Rescue Reveal – FORA

Between a complete lack of internet air time and my phone refusing to download photographs, I find myself abysmally late with this post.  

Great staff at FORA, happily sitting on the pile of food and dog baskets delivered

However, late or not, FORA (Friends of Rescued Animals) most certainly deserves a reveal.  They are a wonderful Pro-Life shelter, situated in Luipaardsvlei, Krugersdorp.  They look after 320 dogs and 120 cats at any given time.

One of FORA’s cutie pie kittens, playing silly buggers for the photograph

This beautiful, extremely loving and talkative girl is looking for a wonderful home

I’m just too chilled for a photo shoot

To quote them, their goals are to “provide the very best for all the animals in our care, ensuring they receive food, shelter, medication, sterilization and above all to offer all our animals the chance of a new life in a loving home, and if they cannot find a home, that they are guaranteed a home at the shelter for the rest of their days.”

The grounds at FORA, aiming to give shelter animals the best life possible

Just a gorgeous couple of sweetie pies we are!

Hey, come check out my own personal swimming pool!!

These are goals at which they are succeeding famously well.  Their animals are given exceptional care.  Staff and volunteers work tirelessly to provide them with the best possible life and opportunities to find loving forever homes.

A FORA volunteer, providing this very loving and gentle dog with a walk and lots of attention

My brother is here as well but he was giving me a hard time, so I’ve become the “office dog”, although I quite like the wheelbarrow as well

On the 24^th October (see, I told you I was painfully late), I slowly (my car was laden with rather heavy food) negotiated my way through the bustling metropolis of Johannesburg, to make the delivery.  The staff at FORA are wonderful and welcomed me with open arms.  They gave up their valuable time to show me around every inch of their facilities from arrival areas to sick bays and everything in between, whilst I clicked away at every photo opportunity that presented itself.

 

I came in having lost my eye but FORA fixed me all up and, although it might not look great, I am a happy, sweet, blur of a tail wagging dog (that blur around my bottom really is my tail wagging that fast).

 

Just give me a second, I’m sure I can squeeze out to say “hello”

Hey there, photograph me! I’m sure I’m the most beautiful!

If anyone is thinking of getting a pet, I strongly recommend that you consider adopting your furry friend from FORA.  If you wish to find out more about them, or believe that you can help in any way whatsoever, please hop onto their website HERE.  FORA are currently running at the maximum capacity and, in order to provide space for additional animals in need, current cutie-pies need to be adopted out.  Of course, not everyone is in a position to adopt an animal but you could make a difference by donating money, food, blankets or volunteer time.

And to end off – there’s nothing quite like a cute bunch of kittens

Irresponsible Mothers and Child Pregnancies

Yes, I am an irresponsible mother.  We’ve suffered the first child pregnancy in the family’s history and it’s a shocker! 

Has anyone else suffered the sheer, colossal embarrassment of one’s child, having supposedly been surrounded by a warm and loving family who provided clear and sound moral guidance, suddenly falling pregnant at an absurdly young age?  I’m quite sure I cannot be the only one who believes that the home environment should have negated such a disaster.  I am equally sure that all parents, whose children have brought such disgrace upon the family, suffer the same whiplash thought of attempting to keep the embarrassing situation hidden.

The thought most certainly crossed my mind.  “Tell no-one!” I said to myself.  “What will they think of me?” I wondered.  Best not be lambasted for my poor parenting skills, especially out in public, on the internet.  But, I fear, as my own mother so poignantly pointed out, I’m far too much of a chatter-box to keep such things secret and, as such, I hereby lay bare the nasty truth of it all, awaiting the tyranny of my sorely neglected readers.

Pixels, the baby child of the family, fell pregnant!  There it is, in all its horror.  I said it.  My beautiful, sweet child allowed a street kid, nonetheless, into her home and did the unspeakable.  A subject on which I shall refrain from elaborating because it is, well, unspeakable.  Surfice it to say that, although I may appear to be a truly irresponsible mother, I had booked for her to be spayed but found, to my dismay, that the appointment needed to be altered to a pregnancy test.

Of course, as is the case with all prematurely “grandmothered” mothers, seeing the perfect, most adorable offspring, has changed shock into adoration and love.  As such I find myself inexplicably forced to subject everyone to photographs of my stunning grandchildren and their utterly fantastic mom who, even at such a tender young age, has proven to be the most perfect and responsible mother I think I have ever seen.  I am so incredibly proud of her and cannot fault a single thing she has done, through child birth to her skills through the first 3 days of the babies lives on the planet.

