December 12th, 2011
The Galway Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is calling for any information on the whereabouts of 5 dogs that were stolen in a raid of the Heathlawn animal sanctuary on Saturday night.
Some of the dogs are recovering from serious surgery and are in need of urgent follow-up medical care.
Also taken was the sanctuary’s supply of leads, collars and other equipment.
The organisation expressed their dismay at the robbery in an urgent newsflash, “Such a horrific thing to happen to these poor animals who have already been through so much in their lives. When will this ever end???”
Pictured is Kanute, a male husky taken in the vicious break-in. Please check the GSPCA’s website for more pictures and info on the stolen dogs.
Anyone with any information is being urged to contact Portumna Garda Station – 0909 741 004 or the Garda Confidential line – 1800 666 111. The GSPCA’s Facebook will be updated with any further details.
The animal welfare association pleaded further with the public to come forward with any information: “Stolen from Heathlawn. All Micro chipped. If you have knowledge to the whereabouts of these dogs, some still need urgent vet care and medication . PLEASE contact Portumna Garda station or any Garda station. PLEASE don’t be silent, we need to get these animals back. These animals will be no use to anyone, as sadly they stole the ones that need immediate care.”
By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Dogs, Lost & Found, News
December 1st, 2011
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The town of Moelfre, Wales was the scene of a dramatic 12 hour operation to save a ‘cat’ trapped in a clothing recycling bin.
A passer-by heard meowing from inside the container and fearing that it was a missing cat she had heard of named Puss Puss, she rang the local fire brigade and the RSPCA. Fire fighters were unable to prise open the lock of the bin, so it was carried to an engineering firm 28km away.
Once several workers had carefully sliced through the bin and tirelessly searched through the plastic bags inside, they came across a battery operated stuffed toy cat (pictured right).
Kelvin Owen, the owner of the engineering company who were enlisted to help with the rescue said, “Once we got into the bin we heard the meow again. It sounded just like a cat and we all started to carefully search the bags. Then I found a bag of toys and picked out a toy cat. I said, ‘It couldn’t be this could it?’ It wasn’t making any noise and I asked if I could cut it open to investigate. As I held it, it went off meow, meow – mystery solved. The lads were in stitches, it was such a laugh.”
Local woman Jasmine Hazelhurst, who initiated the rescue, said of the debacle: “I did feel embarrassed when they pulled out the stuffed cat. But I am also proud at the way everyone rallied round to try to save the cat. Local people did so much to save the cat and it shows what community spirit there is. We feared finding a dead cat in the clothes bank, so to find a stuffed toy was a relief.”
By Sinéad. Posted in Cats, Lost & Found, News
November 21st, 2011
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A blind dog name Dou Dou has been reunited with his owner, Meng Xiaoting, after spending at least two months trapped down a manhole.
The young dog went missing in early September when out for a walk in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. After following all leads, and knowing that it would be very difficult for a blind dog to survive on its own, Meng had reluctantly given up on finding Dou Dou.
It was not until her friend told her about a newspaper article she had read that Meng began to think that her dog might still be alive.
The paper reported on a stray dog found in a town 10 miles away. It was said to be visually impaired and had been living down a manhole for about two months, too nervous and hostile for strangers to get near. He had been living on food that locals threw down to him.
‘I immediately found the newspaper and from the picture I instantly knew it’s my Dou Dou,’ Meng said.
She rushed to the scene and went down the hole herself to rescue her beloved pet – who happily allowed his owner to approach him.
Vets say that Dou Dou will make a full recovery following his underground ordeal.
By Sinéad. Posted in Dogs, Lost & Found, News
October 12th, 2011
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Reports this week say that the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are facing a funding crisis, forcing them to reject unwanted pets and to let 17 of its 41-strong staff go. They say that they will now focus on caring for suffering and lost animals rather than taking in pets that owners are unable to cope with, or have simply become tired of.
It takes almost €2 million a year to keep Ireland’s oldest animal welfare organisation afloat. The society receives only 3% of its funding from the government, with the rest kindly provided by their supporters. You can do your bit to help the DSPCA and the many animals that are surrendered every day by making a donation, fundraising, volunteering or even by buying your Christmas cards early this year.
If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting from the DSPCA. Visits to their animal rescue and rehoming centre in Rathfarnham are encouraged – they are open to the public 7 days a week, house all kinds of animals and entry to the centre is free.
By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Lost & Found, News
August 17th, 2011
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On the run since May, Yvonne the fugitive cow is growing more notorious with every day she is missing. The six year old is thought to have sensed the impending doom of the abattoir before breaking free into the German countryside.
The cow on the loose was deemed a traffic risk by German police when she suddenly emerged from her forest hiding spot, directly into the path of an oncoming patrol car – permission was granted for local hunters to shoot Yvonne on sight.
This decision has enraged animal rights activists, so the search is now on to save the cow from hunters, traffic and the hardship of living alone amid the wild Bavarian landscape. German tabloid Bild, has offered a €10,000 reward to those who find the elusive bovine. Several parties have now conspired to find Yvonne – some for the well-being of the cow and some for the tidy sum offered by the paper.
Michael Aufhuser, founder of an Austrian animal welfare sanctuary named Gut Aiderbichl, hopes that the cow’s female urges will get the better of her. Enlisting the help of local bull lothario, Ernst, Aufhuser believes that Yvonne will not be able to resist the so-called “George Clooney of bulls”.
As well as this, an animal psychic has been brought forward to help in the search operation. Telepathy expert, Franziska Matti says, “I spoke to her yesterday… she was fine but didn’t feel ready to come out of hiding. She said she thought that humans would lock her up and she would no longer be free.”
Pictured is Waltraut, the sister cow of Yvonne that the owners hope will lure her out of her hiding spot. It is now thought that Yvonne’s son, Freisi, has been tracked down to a local farm and is also to be sent into the Muehldorf forest, hopefully emitting a call that no mother could refuse to answer.
By Sinéad. Posted in Funny, Lost & Found, News
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