What colours can your pet see?

Dogs, just like humans, often come with their own individual dietary requirements. That’s why award-winning pet food business, Burns Pet Nutrition has created two Free From diets, suitable for even the most sensitive pup or adult dog.

BURNS is proud to be supporting

BLUE CROSS with a year’s worth of food and

financial assistance as part of its Charity of the Year programme.

Grain-free, gluten-free and dairy-free, without sacrificing any of the

usual health benefits that exist in Burns food. That’s the concept

behind the Burns Duck & Potato diets. Carefully crafted by Veterinary Surgeon, John Burns in response to market demand,

the diets contain high-quality, natural ingredients and are designed

to help pets thrive.

All Burns recipes are healthy, natural and highly-digestible. They’re

also economical without scrimping on taste or quality.

Why have Burns launched free-from diets? Wheat, gluten, dairy and beef are the most common allergens seen

in dogs and account for a whopping 70% of dog allergies. By

creating a recipe free-from such ingredients, adult dogs are less likely

to have an intolerance or negative reaction and young pups are less

likely to develop these problems.

The Duck

& Potato

free-from

diets cater

to both

adult and

puppy life

stages.

Available for Puppies and Adults

BEEFFREE

GRAIN FREE

WHEAT/GLUTENFREE

SWEET POTATO

FREE

DAIRYFREE

BEET PULPFREE

www.burnspet.co.ukChat to our expert nutritionists about your pet’s dietary needs on freephone number 08082 911 375.

FREE FROM RANGEDeveloped by Veterinary Surgeon BVMS MRCVS

WelcomeI’m sure that you’re as excited as me about the lighter, warmer evenings on the horizon. For many of us, that means more time in the great outdoors with our pets. The way that dogs, in particular, get us out and about

is one of the greatest things about having them, isn’t it? Sometimes, though, the impact pets have on lives goes

beyond words; you’ll read about how that’s the case for amazing Vader, Blue Cross rescue-turned-school

therapy dog, on pages four to seven. Pets give back so much, and that’s why we’re committed – as we have

been for more than 120 years – to helping as many that need our help as possible. So that we continue doing

this, we have just launched a fundraising appeal for our 70-year-old Hertfordshire rehoming centre, which needs urgent modernisation. Find out how it secured a happy future for cover star Elsa on pages 22 and 23, and what

a difference a rebuilt centre will make to pets like her.It’s going to be a busy year!

Aimee Brannen, Editor

FEATURES4 Amazing Vader

Helping troubled teens

8 Abused catPuts painful past

behind him

11 Take me homeThese Blue Cross pets need a loving family

14 Prim and properNeglected pup’s transformation

17 Miracle survivalGuinea pig Angel

is thriving now

20 Saved from a carTiny pony learns to trust

24 Celebrity portraitsRankin snaps stars and pets

26 Twilight yearsElderly Jack’s

retirement home

28 ReunitedAbandoned mum

and kittens

REGULARS12 True colours

What can your pet see?

16 Get involvedPaws for Tea 2019

23 Pet postbagYour letters

30 NewsAll the latest news from Blue Cross

34 CompetitionWin food for your dog

35 Contact usGet in touch or come and visit

COVER STORY18 Deaf and alone

But Elsa is happy now

EDITORIALEDITOR

Aimee Brannen

CONTRIBUTORSRachael Millar

Jade-Marie Fleuriot

PHOTO LIBRARYTracey Cooper

DESIGNSteve Tustin

Petersen Creative

PHOTOGRAPHERSSteve Bardens

Marisa MaidmentSam OsborneMartin Phelps

Carolin WinklerHelen Yates

ILLUSTRATIONAmy Crippen

/thebluecrossUK

@The_Blue_Cross

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14

20

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bluecross.org.uk 3

MC-13711-0119

Blue Cross is a charity registered in England and Wales (224392) and in Scotland (SC040154). © No part of For Pets may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without prior written permission from Blue Cross.

An unwanted puppy rehomed by Blue Cross is helping to turn

around the fortunes of troubled youngsters through his remarkable work as a school support dog.

Vader was rescued with his siblings in Ireland and soon found himself in the care of our Bromsgrove rehoming team, which worked hard to instil in the young dog the vital socialisation he had missed out on due to his poor start to life.

And it wasn’t long before he found a home with Tracey Berridge, the founder of charity Dogs Helping Kids (DHK), and her husband Mark, near Barnstaple in Devon.

The couple – heartbroken following the loss of their beloved pet and original DHK school dog, Laya – saw Vader’s profi le on the Blue Cross website and soon made the six-hour round trip to visit him at the West Midlands centre.

As she had hoped, Tracey immediately saw the downtrodden pup’s potential, despite his sorry start to life.

“I did some clicker training with him to see how receptive he would be to the future training I had planned. He was great; really, really receptive and just did everything beautifully.

“You could just tell that he had such a sweet nature about

him – he’s a very deep and soulful dog.”

And so the decision was made to take him home, and a few days later, Vader started his new life as a much-loved pet and trainee school dog.

Four years on, and after three years of intensive DHK training – the longest of any assistance dog charity in the UK – Vader is working with teenagers with mental health issues, autism, PTSD or major anxieties.

While 95 per cent of DHK’s 60-plus dogs grow up and work within schools, Vader is specially trained to help youngsters that are unable to stay in mainstream education.

The four-and-a-half-year-old saluki-greyhound cross, who lives alongside Blue Cross rescue cat Druid, also helps Tracey with the training of new DHK dogs, attends charity meetings and even has a regular column called Vader’s Tails in his local newspaper.

“It was a rollercoaster journey, and we have had our ups and downs. He came to us at 16 weeks; no puppy should be in rescue for that long. He was undersocialised and didn’t have any concept of what a house was. There was just so much about him that was challenging, and he was scared of so much; there were certain things he was petrifi ed of. It was hard work, but he is now an awesome dog.”

A ray of sunshinefor struggling teens

He was once a terrifi ed, homeless puppy, but now Vader is helping to rebuild the lives of youngsters locked out of mainstream

education due to learning disabilities and mental health issues.

4 For Pets

HERO DOG

bluecross.org.uk 5

Teenagers that work with Vader learn all about dog welfare and training, which includes mastering impressive tasks such as commanding him to ring bells and even read from prompt cards. Incredibly, Tracey explained that dogs have the ability to learn and understand up to 100 words with the right training, and Vader is well on his way.

Vader will also nestle his head in the youngsters’ laps to provide support and encouragement while they read.

“Due to his very quiet, calm, very quirky, but incredibly sensitive nature, he is very suited to this role,” said Tracey, who started the charity as a teenager more than 30 years ago.

One of the teens that Vader helps is Harry, and the impact of their sessions on his life has been huge.

How Vader has “magically unlocked” Harry’s worldIn a desperate search for the thing that would “magically unlock” the world for her autistic son, Harry’s mum, Heather Parks, came across the DHK website and immediately got in touch with Tracey.

Harry had been unable to go into a classroom for fi ve months prior to that and had refused to engage in anything remotely educational, leaving him “isolated and losing confi dence fast”.

But Heather had seen a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel when the family got a dog called Maisie, who Harry formed an instant and deep bond with.

Heather said: “He researched endlessly, watched training videos and pretty much took over the whole puppy care responsibility. I noticed that Harry seemed to have an incredible empathy with Maisie, understanding her needs and having amazing insight into her behaviour. I felt that we had

discovered something special and that we needed to somehow tap into this to help Harry, who was fi nding all aspects of life diffi cult, particularly school.”