Welcome to the world, my lovelies!

A Cuddle of Kittens

Bath Time

1 day old – sleeping in my hand

Just got to love those faces!

 

The lightest of the gingers

 

3 days old – ultimate cuteness

 

Rescue Reveal – ARK Animal Centre

My most humble apologies for being so scarce of late.  It appears the cell phone companies are quite particular about payment.  Silly really, considering they are making a sweet fortune without my measly little amount. 

Fear not, however, as a small thing such as a complete and utter lack of communication facilities is highly unlikely to stop me.

So, plowing on regardless, I’m pleased to reveal to you ARK Animal Centre.  They are an utterly fabulous organisation with, of course, a pro-life policy for all the animals in their care.  They take on puppies and pregnant moms and work tirelessly to ensure that all are healthy, happy, loved, exercised and receiving any medical care required.

An Ark puppy – most definitely loved (well, who wouldn’t?)

They have recently moved to a new property, purchased by the owner, for the dogs, by selling her own home.  Now there’s someone who definitely puts the welfare of the animals before herself.

Much loved Mom, although she refused to open her eyes for any photographs

Ark Animal Centre are based just passed the Fourways/Dainfern area on a wonderfully large property, allowing them to provide the dogs in their care with fantastic walks and stimuli.  This is definitely a happy bunch of dogs and puppies who, I am sure, are delighted that the owner gave up her home to move them to such a great property.

Such a gentle lass – she’ll make someone a most wonderful pet

This last weekend was far more successful than my previous fundraising exercise and I would like to thank the wonderfully generous Blairgowrie residents, the Blairgowrie Spar, Brightwater Commons Flea Market and the awesome people who donated money and food as well as those who supplied me with items to sell at the flea market.

Some super sized bags of dog food, kindly donated

With the help of everyone above, I was able to deliver cash, dog food and a staff care package (the all important tea and snack break items vital to the wellbeing of overworked shelter staff), to Ark Animal Centre.

Staff Care Package plus extra dog food. When working in these shelters, you’ll not believe how important your tea break is. It’s just as important to keep the staff happy as it is the animals.

The cat items received were kindly delivered to Cat A Holics, by my long suffering father who was instantly put to hard manual labour and general work both over the weekend and today, with deliveries.

Puppy Play Time

I now have a permanent space at the Brightwater Commons Flea Market in Randburg and shall be stationed there every Saturday and Sunday.  My stall is a White Elephant for the Animals affair and I sell anything and everything that is donated.

Running for my cover. Save me from those big bullies

Anyone out there finding themselves in the area over a weekend – I would be utterly delighted to meet you.  Anyone who has been storing goodies in their house, such as books, jewelry, ornaments, toys, stationery (truly, anything cluttering up your home) – we would be eternally grateful for the donation of these unwanted items as, the more we sell, the more we can help the shelters.

Play time sure is exhausting!

Rescue Reveal – Kent Animal Shelter NY – Courtesy of Finn & Charley

If you don’t already know Finn & Charley, I highly recommend that you pop over there immediately!  It’s hard, at the best of times, not to fall in love with Golden Retrievers but these two are truly special.

Phenomenal Finn

They epitomise the generosity and love the makes our Blogoshere so amazing.

Charming Charley

Many of you know about Savannah’s Mom’s efforts to save Leo, a very sick cat.   To help raise funds, the magnificent Mollie & Alfie ran an auction.

The fantastic Finn & Charley chose to bid on an item, not for themselves but for other rescue animals, highlighting a truly wonderful shelter.  How sweet is that!  Of course, Goldens are so sweet by nature that we really weren’t surprised.

Torrey – available for adoption 

They want to highlight Kent Animal Shelter in NY.  They were so impressed by the shelter that they immediately felt the need to gain them more exposure.  Obviously, there’s exposure happening anyway, as the animals are predominantly naked but we are not talking that type of exposure here!

Trooper – available for adoption

Being adopted themselves, Finn & Charley feel strongly about Pro-Life organisations, such as Kent Animal Shelter, who ensure their animals are given as much time as necessary to find their perfect “forever homes”.  No animal in their care will be euthanised unless incurably ill.

