Jan Fennell, best selling author of ‘The Dog Listener’ and other books, has announced that the 3rd annual International Day of the Dog is to be held on Sunday April 27 2008. It’s an annual event dedicated to man’s best friend and an opportunity for dog owners the world over to recognise how their beloved pets impact upon their lives and to show their love and appreciation; this could be a special meal, a special walk, extra treats or extra playtime.
However, many dogs will not be so lucky and through no fault of their own are facing an uncertain future.
Dogs are discarded every week: sheep dogs who don’t come up to scratch, domestic pets who are considered too difficult to look after, breeding dogs who are considered past their prime or puppies born with defects which render them too difficult to sell. They may be given up because they require expensive veterinary treatment or even because costs of kennelling during a family holiday are prohibitive. Rescue centres across the UK are filling up rapidly and are struggling to cope. Heartbreakingly, they are being forced to turn dogs away because they simply don’t have the capacity. Consequently, these dogs may be put to sleep by vets, by their owners or just turned out onto the streets. These gentle loving souls seek only to love and to be loved. Even if their psyches are damaged by neglect and cruelty, their hearts never lose the capacity to love. They may not be the simplest, most uncomplicated pets to welcome into your home but with love, patience and work they can be the most rewarding companions and they can change your life forever.
Rescue centres are desperate for ‘foster’ parents for these dogs. It’s not necessarily a lifetime commitment and may not even cost you a penny; many rescue centres will provide food and pay veterinary expenses if you can find a room in your home and in your heart for a rescue dog. You can save lives, literally, both directly and indirectly. For every dog offered a foster home until they can be found a permanent home, a new place opens up in a rescue centre, enabling one more dog to be offered safe refuge. And if you can help a neglected dog to adapt to life in a family, teach them how to receive love and affection (often for the first time in their lives) you pave the way for them to fit into a new home and build a new life. It takes time, it takes effort and it takes patience but the rewards are overwhelming.
Watching a damaged soul heal, a ghost come back to life and a smile return to the saddest of faces is an extraordinary experience. If you are able to foster a dog you will not be alone. Rescue centres will be able to provide backup and support. Many work in association with an accredited Dog Listener to provide the specialised knowledge some of the more troubled dogs require. Do you have what it takes? Can you give of yourself to help a soul in need? They will give you more in return than you can imagine. If you can foster a dog, mark the International Day of the Dog by contacting Carmen Cole, one of Jan Fennell’s trained Dog Listeners, email havoc-to-harmony@hotmail.co.uk to leave your details, you can be anywhere in the UK. Visit Jan Fennell’s website www.janfennellthedoglistener.com or IDOD’s web site www.internationaldayofthedog.org.uk and leave your details and how you can help. Many rescues will arrange transport and ‘deliver’ needy dogs to your door or arrange local pick up. Jan Fennell’s Dog Listeners will help and guide you, from settling the new foster dog into your home to toilet training and other issues. You can change the lives of these needy and deserving dogs…. maybe even your own.
Firewalkers
As part of this year’s International Day of the Dog celebrations,
Essex Dog Listeners took on the Firewalker Challenge - to
walk across 20 feet of wood embers burning at 1200 degrees
Fahrenheit without experiencing any pain or injury – and, yes folks,
it is real fire! After a two and a half hour motivational training
session, Rachael, Vicky, Becca and Julie all walked on fire
and completed the test.
As this year’s theme for International Day of the Dog is rescue dogs, by completing the Firewalk, Essex Dog Listeners raised a total of £944 for The Dogs Trust, one of the UK’s largest Dog Welfare Charities.
We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to all that sponsored us and would encourage anyone who hasn’t yet, to do a Firewalk – it’s a genuinely exhilarating experience and doesn’t hurt a bit (honest!).
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE DOG - 27th April 2008 Sponsored Dog Walk at Jerry Green Dog Sanctuary, Catton, Nr Thirsk, North Yorkshire.
To celebrate the IDOD and raise awareness (and some funds) for the Jerry Green Dog Sanctuary, I organised a sponsored dog walk which took place on Sunday 27th April.
This was not the usual kind of sponsored dog walk, as there was only myself taking part (I had a little help from 21 dogs though!). Most of the dogs were taken for a short walk, one at a time, throughout the day. Four dogs were kennelled together, and so these were taken out in their two’s.
The walks varied, some dogs enjoyed a little outing down a quiet lane, where they were able to have a sniff and get the local dog-gossip, and others were a little too stressed with life to go far, so these were taken around the exercise field (these ones took a little longer, as there was a lot of SSCD going on as we went!).
Meanwhile, Carol, the Centre Manager, manned the information desk and explained to any visitors what was happening.
This was our first event of this kind at the Jerry Green Dog Sanctuary, and we now hope to make it an annual one.
Apart from a rainy start to the day, we had a great time!