Heather was keen to get Harry a therapy dog to support him through his diffi culties, but soon realised it would be a long and expensive road, which is what led her to reach out to Tracey.

Harry has been working with Vader since March 2017 and visits the DHK headquarters, underneath Tracey and Mark’s home, once a week to learn about all aspects of dog ownership.

The sessions have become the undeniable “highlight” of his week, and have given him the drive and enthusiasm to learn again – with the goal of achieving a career working with animals.

And, having shown such talent and promise during the workshops, Harry will soon be getting a support dog of his own, who Tracey and Vader will help him to train.

“DHK has not only given him [Harry] huge enjoyment and an increase in self-confi dence; DHK has also begun a subtle, but very real re-engagement with education,” said Heather.

“Inspired by Tracey’s impressive academic qualifi cations, Harry has begun to contemplate what education he would need in the future to study animal behaviour at university.

“And one day, in his excitement to share the information in a dog breed book Tracey had given him, he completely forgot that he doesn’t read anymore, and read to me the whole 50-minute journey home! And, for Tracey, he has even done ‘homework’ tasks, the only academic work he has agreed to do for over a year.

“These moments have signifi ed huge mindset changes for Harry. For me, they are evidence that I have found the ‘magic’ to unlocking Harry’s world.”

6 For Pets

HERO DOG

Vader with Harry holding his dog training certifi cate.

An impact beyond measureVader has changed the lives of many more teenagers and has even helped to bring one, who had attempted to take her own life twice, back from the brink of suicide.

And while he’s not in work mode, Vader is to Tracey and Mark, quite simply, the perfect pet, and he has helped to mend their broken hearts following the loss of Laya.

Most days the trio can be found walking along the beach near their home, with Vader zooming around playing fetch.

The couple, as well as Blue Cross, couldn’t be prouder of him.

Tracey said: “Vader is such a total sweetie and I honestly couldn’t be any more proud of how far he has come with both his training and his behaviour and everything he has achieved for the charity.

“He has surpassed all expectations and has touched the hearts of all the teenagers he works with and everyone he meets.

“You can’t even put it into words the difference that he makes, because it is something that we as people can’t do; he connects with the teenagers on a level that no human can. They’re willing to talk and do things that they wouldn’t if Vader wasn’t there. He has this amazing ability to get them to achieve and open up in ways they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

“He’s incredible, and shows that rescue dogs make the best dogs and can help to change lives forever.”

Caroline Oram, Animal Welfare Assistant at Bromsgrove, said: “The whole team is just so thrilled at the success of Vader and the

brilliant work he is doing to help so many children. We are so proud of him and grateful to Tracey and Mark for all the work they have put into making him such an awesome dog. We are so happy for them.”

bluecross.org.uk 7

Watch Vader in action at bluecross.org.uk/vader

He’s incredible, and shows that rescue

dogs make the best dogs and can help to change lives forever.

8 For Pets

Abusedcat putspainful past behind him

Helpless and in unimaginable pain, poor Rupert was found all alone on the streets in the grip of winter with horrifi c injuries.

bluecross.org.uk 9

Rupert enjoying life in his new home. Inset: Rupert when he was found with a broken jaw.

What he might have been through in his fi rst few months in the world doesn’t bear thinking about.

Thankfully, Rupert was found by staff of the restaurant he was cruelly dumped outside of in Newport, Wales, and they managed to get him to a nearby vet just in time.

As well as having a broken jaw – thought to have been caused by a kick to the face – he was terribly skinny and in a generally bad condition.

Unable to eat properly, the three-month-old had to be fed through a tube before the team at the Fields Veterinary Group performed surgery to wire his jaw back in place.

He spent his fi rst Christmas in foster care, recovering from the operation and the trauma that had led him there.

Then, once he was fi t and healthy, our rehoming unit in Newport set about fi nding him a loving home – and it wasn’t long before Irene Duncan and her husband Robert snapped him up.

Two years on and he is now triple in size, and unrecognisable from the sad, abused kitten he once was.

When he’s not charging around his Newport home with feline friends Nala and Binky, he can be found curled up on the sofa with his adoring owners watching television.

Irene, who rehomed Rupert in January 2017, said: “I had lost one of my cats due to ill health at the age of 20 and I heard about Rupert, so we went to have a look and it was love at fi rst sight.

“He was such a poor little soul, so battered and so tiny. How could someone have done that to a little kitten?”

Nobody could have blamed Rupert had he been wary of humans after everything he had been through, but Irene said that he wasted no time settling in and was soon ready to curl up on her lap for cuddles.

“Rupert fi tted in straight away. He is such a big softy, everyone loves him,” she said.

“He’ll sit on your lap and just lie on his back and let you tickle his tummy, and just purrs and purrs. There’s no in between with him, he’s either relaxing or charging around like a mini tornado. He has so much energy.

“He had such a hard start in life for a tiny little thing, so he deserves all the good stuff we can give

him. I just love spoiling him, he’s a lovely cat and we wouldn’t be without him,”

added Irene.Hannah Wiltshire, Rehoming

Manager at Newport, said: “The fi rst 24 hours were touch and go for Rupert. But once he had recovered, he soon became alert and inquisitive.

“It’s so great to see him happy in his new home and enjoying all the home

comforts he needs after the ordeal he went through.”

SAFE NOW

“He was such a poor little soul, so battered and so tiny. How could someone have done that to a little kitten?”

10 For Pets

Read more about Rupert online at bluecross.org.uk/rupert

SAFE NOW

bluecross.org.uk 11

MISSYAge is just a number. At least, that’s what the kind people here tell me. But I’m starting to wonder if that’s

true, as my 17 years of wisdom seem to be holding me back. My owner

died last year and I really would love to fi nd a sofa and a loving lap to curl up on again. I still have lots to give.

Torbay 0300 777 1550

ALICE AND OREOHello, Alice here. Me and my best pal Oreo just love to hop, hop, hop! If only we had a lovely garden to do that in. You see, I’m blind, so getting to sniff everything in the great outdoors and feel the wind between my ears feels

extra special. Do you have room for a playful pair in your life?

Hertfordshire 0300 777 1490

COOPERI’m told that my wonky spine is putting people off giving me a

home as I move a bit funny. I can’t help it, but it doesn’t hold me back, I promise! I’d love to fi nd someone to look past it and love me for who

I am – could that be you?

Burford 0300 777 1570

JAYHiya! I’m Jay and I’m looking for a

forever home as a companion horse. I’m told every day by the kind people here what a lovely young boy I am. They say anyone would be lucky to have me as I’m super calm, love a

good groom and a fuss, and hanging out with the other horses. Have you

got room for me in your life?

Rolleston 0300 777 1520

BILLYA relaxing lifestyle, that’s what I’m all about these days. My absolute

favourite thing is wandering around admiring the world at my own pace. I’m 12, so like to take things easy. I just

wish I had a garden of my own to explore and a warm place to snuggle

up in. It’s not much to ask, is it?

Cambridge 0300 777 1470

BRAMBLEI’m a super chilled guy and take everything in my stride. I need a

home to live out my twilight years. I love a bit of pampering and the

company of other horses. I do also love food a bit too much though, so I have to hang out with friends that

help me to watch my waistline.

Burford 0300 777 1570

C O U L D Y O U TA K E M E H O M E ?