Penguin – available for adoption

Kent Animal Shelter has been running for over 40 years, caring for, loving and re-homing thousands of abused, abandoned and homeless animals.  They provide a happy and tranquil place, on a scenic property near the Peconic River.  Animals receive exercise, love and expert medical attention.  They even run Pet Therapy Programs and strive to educate people regarding pet care, leadership and compassion by working with local schools and groups.

Daria – available for adoption

Their vision is greater than the animals in their care, as they reach out into the community, sharing knowledge and providing low cost spay/neuter programs.  They have even gone so far as to start a Retirement Home Program for cats.

Scooter – available for adoption

If you are ever thinking of a adopting a pet, or feel that you can help them in any way, Kent Animal Shelter comes highly recommended and is certainly worth a visit.  They typically have about 100 animals available for adoption.

Abbey – available for adoption

They can be found at 2259 River Road, in Calverton.

Our eternal thanks to Finn & Charley for highlighting this wonderful organisation.  Give them a High Five everybody!!!!

PS – all photographs courtesy of Finn & Charley and the Kent Animal Shelter

Monday Mischief – How to Bug Big Brother!

Yes, we’ve ascertained that Sabre is fairly fond of little Pixels.  However, no matter how cute you may be, there are certain sibling duties which need to be performed.  Annoying big brother is a vital skill to acquire.    

“Big Brother Bug” is a great game and crucial to boredom avoidance.  It is particularly effective if you can find Big Brother already ensconced in a nice, deep slumber.

Step 1 – Pat him on the head to wake him up

Step 2 – Pretend it wasn’t you.  Try to embellish your face with the most innocent of expressions whilst looking the other way.

Step 3– Give his toes a good sniff.  If nothing else, the tickle of your whiskers should help wake him.

Step 4– Get distracted by his now wonderfully swishing tail

Step 5 – Do the unthinkable.  Sniffing his…um…nether regions is sure to get his attention

Step 6 – Receive a good clobbering for that gesture

Step 7 – Go in for the neck (I’m sure you’ve seen your big Lion cousins using that tactic to great effect)

Step 8 – Break free of the inevitable wrestle hold (Mommy Lions never explained that consequence on Animal Planet).

Step 9 – Great, now you’ve got his attention and can settle in for the ultimate huggle bunnie sleep with big brother.

Even Sabre is powerless to resist the charms of Pixels

To begin with, he was far from impressed.  Remember, Sabre is my ultimate Baby Boy.  He believed this to be his universal right and took to Pixels much like an ostrich takes to flying.

Of late, however, I see even his resilience has crumbled.

Come here Pixels! I need you for sleep time

These photos may be poor but they are irrefutable proof that even Sabre likes the idea of cuddling and touching her when sleeping.

Getting ready for the cuddly curl-up

The cuddle begins

Kitty Cuddle Complete!

As we begin to regain our credit giving strength, our gratitude to the following, for their tireless efforts in tweeting and facebooking Pixels competition attempts, needs to be shared:

Mollie & Alfie

Misaki

Please visit both these sites, as they are on a most awesome mission, running raffles and auctions to raise funds for Leo, who’s story can be found on Savannah’s site.  Please support them in whatever way you can.

Credit Relapse

Credit is due to so many and we’ve relapsed terribly.  This might be due to the cuddly nature of Pixels, whose love for sleeping in her Mom’s arms, just like a baby, distracts us from actually typing.

Tell me if you could type out thank you notes with this cuddle bunny in your arms!

Right, these arms of Mom’s look perfect for a good sleep

Get ready for it! Sleep is coming.

Ah yes, here it is!

Fold your arms like an angel. Close your eyes and snuggle into Mom’s arms for the best sleep ever!

So, belated credit and eternal thankfulness go to:

Serenity in the City
Princess Zena
Dogs N Pawz
Cats & Co
My Three Moggies

They all reblogged and shared our desperate attempt to win a competition for the shelter animals. Truer examples of the spirit of togetherness that our blogosphere exhibits, would be extremely hard to find.

There are still many more, deserving of our gratitude. We shall attempt to stay awake in future and post suitable acknowledgements. This, of course, remains to be seen but, on step at a time

The War we Lost but Gained

True, the title makes little sense and yes, we did lose the war.

