THE AWARD CEREMONY – RAIN RESCUE WINS

The Animal Welfare Award 2013

When we went into the dog pound last week, we saw a little chocolate coloured dog cowering in her basket.  Wide eyed with fear – huddled under the edge of her bed lay a little stafford.  We love staffords, and hate to see them so abused.  She wasn’t out of time, and so we couldn’t help her but told the pound to hold her – we would be back when she had done her 7 day stay.

Back Steve went yesterday to pick her up as he promised he would.  What he brought home made even the toughest of us cry.  This poor little baby – whose eyes showed so much fear and wonder what was going to happen to her next – just crawled off into her bed – dug her head under her body – and shut down.  She had had enough – she could take no more.

Click to see pictures of Bess on her first day in Rain Rescue care

What – the armchair is for me????

Bess safe at last

Am I safe now?

We left her to settle, put her a coat on later on and then invited her up for a cuddle on the settee.   Slowly she crept up – looking at us all the way – what is happening, whats going to happen to me – am I going to be mated again for yet more babies?  Am I going to be beaten.  Each time a hand went near her face she covered and her head went under her legs – she had had so many beatings.    If you went too close, she rolled over on her back – ‘please don’t beat me – I’m no threat to anyone’.

I often wonder why I do rescue.  I hate the long days, I hate the stress and the pain and the hard work and constant pressure – but looking into those fearful open eyes – that pitiful face made me realise why I do it.  Because who else would show that baby the love that Rain Rescue can do – to help her recover from her nightmare, recover her  health, be neutered and vaccinated and gain weight eating a quality food.

Her ears torn – probably due to something attacking her – her boobs ripped, mostly likely from the number of stafford puppies that she’s been forced to produce and her eyes, nose and tail so bald due to the neglectful living she’s had to endure.

Looking at Bess – I know why I do rescue – to try to patch up the wrongs that man does to those weaker than himself – may others help as much as they can to help them too.

If you are interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue's care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire - many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 - please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

Beautiful Bess… you’re in safe hands now

xxx

Bronte and I meeting our friends up at Pedigree at the launch of their FEEDING BRIGHTER FUTURES CAMPAIGN. She was an absolute star and took all the attention in her stride. Just another ‘poundie’ fulfilling an ambassador role.

Thanks to Pedigree for raising awareness to the thousands and thousands of dogs sat tonight in rescue centres desperately awaiting new homes.

Lets hope more people adopt than buy as part of this campaign.

Are there any van/ lorry drivers out there that would like a cuddly companion on the road?

We hope so As our Comet loves riding in the van!!

Penny is a proper  pedigree fat staffie and real cuddle bunny, we all love her here at Rain.  She has just been spayed and is a really friendly girl, she also likes cats!

More info to come soon… but for now if you think you might be interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue’s care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire – many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 – please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

Today- due to lots of twists of fate – Zacarius found his new perfect home.  He’s a wonderful boy and has found a home now for life.

At just 2 years old, this wonderful boy has found himself looking for a new home.  He has been loved by his owner, but sadly due to ill health he can no longer be cared for and exercised.

He has a wonderful nature and gets on with everyone he meets and mixes with all the other dogs so far.

He really is a gem.

We are looking for a nice friendly home, where he will receive lots of exercise.  He is a large and clumsy dog – not knowing how big he is and would probably be too large for small toddlers even though he’s so friendly.

I’m sure he wont be waiting around for a home for too long though.

The initiative will see the dogs here at Rain Rescue provided with the right nutrition they need to get them on the road to their new home – from wet and dry food for balanced daily meals, to care and treat items used as tools for behaviour training and improving issues such as poor oral hygiene.

To find out more about the campaign and learn about the difference good nutrition can make to rescue dogs like the ones here at {insert rescue centre}, visit www.pedigree.com/brighterfutures or www.facebook.com/wearefordogs.

We really do thank all at Pedigree for realising that there are so many dogs in rescue centres around the country and by highlighting this problem more to the general public – collectively – we can help to raise awareness and get them all into good homes.

This lovely girl found her perfect home today – the state that this dog came into our rescue was pitiful.  Her hair so bad and neglected it cost us £28.00 to get her to the groomers, she was too disgusting to go to the foster home – her hair so long and overgrown and dirty she couldn’t see.  After a great groom and a bath – she was so happy and a totally different dog.  Now all thats left is for us to pay for the mammory strip thats going to be needed – maybe around £350??? again – something that should have been operated on years ago before the tumour got so large.  She has now found a great home, and Rain Rescue will fundraise to make sure we pay for the bill.  She was one girl worth saving.

Lilly is a gorgeous older lady and her owner is too poorly now to care for her any longer.  She is such a gentle wonderful lady that anyone would be pleased to give her a new home.

She loves everyone.  We are looking for a nice calm home for her – with gentle potters and the odd play.  She is happy to be left for short periods, but we feel she would love to have her life shared with someone at home for most of the day.  Happy with other dogs around or as an only loved girl.