Can you give any of these Blue Cross pets a place in your heart and your home?

Find your new best friend at bluecross.org.uk/rehome

Hundreds

of pets are

just waiting

to meet you

REHOMING

Seeing your pet’s true

coloursDifferent animals see from

a broad range of spectrums. Some see very little colour, while

creatures such as bees and butterfl ies see more than humans.

Som

butte

12 For Pets

bluecross.org.uk 13

What colours can our pets see?Colour is our brains’ way of processing light wavelengths. Light hits our eyes and special cells, called photoreceptor cone cells, turn it into nerve impulses, which are then passed to the brain and processed into the various colours.

Can dogs see in colour?There is a common misconception that dogs can only see in black and white. Dogs can, in fact, see a wide array of colours but the range is more like that of a human who has red-green colour blindness, seeing various shades of blue, yellow and green.

This is because humans have three cones in their eyes; blue, red and green whereas dogs have two; blue and another that falls between the human red and green cone.

However, these colours do not affect a dog’s quality of sight. Dogs’ eyes have more rods (cells that process low level light and shape) than humans’, which allow for better vision in very low light.

Dogs also have an additional secret weapon, a refl ective layer of tissues called the tapetum lucidum. This means that your dog’s eyes refl ect the light that goes into their eyes back out, allowing a much more detailed view of the world after dark.

Can cats see in colour?Cats tend to be active at dawn or dusk. This is because your cat’s vision lends itself to these times of day; they have around six to eight times more rod cells in their eyes, which allows them to see much more clearly in low light. Like humans, cats have three cone cells in their eyes, but scientists think felines can’t detect colour as well as us.

Cats are also not as well equipped at seeing objects at a long distance; however they have the edge when it comes to night vision! Just like dogs, cats have the refl ective mechanism which gives them that eerie eye glow in the dark.

Can horses see in colour?Horses too have two cone photoreceptor cells in their eyes, which is known as dichromatic vision. Experts believe horses see the world in less saturated colours than humans.

Research suggests horses have the blue and green cone cells and struggle to see red because of this. A horse’s eyesight picks up less detail than the human eye, but has a much broader fi eld of vision; a handy attribute for prey animals who rely on picking up movement from more angles for survival.

TRUE COLOURS

Prim &her properloving home

To look at her now, no one would guess that just a year

ago poor Prim had no way of protecting herself from the sub-zero temperatures of the harshest winter on record, as she had no fur anywhere on her body. She was cold and naked. You can see from the photos taken of her at the time (below) just how sad and pitiful the 10-month-old was when she fi rst arrived in Blue Cross care.

With her tail tucked between her legs and her body crouched low to the ground, backing away and rigid with fear, our team knew immediately the tell-tale signs that Prim had been mistreated. She would have a long road ahead of her, but we would be there every step of the way to recovery.

Prim was found straying and was picked up by the local authority before being taken in by Hope Rescue, and then to our Blue Cross rehoming and advice unit in Newport, south Wales. She must have been ever so lonely. And how could she trust anyone when no one had ever shown her kindness?

The little dog, still in puppyhood, was suffering from an advanced case of mange. It had rid her body of any fur and left her skin rough and hard, and terribly itchy. No animal deserves to suffer in this way.

Blue Cross Newport Manager, Hannah Wiltshire, remembers: “She was just a scared spaniel who wanted to be your friend but she didn’t know how to be. She was terrifi ed of everyone. When she arrived we had to coax her out of the van and she would crawl everywhere, keeping her body close to the ground with fear.

“I’ve worked with many, many nervous dogs over the years, and it is always so sad to see a dog with a body posture like Prim had when we fi rst met, because you know they are completely terrifi ed. You just want to make everything okay for them.”

Building up Prim’s confi dence and helping her learn that it was okay to trust people was the fi rst step on Hannah’s rehabilitation plan. Taking small steps would take time, but patience and dedication was the only way to help the utterly broken dog.

14 For Pets

Amid the bitterly cold wintery spells of early 2018, a young cocker spaniel found herself all alone and without anyone to care for her.

Hannah says: “Prim didn’t come out of her kennel for fi ve days, she was that nervous. From day one she wanted attention and a fuss, but was too nervous to come close, so I started off by just sitting on the fl oor in her kennel at a distance she was comfortable with. She did a little excited wiggle when I went in, but was too nervous to leave her bed.”

Today, Prim is a different dog, physically and emotionally.

She has a wonderfully happy home with new owner Megan Baverstock and two canine companions Woody and Sammie.

Sammie, now fi fteen-and-a-half years old, was also once a stray dog. She was abandoned at six months old with a broken spine, which means she still has a slightly lopsided walk to this day. Megan rehomed the jack russell terrier from our Blue Cross Southampton

rehoming centre, and was pleased to give another stray a chance at happiness.

“When I fi rst took Prim home it was like she’d never been in the house before,” Megan explains. “She was really reactive at the TV and would bark at it, so I had it on but with no volume for quite a while. She’s a bit cowery at times, so I assume someone at some point has been hard on her, which is really sad to think.”

Megan built on the work Hannah and her team had done to help Prim grow in confi dence and continued to take everything one step at a time. Walking the same route every day enabled Prim to

become familiar and comfortable in her new surroundings, and Megan has used toys and food treats to make new experiences fun and exciting rather than scary.

Megan adds: “She has gained so much confi dence in the three months I have had her; it’s hard to believe she is the same dog in those photos. She absolutely loves her walks and would run around off lead all day given the chance.

“I feel so lucky to have found her, I really can’t imagine life without her now.”

bluecross.org.uk 15

TRANSFORMATION

Read more about Prim at bluecross.org.uk/prim

16 For Pets

Blue Cross is a charity that has been helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897.

Registered charity no: 224392 (England and Wales), SC040154 (Scotland)bluecross.org.uk

Enjoy the ultimate guilt free Tea Party as you help Blue Cross give back to pets in need.

Order your free Paw-ty fundraising pack today. Simply fi ll in the coupon at the back of this magazine or visit bluecross.org.uk/teaparty

GET READY TOGET READY TO

PAW-TY

SweetAngel thrives after miracle survival

MIRACLE SURVIVAL

Angel arrived at our Suffolk rehoming centre after being

discovered by council workers trapped and squealing inside a zipped-up sports bag in an empty property.

Her owners had moved out a month earlier and poor Angel miraculously managed to survive for all that time without any water or food other than a mouldy orange.

Clare Williamson, Operational Supervisor at Suffolk, said: “The local housing project was cleaning out the property when one of its offi cers lifted up the sports bag and heard a squeak. To their shock, they found a guinea pig and a mouldy orange inside.

“The tenants had been evicted four weeks beforehand so nobody is sure how little Angel managed to survive. She was underweight and very dehydrated, as well as being covered in dried urine.

“But despite everything she had been through, she is a sweet and very affectionate girl who loves a fuss and purred away when you gave her kale.”

Once at our centre, our team gave Angel all the care and fuss she needed to recuperate from her horrifi c ordeal – and she soon won the affections of the Suffolk team.

But it wasn’t long before she found a new owner and, after two weeks at Blue Cross, she went off to a loving new home where she is now putting the neglect of her past behind her.

“We’re over the moon that Angel, who has now been renamed Eva, found a home so quickly. Her new owner has said that she’s settled in well and is very happy,” added Clare.

A starving guinea pig found abandoned in a fl at has been nursed back to health and found a loving home by Blue Cross.