What do you mean, I LOST? I’ll make my eyes go squiff and hang my ear in shame!

This is sad with regards to assisting the shelters with food but, fear not, we’ll find other ways to help them.  What is more important is what we gained.

Really!! That many peopled helped? Amazing!

The number of people who selflessly jumped in and helped, voting, emailing, reblogging and sharing on twitter and facebook was quite dazzling.  In truth, we feel more like winners due to everyone’s generosity than we ever could getting a prize.  Your friendship and dedication warms the cockles of our hearts (strange term but seems entirely appropriate here).

Well, you’d better get started with Thanking them all!

With such a vast quantity of people, having gone way beyond the call of duty, it would be unfair to list everyone in one post.  So we’ll start, today, by thanking 3 of these gallant and charitable hero’s and continue the list, through the week, in an attempt to show our gratitude.

Today’s insufficient thanks goes to:

Sand Spring Chesapeakes, who reblogged for us not once, not twice but THREE times.

Doggy’s Style, always there to when you need him.  Always willing to help and go the extra mile.  He reblogged TWICE for us.  You remain, always, my competition mentor extraordinaire.

Animal Couriers, the best pet relocation experts of all time who, somehow, in the midst of dealing with innumerable animals in their care, find time to reblog and help others.

Please go and visit each of these wonderful sites and give them your support as my only way to begin thanking them for their help.

Tune in for our next post for links to further incredible and delectable sites who’s generosity knows no bounds. 

Vote for Pixels and Save Lives!

Finally, a COMPETITION, here in South Africa, that I can actually enter and WIN.  But I need your help.

Based on your votes, I have entered 2 photographs of Pixels for CUTEST KITTEN.

Standard issue Cute

Funnier version of Cute

 

 

Cute she may be but she’s up against entries that already have over 800 votes.  She’s starting this race late and needs to charge forth at speed.

You can vote for both photos but, only once each.  Then again, if any of you have multiple email addresses, you could manage a few more (shhhhh, don’t tell anyone I said that).

The links for each photo are: Photo Number 4 and Photo Number 6

These links take you directly to Pixels’ Pics (can’t have you being distracted by all the other cute kittens).

Anybody managing to rustle up some extra votes through friends or family will be helping to SAVE KITTENS LIVES!  If Pixels wins, she has agreed to donate her food to needy Shelters who are currently overrun with kittens.

If the above links can’t be sent to others, then they can go onto the website at http://www.royalcanin.co.za and hop onto the competition page that way.

The kittens of South Africa say “Thank You”

Rescue Reveal – Kitty & Puppy Haven

The wonderful children at St David’s Marist School organised a box of food and some blankets for donation.  Bless them!  I took this lot to Kitty & Puppy Haven, a Pro-Life Animal Shelter.  

What a wonderful bunch but good golly, what a difficult time they are going through.

Kitty and Puppy Haven help approximately 3000 animals annually.  Not only do they rescue, rehabilitate and re-home dogs and cats but they also run a desperately needed Community Veterinary Clinic for the disadvantaged community close to them.  However, bureaucracy has a way of making “doing good” rather taxing. 

“After 6 years of applications regarding the re-zoning on their property, they were … provided with permission to run the community clinic.  However, recently the court advised that the agreement was null and void due to technicalities.”

They were given a month to either euthanize the 200 animals they had in their care, or find alternative premises.  I am pleased to say that they managed the later, although not without substantial costs and logistical nightmares.

A “Friend with Benefits” – how funny is this?

“The impact of this ruling affects far more than just the animals at the sanctuary.  All Alex residents who make use of the community clinic will no longer have access to the services of the Kitty and Pupy Haven vet….Over the past 12 years approximately 11000 animals have been helped by Kitty and Puppy Haven”.

I take my hat off to Samantha Berger, founder of the centre, for remaining positive and optimistic during this trying time.

You can hop over to their Website  or visit the Facebook site.

Above quotes and pictures are from Kitty & Puppy Haven’s website.

I took these the day I visited:

I may be just a pup but I have a very responsible job, watching over the office staff

Oh yes, this is the life!

PS – please note that, despite the red tape, Long Life has finally been officially registered as a Non Profit Company.  The goal is to help shelters precisely like this one.  If you feel so inclined, please re-visit the updated How Can I Help and Donations pages.  Every tiny bit helps!