Lilly does have some lumps and bumps (who doesn’t) which we will get checked out this week at the vets and Rain Rescue will sort out whatever is needed for them – for whatever of them need sorting.

I’m sure she won’t be waiting for long – this girl is a darling and now needs to be settled.

If you are interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue's care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire - many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 - please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

Hector can seem like a placid guy but he’s really quite playful and loves to be out an about. We have decided that he is a dallabrabeagle…that’s a Dalmatian Labrador beagle but we could be wrong!

We took Hector to Ladybower today for a long stroll and he’s fantastic when walking. He either loves other dogs and will happily sniff and play, or he totally ignores them and just walks by! He does seem to really like small dogs and terriers so maybe one was a good friend of his before. He also went past children, ducks, geese, bikes and lots of people and he never batted an eyelid. He’s a really calm dog to walk and he’s just happy to be outside and doing something fun. He sat really patiently whilst we had a picnic and had a nice paddle in the water too. Hector seems to like the water a lot so I’m sure he’d like a swim if he got the chance! He also loves a really good sniff of everything and is a real hound when it comes to using that nose!

Hector is really happy when cuddled up next to someone on the backseat of the car and he travels really well. He certainly seemed like a boys dog and was very happy to ignore any female owners if he could get near his male owner instead! He quite likes a tummy tickle and a game of find the biscuit with anyone though!

Hector is good in the house and he seems to be very clean, but he does like company and playtime so he may want you to make sure you tire him out before leaving him at home. He’s an absolutely fabulous dog though with a completely adorable face. Someone will be lucky to have him and to share lots of fun playtimes in future

If you are interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue’s care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire – many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 – please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

watch                The Award Video ………….

Sue, Vickie and Jacquie have just been to the ADCH Conference at Stratford where we won the PetPlan Charitable Trust Animal Welfare Award 2013 – the first Award like this ever created.

This was a special award, presented by the Trust to be part of the new PetPlan Charitable Awards. We were sat with the Chair of the Trust who told us that we had an astounding 92 nominations from the public for our small rescue. He said that he had also heard of the fabulous work that we do. Out of 3800 animal welfare organisations that could have won – Rain Rescue won it. We were shaken, speechless but so very very proud to know that the work of such a tiny group of volunteers operating in a cruelty hot spot of the country – without the help of any of the bigger National Rescue Centres – had been recognised and rewarded. The congratulations and cheers that we received in a room of hundreds of animal welfare groups was uplifting and we are still in shock.

In addition, we were awarded with a huge cheque of £5,000 – a tremendous boost to go towards our ever mounting bills and our every hope that one day we will have enough money for the charity to purchase its own rescue centre to continue with the fabulous work that it does helping pets in crisis in South Yorkshire.

As you can imagine – we are very proud and so should all of you who volunteer, help, support, donate, adopt or play any part in animal welfare alongside Rain Rescue.

A great team effort.

Here’s an update from his Mum…

“Hiya everyone. Thank you for all your thoughts and good wishes. Ralf is very tired and sore tonight and is resting. He’s had his favourite “poorly boy” tea, scrambled egg and cheese….. He’s had X-rays and a scope examination, hence the shaved fur. We had asked if Ralf could have a birth defect in this leg, but his elbow and shoulder joints are normal. However his original injury had probably been done when he was a lot younger, before his bones were strong enough to fully support his weight. When he came to Rain rescue he had no outward signs of any other injury other than his shattered elbow. Which we now believe was done much earlier. On examination today he has internal scar tissue, scars on his skin when shaved, he has an abnormal gait, and his shoulder has some restriction as in it doesn’t move forward far enough, and his leg isn’t as strong as it should be. There are no surgery options, it is something that he has adapted to, but we must always be aware of his capabilities. Of course his Dad was upset again. We will never fully know what happened to our Ralfie, the vet even suggested he could have been mauled by another dog at some stage too. So I do hope along with everyone else, that the morons who let him suffer his pain, and did nothing to help him before Rain Rescue took him on, do not prosper. Here he is, too tired to have a wee so just laid on the grass, while “Dad” picked him up and brought him in for a cuddle… here you go….Mam x”

Poor little Ralf, so much pain in your little life.  At least you have now found a great place to rest your weary head little man free from pain.

If you’d like to help our Ralfie please visit his Just Giving page and donate whatever you can, this poor little boy has been through so much in his short life

Zak

Zak went to his forever home on Tuesday - and is now settled in his life long home.  This boy was literally on that day’s put to sleep list at 11 years old who would want him.  Rain Rescue did and it was well worth it. He’s been with us for a long time but we wanted to find just the right home for him, good luck you big cuddly beastie!

Betty

It’s WONDERFUL that Betty has found her forever home and brilliant family at long last.  Thank you all of you involved in helping this girl and there certainly have been a lot of Rain Rescue supporters that have helped her along the way.  She was well worth saving – what a babe, good luck in your new home Betty!