Read more about Angel at bluecross.org.uk/angel

17 For Pets

18 For Pets

Elsa Abandoned deaf cat rescued by Blue Cross

Deaf, alone and with no idea where she was, Elsa must have

been so terribly confused. The young white cat was

abandoned in a cardboard box outside the Blue Cross mobile clinic in east London as the team there treated other pets in need.

The absence of any details about Elsa’s past and medical history meant that our team had to start

from scratch when assessing her needs – and it soon became clear to the team at our Victoria animal hospital in central London, that she was deaf.

Thankfully, she was given an otherwise clean bill of health and settled in well while she was given all the preventative treatment she needed before she could travel to one of our rehoming centres.

bluecross.org.uk 19

Amanda Marrington, Blue Cross’s London Welfare Offi cer, said: “Elsa settled in amazingly at the hospital, and loved being the centre of attention. She would sit on top of her cardboard box like the princess that she is, and would watch from above what was going on. She lapped up all the attention possible.”

She too stole plenty of hearts once she arrived at our Hertfordshire rehoming centre, where the team ensured that her confi dence continued to grow while she was found a loving new home.

Animal Welfare Assistant, Daniella Robinson, said: “We were very conscious of her hearing problems so kept everything really slow around her.

“Despite going through quite a lot, Elsa settled in very well. She was very friendly, relaxed and loved being out and about exploring the cattery.”

Imagine, though, if inquisitive Elsa had access to an outdoor pen to explore and watch the world go by from. Or a large, comfy, spacious pen fl ooded with natural light where she could play freely in between snoozing under a ray of sunshine.

Sadly, unlike other Blue Cross rehoming centres, the facilities at our Hertfordshire site – that has been serving pets in need for 70 years – are simply not fi t for purpose.

Many of the buildings are dark, dingy, noisy and outdated, and in dire need of modernisation.

For instance, there is no access to outdoor space for cats to enjoy and the cattery layout is stressful as pens face each other, leaving the pets with little privacy, which often results in increasing anxiety levels.

If they had spacious pens with access to fresh air, our cats would be far happier and comfortable during their stay with us as it would bring them better enrichment and afford them more privacy.

Elsewhere in the centre, many of the dog kennels are so outdated that they can’t be used as they fall short of welfare standards.

Meanwhile, visitors areas are unwelcoming and may, we fear, put off potential rehomers.

The site is a far cry from the calm sanctuary it was originally designed to provide for homeless pets.

Without urgent work, the centre is in danger of closing. This is why we have launched an appeal to raise £2 million to help bring it up to date.

Kellie Brooks, Rehoming Centre Manager, said: “To make sure we can do the very best for all the pets that come through our doors, we absolutely have to improve the centre.

“Our current facilities are extremely outdated and in desperate need of improvement to ensure we can provide the care and the rehoming service that pets like Elsa and their owners need.

“The planned developments will make sure we can look after them in the best way possible.”

What we hope to achieve

New spacious pens for dogs and cats with access to outside space

Facilities for new admissions where we can carry out health and behaviour assessments

Special, peaceful rooms for kittens and puppies to improve socialisation

Space for on-site veterinary checks and procedures

Isolation pens to stop the spread of infection and allow pets to be treated on site

Refurbished reception area to give visitors more space and private areas where those giving up their pets can be comforted

Improved access and more parking

HERTS APPEAL

To fi nd out more about the redevelopment and how you can help us to help more pets in need please visit bluecross.org.uk/hertfordshire-rehoming-centre-appeal

20 For Pets

PONY SAVEDfrom the back seat of a car

Gary was left traumatised and shutdown by his ordeal, but now he’s thriving in a happy home and building confi dence by the day.

bluecross.org.uk 21

Tiny and terrifi ed, Gary was just a helpless young foal when he

was found crammed into the back of a car.

Thankfully, police pulled over the vehicle – also fi lled with a group of youths – and made sure the Shetland pony was rescued before he could endure any more mistreatment.

He soon found himself safely in the care of Blue Cross, but the trauma of the incident, combined with the likely neglect he had also experienced in his short little life, had sadly taken its toll.

Not only was Gary thin and in terrible condition, he was merely a shell of what a happy, inquisitive foal should be and, quite understandably, was petrifi ed of people.

Shutdown and preferring to be alone, he just stood sad and forlorn in his stable for days after his arrival at our Burford centre in Oxfordshire.

Emily Lambert, Rehoming Coordinator, was one of those involved in Gary’s care. She said: “He was terrifi ed; he would do anything to get away from you or would sometimes just stand there and close his eyes and put his head to the fl oor as if he was thinking: ‘If I can’t see you then you can’t see me’.

“We had to spend a very long time just sitting in the stable with him, trying to get him used to us being in the same space as he was in.

“If he looked at us we would reward him with a treat. It took about three weeks before we were able to start approaching him with touch”.

From then on, the Burford horse team worked on getting him used to the many things any well-kept pony would have experienced – from wearing a head collar and grooming, to visits from the vet and farrier.

Emily said: “He was very quiet and it took a while for him to give us anything back, really. But we always knew he would come round eventually, and towards the end of his time with us he had started playing with the other horses and would start whinnying when we approached.”

Once Gary was ready, we started the search to fi nd him a home where he would get the love he deserved.

He had quite specifi c needs; due to his age and his newfound love of play, he needed a pony companion of a similar size and age, along with a patient owner who could continue to help him overcome his fears.

Luckily, Louise Coulson was scanning the Blue Cross website at just the right time in her search for a friend for her miniature pony Zebby, who had lost his own companion, Dolly, a few months before.

LEARNING TO TRUST

LEARNING TO TRUST

22 For Pets

You can read more about Gary at bluecross.org.uk/gary

And soon, after more than three-and-a-half months in Blue Cross care, Gary was on his way to start his new life in the Suffolk countryside with Louise and her husband Richard.

Like the Blue Cross team, the couple had to work hard to build Gary’s trust as he was so scared of anyone new.

Louise explained: “When we fi rst got Gary we couldn’t get near him for the fi rst week; we had to work very hard to get him over his nervousness and being comfortable in handling and being around people again.

“He was very, very scared of people, which is what you would expect from a pony that hadn’t had a very good start. And I really did start to worry initially that we wouldn’t be able to do anything with him. He would just back into the corner of the stable and be too frightened to come near me at all.”

Richard said: “We would sit outside his stable and not do anything until eventually he would come and stick his head around the corner.”

“Then we worked gradually from there,” added Louise. “It was a slow process to get him to trust us.”

But nearly six months on, Gary is unrecognisable from the traumatised, terrifi ed and withdrawn foal he once was.

He happily trots around his fi eld with pal Zebby, greets new people with confi dence and takes most aspects of life in his stride.

There are still things he’s scared of, but the bond that he has with Louise is unbreakable, and with her by his side he has become very brave in approaching situations that could be frightening.

And seeing Gary grow in confi dence and learn to trust again has brought its own benefi ts to Louise.

“I have pride in myself that I’ve been able to bring him on and that he’s responded so well and so quickly,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to see him come out of that shell and become a confi dent, happy pony.”

Emily added: “We were so pleased when Gary found ‘his person’ in Louise and went off to a home where he would be so loved. No animal should have to suffer the start to life that Gary had, so it’s wonderful to see him thriving and continuing to develop so well in his new home.”

We love to hear from youPlease send us your news and pictures of your pets!

HAPPY EVER AFTERYou loved reading about the pets we’ve helped who featured in the last issue of For Pets. Here are just a few of the well wishes dog Dusty, who has helped her owner Julie cope following the loss of

her husband, received:

What a heart breaking but beautiful story. Julie and Dusty met at the right time.

Melissa Spence, via Facebook

Bless you. I hope you and Dusty have many happy times as he helps you

overcome your grief. Julie Byrne, via Facebook

So glad this lady has found happiness with Dusty, he really does look like a

teddy bear!Wendy Wilson, via Facebook

I lost my husband in September and my cat Tilly has never left my side. She has been such a comfort to me and is really

helping me to get over the loss of my soul mate of 55 years.

Gail Melvin, via Facebook

BROMLEYI just wanted to write and say how moved I am about Bromley’s story

in the autumn issue of For Pets. The photograph of this brave and courageous dog on the front cover

moved me to happy tears as he looks so content, ecstatic even,

to be safe with a loving owner at last. You can almost see his smile of relief. Thank you to everyone at

Blue Cross for saving his life, twice, and to Denise, his new companion and friend for giving him a healthy

and exciting new life. Long may they continue to fi nd joy and

happiness together.

Mary Adams, by email

bluecross.org.uk 23

LETTERS

Would you like to see your pet on this page?

We love to hear how Blue Cross pets are changing lives. Please email your letters and photos to

editor@bluecross.org.uk

or write to For Pets Editor, Blue Cross, Shilton Road, Burford, Oxon OX18 4PF

Find us on Facebook & Twitter

@The_Blue_Cross

@thebluecrossUK

ORIGINSI thoroughly enjoyed the latest

For Pets magazine. It was so good to be reminded of the origins of the Blue Cross during the war. I hadn’t

realised and yet it is so obvious: the Red Cross for people and the

Blue Cross for animals. What brave and brilliant work you did.

And you are still doing great work today by caring and rehabilitating

animals like Bromley. Good to hear their uplifting stories.

If I am ever in that position I will be looking for a ‘Dusty’ of my own!

Liz Jones, by email

24 For Pets

Celebrity Portraits by Rankin

Stars of stage and screen have come together for a very special

photography portrait series celebrating the role pets play in our lives, shot by internationally renowned photographer Rankin.

Bob The Street Cat and owner James Bowen, actors Miranda Richardson, Joanna Scanlan and Isaac Hempstead Wright, and comedian Jimmy Carr – who is pictured with his own Blue Cross dog, Marnie – are just some of the celebrity pet lovers who took part in the photoshoot to raise awareness of rehoming pets.

Rankin, who also snapped a self-portrait with Blue Cross horse, Splodge, said: “Pets change our lives. I know mine certainly have and that is why I wanted

to join forces with Blue Cross and their famous friends and through this series of unique

portraits, inspire people to give back to pets in need for the amazing, enriching and wonderful roles pets play in our lives.”

Clockwise, bottom left to right: Rankin with Blue Cross horse, Splodge; Michelle Collins with Blue Cross rescue dog, Stitch; Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Game of Thrones actor, with his two pet dogs; Daughter and father actors Emily and Anthony Head with a Blue Cross rescue rabbit; Miranda Richardson, stage and screen actor, with Blue Cross dog Paddy; Diana Vickers, singer-songwriter and actor, with Blue Cross foal Emerald; Emily Head, Emmerdale and Inbetweeners actor, with Blue Cross rescue kitten Stevie; Joanna Scanlan, actor, pictured with Blue Cross foal Emerald; James Bowen and Bob The Street Cat.

bluecross.org.uk 25

STARS AND THEIR PETS

Who shares your sofa?Our cats Parker and Pumpkin, our dogs Marnie and Mackey, and we also have another dog called Taxi who is sort of our problem child, he will sit in the corner and watch.

Describe each of your pets in three wordsMarnie (Yorkshire terrier, six years old): playful, energetic and boisterousMackey (English toy terrier, eight years old): handsome, alert and determinedTaxi (English toy terrier, six years old): excited, nervous and agileParker (domestic shorthair, 11 months): fearless, lythe and superiorPumpkin (domestic shorthair, 11 months): fl irty, inquisitive and playful

How did they come to join your family? We went to Discover Dogs and spent a blissful afternoon looking at every colour, shape, size and breed of dog and decided that English toy terriers are the prettiest animals on earth. We went for looks – turns out they are pretty high maintenance. It’s like dating a super model. Our two ETTs are boys and we felt the dog sitcom going on in our kitchen needed a female character. We called Blue Cross and they basically have Tinder for dogs. They send you a picture and a biog and we swiped right on Marnie. Then we had several dates with her and discovered not only is she a very attractive and playful Yorkshire terrier, she’s also a perfect fi t for our little family. And after our beloved rescue cat Cookie passed after sixteen years, we again turned to the Blue Cross. When we met Parker and Pumpkin we knew they were the perfect pair of lively kittens to fi t in with our pack of rambunctious dogs.

How is your Blue Cross dog Marnie settling in with the rest of your pets?She’s ruling the roost. Marnie has not only established her authority over our other dogs but also us.

Why did you choose rescue pets? As soon as I found out rescuing a pet didn’t involve running into a burning building to save it, I was all in. The only thing I found strange about rescuing a dog is that someone gave up Marnie, that seems crazy to me as she is so lovely.

What’s the best thing about having pets?It may be too much of a cliché, but it really makes a house a home.

What are their worst habits?They overspend at the vets. They go down there with my credit card and go nuts.

What’s the most extravagant thing you’ve bought for them?Insurance.

Where’s your favourite place to go with your dogs?The backyard and toss the ball to Marnie, she can play fetch for hours. She is my kind of dog, obsessed by tennis (balls).

What’s the best pet advice you’ve been given, and by whom?Don’t throw the tennis ball inside by Ryan Neile, Senior Animal Behaviourist, at the Blue Cross. Marnie would play all day if given the chance and you would never get a cuddle with her on the sofa.

Jimmy, Marnie, Mackey, Taxi, Parker and PumpkinWe asked comedian Jimmy Carr to tell us all about life with his pets, including Blue Cross rescue dog Marnie.

Questions for your pets:What’s the best thing about being Jimmy’s pet?Marnie: “Tennis ball. Tennis ball. Tennis ball. Throw the tennis ball. I’m hungry. Throw the tennis ball. Throw the tennis ball. What was the question? Throw the tennis ball….”

Go on, let us into a secret about your owner?!Marnie: “Tennis ball. Tennis ball, throw the tennis ball. I’ll go and bring it back. Tennis ball.”

Elderly Jack’s second shot at

HAPPINESSHaving known only the same owners for 12 years, Jack was

devastated when he found himself in kennels all alone after his heartbroken family had no other option but to give him up.

26 For Pets

While he spent his days being showered with love and

attention in the reception area of our rehoming centre, Jack cried long into the night once everyone went home, hating every aspect of kennel lif e.

In his twilight years and missing his family desperately, Jack was quite simply heartbroken – just as his devastated owners must have been – and the worried team at our Thirsk centre in north Yorkshire put out an urgent appeal on social media to fi nd him a home.

Thankfully, Laura and Terry Lloyd were looking for a dog at the same time and, when they saw the photo of his sad, grey-muzzled face pop up on social media, fell in love straight away.