Please continue to support us so that we can keep on saving lives and helping find these dogs fantastic new homes

Text RAIN04 £1 – £10 to 70070 to help us to help them

Thank you

27th April 2013

YAY today our lovely lad Lewis has gone to his new home. He has waited long enough bless him, we rescued Lewis from death row in february. He was only a baby and was bewilded and frightened, he has been a joy to look after and has loved being at Rain playing with our resident dog Brontie. Lovely to see him go home, Thank you to the lovely couple who came down and fell in love with our Lewis have a nice life sweetheart.

This lovely big cat was abandoned in a dog pound when we went for some dogs.  Not too bothered even in there , this is one pretty chilled out sort of cat.

Adores cuddles and affection and looking for a home thats there for life.  We believe the elderly owner died and there was nowhere else to go.

Please – don’t leave this friend for life too long in our cat pens – cuddles and stroking are desperately needed.

Please call 07725888207 if you have the right home for Frankie.

South Yorkshire

Off we went for the 2 spaces we had and out we came with the wonderful big boy we were after plus an older staffy boy and a gorgeous collie.

All lovely dogs – nothing wrong with them – well Otto does have a few lumps and bumps about his joints but we will give him a good try to get him on the road to recovery.

The shop is doing great – lots of things coming in for us to sell.

If anyone has any bikes or prams or small items of furniture – we are always being asked for them from there.

Don’t forget 131 Northern Avenue, Arbourthorne, Sheffield S2 2EH – Open 6 days a week 10.00 am until 5.00pm.

Donations always welcome and there are still some volunteer slots we could do with good helpers to fill please if anyone can.

They had a big fat cat there, and she came home on the van too.

Raffles has been neutered today as has Esther.

ESTHER has gone to a fabulous new home too – all thanks to Facebook.  Thank goodness she’s not in a kennel tonight.

Here he is sharing his bed with young Junie – and Jenson too.  Typical of the lurchers, hes a lively boy – loves his walks but is a great character too.   Here he went home for the weekend and was a really good boy.

Flynn is already  neutered

He’s such a sweetie, just looking for that special person to give him a home for life.

He’s around 18 months old and adores affection and attention and just jumps on the settee all the time for a love.

Please get in touch if you have the right home for this boy.

If you are interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue's care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire - many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 - please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

FRANKIE – This gorgeous girl was somehow abandoned in a dog pound.   She’s obviously been someones really well loved cat and can’t work out why her world has turned upside down.

She loves stroking and cuddling and is very affectionate.  Seems fine around the dogs and cats and is a really relaxed lady.  I would say she’s about 5 years old and is one hell ova Chunky momma.  I think she would be fine as an only cat or mixing in with other friendly cats too.

Hopefully she won’t be waiting around in our cat pens for too long and will be finding a nice fireside home soon.

Meet Winston -his owner died and this gorgeous specimen of a staffy ended up in the dog pound awaiting an unknown fate.   He’s an older boy but by no means doddery and is a picture of good health. He will still need good regular walks.  He’s up to weight and looks great.

Winston – first taste of sunshine

How could we leave him.  Seems fine with the other dogs that he’s met today. Will be in for castration later this week.

He met the cats, and whilst he would chase – could probably live with a cat – we will know better soon.

He’s available for viewings and walks but not up for adoption just yet until he’s had his vet check and started his vaccinations.

If you are interested in adopting me or any other of the dogs in Rain Rescue's care please view our adoption guide or complete the pre-adoption questionnaire - many thanks!

If you have completed the pre-adoption questionnaire, and wish to talk to one of the volunteers please phone 07725 888207 - please note, we are always busy but will try to answer your calls as quickly as we can.

Meet our OTTO.  This wonderful GIANT of a boy was in the dog pound and we simply couldn’t leave him there bless him.

Fine with all the dogs, cats and people that he meets.  A dream to walk on the lead and just a pleasure to have around.  Someone horrid people have left him to sleep without any bedding and he has huge baggy sores on his elbows and joints.

Now he’s at Rain Rescue he has the settee – which he adores.

Otto is looking for a home where he will receive lots of love and warmth and a fantastic home for life.

HUGE thanks to the Pets at Home, Chesterfield for asking us to be a partner with them at this fundraising event and also to Support Adoption for Pets – the charity arm of Pets at Home that help small and large rescue centres and I believe are a fabulous help to the animal welfare helpers today.  I know we couldn’t have survived without the help they have given us.

The store is having a whole month to raise funds to help local charities.  this month they have chosen Rain Rescue and Cats Protection Chesterfield to share it between – so please when you go in, drop a few extra bob in the charity bucket – you know its going to great causes.  I’m forever saying lately – if you don’t support rescue – soon it won’t exist at all.  It needs cash to keep going and saving lives.

Thank you to everyone who dropped any money in our collecting tins today.  The money is going into the Pets at Home big tin and being shared out at the end of the month.