Laura said: “There he was, with his sad little face and big brown eyes. The post said that because he was so old he was being overlooked as nobody wanted to take on an older dog, and he had to be the only dog in the home.”

The couple fi lled out an application form for Jack there and then, expecting him to have a sea of people coming forward to give him a home. So Laura and Billy were overjoyed when the centre called and asked them to meet him.

“We arrived at the centre and he was there behind reception as he couldn’t bear to be in the kennels. He whops at new people – he did it to us and I just started crying because it was so cute,” said Laura. “We spent a few hours getting to know him and letting him get to know us, and we just fell in love with him straight away.”

And after 35 days in our care and an emotional farewell, on 16th December 2017 Jack’s Christmas wish for a new family came true

when he left Blue Cross – wearing a shiny red festive bow – to start his new life some 150 miles away in the Welsh countryside.

There, he joined the couple’s rescue cat Harry, a chinchilla, budgies and a fl ock of former factory-farmed hens.

He also loves to go with Laura each day to the stable yard nearby where she keeps her two horses.

“He just loves everything and everyone,” said Laura. “As soon as we got him home he jumped on the settee and just settled in straight away. He lived with three cats previously and loves Harry – they even snuggle up together.”

And it seems that Jack’s new home and family has also given him a new lease of life, with him becoming increasingly active. In doing so, he’s also got Laura and Terry out and about more too.

“They said at the centre that he wasn’t too fussed about walking, and he just loves his tennis balls. Well now, he insists on walking – and likes to go three times a day,” said Laura.

Terry continued: “We’re both actively out walking with him every day before and after work, and at the weekends.”

Laura added: “When we’re not at work he’s literally with us all the time – he’s great company and comes everywhere with us. When we’re at work, he goes to my mum’s house as he doesn’t like being alone.

“We’re just really enjoying having him in our lives; he’s made such a huge difference to us. He’s just perfect.”

And for Laura and Terry, who set out to rehome an older dog because they felt that they didn’t have the time to invest in bringing up a puppy, the rewards of giving Jack the retirement home he deserved are beyond measure.

Laura said: “To anyone that is looking to rehome a dog, I’d say that age is just a number. Don’t dismiss a dog just because they’re in their advanced years, because they’ve still got a huge amount to offer.

“Jack is now 13 but he’s still full of beans and is really active. He’s such a fantastic dog and we’re so glad that we picked him.”

Amy Younger, Assistant Manager at Thirsk, said: “Everyone was so gutted for Jack that he had come to us at that stage in his life. He was really struggling in kennels, but was a different dog when he came into the offi ce and was with people; he was just a delight to have around and greeted any visitors.

“We were so grateful that Laura and Terry came along. He is a lovely dog, but because of his age he could have been with us for a long time and he just wasn’t coping.

“Everyone is so happy for Jack. We get regular updates, and he’s clearly living his best life. His story shows just how much older dogs have to offer when they are given a chance.”

bluecross.org.uk 27

ELDERLY DOG

Read more about Jack online at bluecross.org.uk/jack

Ella & Kittens

28 For Pets

Abandoned cat

reunited withkittens

Five helpless newborn kittens left all alone after their pregnant

mother was abandoned in an empty fl at have survived thanks to being reunited with their mum.

Cat Ella was left to fend for herself when her owner moved out and didn’t take her with them. Kind neighbours had been feeding Ella and checking up on her and her kittens, but when the new mum failed to come home at the usual time the concerned neighbours called Blue Cross for help; worried for the young kittens’ welfare.

A neighbour brought the youngsters to our Victoria animal hospital in central London and we immediately took them in and made sure they had the milk they urgently needed.

It was a race against time to make sure they had

everything they needed to survive. Kittens need regular meals and care, so it could have been a

very different outcome had they not got to Blue Cross

when they did.

Amanda Marrington, Blue Cross Animal Welfare Offi cer, said: “We were desperately worried about the kittens because we didn’t know how long they had gone without a meal.

“It was a race against time to make sure they had everything they needed to survive. Kittens need regular meals and care, so it could have been a very different outcome had they not got to Blue Cross when they did.”

Amazingly, the following day Ella returned to the spot where she had left her brood to fi nd they were missing. We believe she may have been off searching for food further away from home than usual to give her the strength she needed to care for her newborns.

"When we received the news that Ella was home, a volunteer collected the confused tabby and brought her to our animal hospital where her kittens were waiting,” said Amanda.

“The whole team was thrilled to be able to reunite Ella with her kittens. They knew their mum straight away and wasted no time in begging her for a meal!

"While we are always able to hand feed kittens who need it, they will have a much better chance of growing up strong and healthy with their mother. She was an excellent mum.”

The kittens were named Peter, Logan, Clark, Bruce and Tony after superheroes. The whole feline family was given the all clear to be transferred to Blue Cross Southampton rehoming centre following a health check, where they settled into a peaceful foster home before they were found loving homes.

bluecross.org.uk 29

REUNITED

Read more about Ella and her kittens online at bluecross.org.uk/ella

Ella was left to fend for her newborns all by herself when her owners moved away. Had Blue Cross not been there to step in, her story could have been very different…

George Harman and his team heard the kittens’ cries during work at the site in Cane End, Reading, and quickly set about locating where the desperate little miaows were coming from.

On looking down a hole in the fl oor they found a black kitty crying for its mother, and removed the fl oorboards to save it. Half-an-hour later, they came across a second kitten 10 metres away – but then, there were still more cries.

George Harman, Project Manager at Bellwood Homes, said: “We removed more and more fl ooring but we still couldn’t see a kitten anywhere.

“We could still hear the cries and then we realised they were coming from inside the wall.”

The builders had to remove 10 concrete blocks by hand to fi nd the kitten, concluding the three-hour rescue.

George added: “The kittens looked to be in a pretty poorly state with gunk around their eyes. They were covered in cobwebs, dirt and dust and were so small you could feel every bone in their body. I can only imagine that they were starving hungry.”

Sadly there was no sign of the kittens’ mother so George took them to the Blue Cross rehoming centre in Lewknor, Oxfordshire.

The kittens were so young that they needed to be fostered, and initially required round-the-clock care, having to be bottle-fed every four hours.

Once the siblings – named Bill, Elle and Beatrix – were well enough and ready, they were found loving new homes where they are now thriving.

NEWS

30 For Pets

BITESIZESTORIES

ALL THE LATEST

NEWS FROM

BLUE CROSS

Every year Blue Cross fi nds families for thousands of homeless pets. We’ve caught up with a familiar

face to see how they’re doing.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO?

Th ank you so much for your support in 2018!Th k h f !

Poor Stitch’s world came tumbling down when he lost his best friend of 15 years on Christmas Eve 2017. It was an incredible blow for the elderly dog who had known his owner since puppyhood. His whole life he had known and relied on just one family, and that comfortable and familiar environment was gone, just like that. Thankfully for Stitch, Blue Cross was there to help. With plenty of love and care from our team along the way, Stitch was found a loving new home with Ann and Julie. Julie said: “I think it’s fair to say he won’t be our last older rescue. Some people will say ‘But he’s going to break your heart!’, but actually for us, older pets not having a home is more heartbreaking. We’d rescue them all if we could!”

Stitch

Lucky escape for trapped fl oorboard kittensThree tiny kittens are lucky to be alive after being discovered by builders under

the fl oorboards of a former restaurant which was about to be demolished.

NEW REHOMING

UNITBlue Cross has opened a

new rehoming and advice unit in Manchester.

Following in the footsteps of similar facilities in Newport and Sheffi eld, the new site has cosy home rooms for the dogs to spend their days in between nights at nearby kennels.

It will also help cats and small pets, as well as dogs, through our Home Direct scheme.

Abandoned cob becomes winning show horse

An abandoned fl y grazing cob qualifi ed for a prestigious horse show three years after being found abandoned and rescued by Blue Cross.

Jack has transformed from a shaggy young stallion into a showing supremo who, last year, appeared at Hickstead Royal International.

The striking black and white cob, originally called Chap by Blue Cross, was found wandering the lanes of East Anglia, snacking on the verges while traffi c tried to avoid him.

The police signed him over to Blue Cross and he was taken to our horse unit at Burford in Oxfordshire.

With his good looks and fl owing paces Jack quickly became a favourite with the horse team at Burford. They knew he would fi nd a

home in no time and Sheila Henry couldn’t believe her luck when she found him on the Blue Cross website more than two years ago.

After lots of training, Jack is now regularly competing in shows and rarely comes home without a rosette.

Laura Pearce, Horse Rehoming Coordinator at Blue Cross Burford continues: “In the time that Sheila has had Jack he has represented Blue Cross in in-hand showing, driving and ridden showing, going from green two-year-old to a winning show horse under saddle. We are so proud of them both.”

Please, sir, can we have some love?

Two puppies found crammed into a horse feed bucket, starving and fi lthy, have been nursed back to health

by Blue Cross and found loving homes.

Oliver and Twist were found by a member of the public in squalid conditions, covered in their own waste, and brought to our Southampton rehoming centre.

They were traumatised, riddled with worms and suffering from badly upset tummies.

But thanks to the round-the-clock care of the team looking after them, the seven-week-old puppies were soon on the mend.

Dani Smith, Animal Welfare Assistant at Southampton, said: “When they fi rst arrived they were quite scared and nervous because of what they had been through, but they quickly gained confi dence and got much braver. They took everything in their stride.”

Now, just like their Charles Dickens character namesake, the orphaned siblings have both found their own happy endings with families to love them.

h l lf

bluecross.org.uk 31

NEWS

32 For Pets

Supporter whose rescue dog ‘improved his health’ leaves a generous gift

A kind animal-lover, whose life was transformed by a Blue Cross rescue dog after his wife passed away, will help many more pets in need through a generous gift left in his Will.

Maurice Fox, 94, donated a legacy of more than £33,500 to Blue Cross, having been a keen supporter of the charity alongside his wife Dorothy for many years.

Mr and Mrs Fox owned dogs throughout their marriage and the couple’s passion for pets often led them to get involved in sponsored walks and open days at their local rehoming centre in Thirsk, north Yorkshire.

Their daughter, Margaret Easton, said: “My father was totally bereft, having lost his wife of almost 60 years, closely followed by the loss of their beloved dog. He decided he was too old, in his early 80s, to have another dog.”

But thankfully, Mr Fox was encouraged to get a new canine companion. And in 2007, he adopted Susie, a black and tan cavalier, from Blue Cross Thirsk. She had experienced a diffi cult start to life but landed on her

paws with Mr Fox, and the pair shared an “amazing” eight years together.

“Susie gave Dad much needed companionship and a routine to his days,” said Mrs Easton.

“Walking her took him out into the village to chat to neighbours and gave him daily exercise.”

Susie passed away, aged 11, and Mr Fox sadly went onto develop Alzheimer’s, but his family are sure that the presence of his much-loved pet prolonged his life.

Mrs Easton added: “I really do think that having Susie contributed hugely to his physical and mental health; he kept incredibly well while she was alive.”

Blue Cross is ever so grateful that we were able to bring Susie and Mr Fox together for their fi nal years, and for this very generous gift that will enable us to secure many more pets, and their owners, happy and healthy futures.

e

t

An overweight hamster is back on track to a healthy waistline after being taken in by Blue Cross and found a new home.

Big Momma, named after the owl in Disney fi lm The Fox and the Hound, came to our Burford rehoming centre with weight problems that were likely to have been a combination of getting too many treats and a lack of exercise in her previous home.

Simon Yeats, Animal Welfare Assistant, explained that many cages sold to unaware owners in pet stores are too small for hamsters. He said: “I suspect that a large contributing

factor to Big Momma’s weight was her cage being too small. She also didn’t have an exercise wheel, which meant she had limited ways to burn off her food and get mental stimulation, bearing in mind that hamsters are thought to run around for up to fi ve miles a night.”

Simon said that giving hamsters a digging box fi lled with sand will help to keep them active as well as their nails short.

For more advice on looking after hamsters, visit bluecross.org.uk/advice/hamster

Overweight hamster gets a fresh start

bluecross.org.uk 33

Ex-breeding dog ‘most nervous’ pet helped

A Labrador who was exploited for breeding and abandoned on the streets was left so terrifi ed by

her ordeal that she was the “most nervous” dog the Blue Cross team caring for her has ever helped.

Seven-year-old Olive was so scared when she arrived at our Newport rehoming unit she would run away from the wind and cower if anyone reached out to stroke her.

Vets confi rmed that she had been used for excessive breeding and, due to her overwhelming fear of everything, it’s more than likely that she had been locked away alone, cruelly kept as a commodity.

Blue Cross cared for her for nearly three months, during which time she very slowly, but surely, began to come out of her shell.

The team quickly realised that routine and repetition was key in helping Olive learn how to trust humans again, and eventually, she was ready to start her search for a home.

She is now thriving in her new life and continues to gain confi dence by the day.

d

y e

en

t

time she very

Unit Manager, Hannah Wiltshire, said:

“We get nervous dogs in all the time but Olive was just on another level. She wasn’t just nervous and worried, she was terrifi ed. For her, many things just brought her sheer terror... It’s so sad to see.“When she fi rst arrived everything and any movement scared her; even the wind and the trees. If you were stood still and you simply shifted your body weight that was enough to make her run away or lie on the fl oor in fear.“When we fi rst got her and because her face is so expressive, we could see the look of terror in her face. In 10 years of doing this job I don’t think I’ve seen a dog so scared.”

PETITION REACHES 80,000 SIGNATURESMore than 80,000 people have put their weight behind our petition calling on the government to overturn a law that bans four types of dog based on their looks.

Blue Cross now has enough signatures to take its plea for the government to repeal section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 – which outlaws pitbull terrier, Japanese tosa, dogo Argentino and fi la Brasileiro types – to Downing Street.

Since we launched our campaign to end breed specifi c legislation last year, we were also encouraged by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs select committee’s calls for an independent review of the law.

The committee also listened to our concerns about the current ban on rehoming stray section 1 dogs, which needlessly sentences dogs that would make loving pets to death, based on looks alone. Dogs such as Duncan (pictured).

Under the current law, vets around the country are forced to euthanase thousands of innocent dogs every year; not because of their breeding or because they have shown any bad behaviour, but simply based on ‘looking dangerous’.

Blue Cross believes that focussing on education and responsible dog ownership of all breeds and types is the only way to prevent injuries caused by dogs.

We are also engaging more politicians to take up the case for repealing the law and calling on people to write to their local MP via the Blue Cross website asking them to help.

You can fi nd out more at bluecross.org.uk/dangerous-dogs-act

Gavin Wilson, Victoria Murphy, Robert Muir and Marion Brooks are the winners of the ADAPTIL and FELIWAY diffusers in our autumn 2018 For Pets competition. Congratulations!Blue Cross respects your privacy and will keep your information safe and secure and will only use it in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We will not sell, rent or share your personal data with other organisations for their marketing purposes. We may use your data for profi ling purposes to make future communications more relevant to you. To see more about how we will use your information visit bluecross.org.uk/privacy

*You can change your preferences at any time by contacting our Supporter Care Team on 0300 790 9903 or email info@bluecross.org.uk

Ideal for sensitive pets, the diet contains a limited ingredient profi le of duck, duck fat, potato, buckwheat, seaweed and peas. Add essential vitamins and minerals, and that’s it.

Since 1993, Burns Pet Nutrition has built up a trusted reputation as the go-to brand for those seeking a natural, healthy approach to pet food. All Burns products are designed to help pets to thrive and are made using simple, wholesome ingredients with absolutely no nasties.

Burns Duck & Potato is available for adults and puppies and is suitable for all dog breeds.

Find out more at burnspet.co.uk

34 For Pets

WIN!Three 12kg bags of Burns Duck & Potato food for your dog Grain-free, gluten-free and dairy-free, that’s the concept behind Burns Duck & Potato. Created by popular demand, Veterinary Surgeon John Burns is offering pet owners a complete, natural diet for dogs that offers the usual Burns health benefi ts in a new, free-from formula.

To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question:In our news section on page 31, we told you about a pair of puppies rescued from appalling conditions and given a fresh start by Blue Cross. What were their names?

Oliver and Reed Oliver and Twist Oliver and Cromwell

Fill in your name and contact details and post to: *Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETS

Or, enter online atbluecross.org.uk/forpets

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone:

Email:

Closing date Friday, 12th April 2019*Strictly one entry per household.

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Our animal hospitals1 Grimsby2 Hammersmith3 Merton4 Victoria

Our pet care clinics5 Ashford (Kent)6 Cwmbran7 Derby8 Luton9 Torbay10 York

Our rehoming centres11 Bromsgrove12 Burford13 Cambridge14 Hertfordshire (Kimpton)15 Lewknor16 Manchester17 Newport18 Rolleston19 Sheffi eld20 Southampton21 Suffolk (Ipswich)22 Thirsk23 Tiverton24 Torbay

FIND USDiscover your local Blue Cross

Call: 0300 790 9903 Email: info@bluecross.org.uk Visit: bluecross.org.ukWrite to us: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETS

Book a free education talkAnimal welfare and responsible pet ownership workshops for children and young people in schools, youth groups and clubs.

Call: 0300 111 8950 Visit: bluecross.org.uk/education

Pet Bereavement Support ServiceFree and confi dential support for anyone coping with the loss of a pet, for any reason.

Call: 0800 096 6606. Lines open every day, 8.30am to 8.30pm.Email: pbssmail@bluecross.org.uk

Say hello, fi nd your nearest Blue Cross or make a donation

We have 57 shops and 20 national rehoming

network locations.

bluecross.org.uk 35

CONTACTS

We’re a charity that has been helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897

If pets have a place in your heart, please find a place for them in your Will. A gift in your Will can help secure the future for thousands of pets.

Order your FREE information pack on making or amending a Will and leaving a gift to Blue Cross online at bluecross.org.uk/gift-your-will

Or complete the coupon and send to: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETS

Alternatively, call or email and quote: B119 Telephone: 0300 777 1757Email: legacy@bluecross.org.uk

www.bluecross.org.uk/gift-your-will

“Remember mein your Will” Title:

First name:

Surname:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone:

Thank you for your continued support.

Blue Cross is a charity registered in England and Wales (224392) and in Scotland (SC040154). *From time to time we may wish to communicate with you by phone with news about the pets you are helping and ways you can help in the future. If you are happy for us to do this, please fill in your details above.

B119

By completing this form you are confi rming that you are 16 or over.

Please accept my donation of: £10 £25 £50 £100 Other (please specify) £ ...................................................................................................

I enclose a cheque/postal order made payable to Blue Cross or Please debit my MasterCard / Visa Debit / Visa Credit / Charity Card

Card no. Expiry date

/

Signature Date / /

Title First name Surname

Address

Postcode

Please tick this box if you would not like to receive a thank you letter for a donation of £15 and over

Blue Cross would like to tell you about the great work we do for pets and the different ways in which you could support us, this may include fundraising activities, appeals and merchandise. Please tick below and fi ll in your details if you are happy for us to contact you by:

Phone

Email

If you DO NOT wish to hear from us by post please tick this box

YOUR SUPPORT CHANGES L IVES!Last year our rehoming teams helped 9,253 dogs, cats, small pets and horses

and our vets and nurses cared for 31,321 sick and injured animals.Our doors are always open to them and, with your support, they always will be.

To donate to Blue Cross, fi ll in and post this form to: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETS or you can donate by phone by calling 0300 790 9903 or online at bluecross.org.uk

Registered charity no: 224392 (England and Wales) and SC040154 (Scotland).

Save even more animals by making your gift worth 25% more with Gift Aid

I want Blue Cross to treat all gifts of money that I have made in the past four years and all future gifts of money that I make from the date of this declaration as Gift Aid donations.*

Date:

*You must pay an amount of UK income tax and/or capital gains tax for each year (6 April one year to 5 April the next) that is at least

equal to the tax that Blue Cross and any other charities and community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) you support will reclaim on your donations for that tax year. Please note you will be responsible for any shortfall. Blue Cross will claim 25p back for every £1 gift aided. Please let Blue Cross know if you want to cancel this declaration in future, change your name, home address, or no longer pay suffi cient tax on your income and/or capital gains.

You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time by contacting our Supporter Care Team on 0300 790 9903 or emailing preferences@bluecross.org.uk

Blue Cross respects your privacy and will keep your information safe and secure and will only use it in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We will not sell, rent or share your personal data with other organisations for their marketing purposes. We may use your data for profi ling purposes to make future communications more relevant to you. To see more about how we will use your information visit bluecross.org.uk/privacy

MOVING HOUSE?Please don’t forget to let us know if you have moved home recently. Updating us is really important, because without your new address, we are unable to claim Gift Aid on your donations, which is worth 25p for every pound you donate.

Remember to update your pet’s microchip details when you move, too.Call us on 0300 790 9903 or email info@bluecross.org.uk or fi ll in and return this coupon to: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETSPlease note, we select our mailings up to 28 days in advance, so you may receive one or two more to your old address before the change takes effect. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience.

Old address

Title First name

Surname

Address

Postcode

New address

Address

Postcode

Put the kettle on for Paws for Tea!Please send me further information about how I can get involved in Paws for Tea. For more information complete and return the form or email events@bluecross.org.uk

Title First name

Surname

Address

Postcode

Telephone

Email

*You can change your preferences at any time by contacting our Supporter Care Team on 0300 790 9903 or email info@bluecross.org.uk

Please return this slip in the post to: Freepost BLUE CROSS FOR PETSBlue Cross respects your privacy and we will keep your information secure. We will never sell, rent or share your personal data with third parties for their own marketing purposes. We will contact you about our work and the different ways you can support us in accordance with your preferences*. We may also use your data to better understand what you like to receive and what is most relevant to you. To see more about how we will use your information, visit bluecross.org.uk/privacy

Registered charity no: 224392 (England and Wales) and SC040154 (Scotland).