Scrappy Doo

So sad to have lost my beautiful little cutie Scrappy today. We don't know what happened, he was eating and active but we found him today :( so that's 2 pets gone in only a matter of months, i'm so upset, still getting over losing Ollie.

Scrappy leaves behind his lifelong little playmate Rocky who is terribly nervous and shy. Scrappy was his protector, always happy to see anyone who came to see him. I'm glad Scrappy had a chance of a good life with us, lots of love and attention, all the veg he could eat, and an outside play area!

Let's hope little Rocky can manage without his pal, he looks so lonely and nervous in that big cage all on his own.

Mama loves you Scrappy, miss you baby xxxx

Really missing my little Ollie :( what I wouldn't do for one more cuddle! Why did he have to be taken from us so soon? I wish we could have saved him.

Animal Rescue

Every animal has their own story, it's up to us to take the time to listen to it.

Sweet dreams my little friend...

Last week we sadly lost Ollie. Tragically he was hit by a car, rushed to the vets but we had to make the devastating decision to put him down as his internal injuries were so bad. We were there at the very end, cuddling him, kissing him & crying into his fur. My poor little baby was so frightened and in so much pain, I'll never, ever forget it.

What makes our grief so much worse is the fact Ollie had only just turned 2 a few weeks earlier, and we had not even had him a full year since rescuing him. I can only hope my little prince is happy wherever he is, and that one day we will be reunited. Miffy misses her little friend so much, our house is so quiet and empty without him.

Rest in peace my lovely little Ollie, until we see each other again, when I will give you the biggest cuddle and a million kisses, I miss you so, so much. Our lives will never be the same without you x

Long time no see!

Apologies for the lengthy absence, been super busy finishing my degree! (Fingers crossed I did well) I thought I'd update you on how my little zoo is getting on.... 

As you can tell from this photo, little Miffy Moo is not so little anymore... (touchy subject!) Since snapping her cruciate ligament, she's now technically classed as lame, so she can't run as fast as she wants to, and we have to keep her on her lead most of the time when she starts hopping. We've got her on a controlled diet, but she looks so sad, it's so hard not to treat her! 

As for Ollie, his new favourite thing ever is his pirate scarf (pictured). He actually comes up to you with it in his mouth to put it on him. Plus with Ollie being a puppy and so little, he makes my little Moo look bigger! She's still as pretty as ever, even if she is becoming a little porker..... 

This is a photo of me and my brother and sister before our cousin's wedding, naturally if it's a 

family photo, the dogs have to be in too! 

Poor Scrappy has recently developed quite a big hard lump over his eye (I cried, a lot), he seems to be in no pain and his eye is still opening fine so we're keeping an eye on him. Hopefully it's just a bite, or a benign cyst. As for Rocky, he's still as timid and nervous as ever, but after a few cuddles he starts to relax. Luckily he doesn't wet himself on your knee anymore! 

LIttle Dora the tortoise is definitely as miscellaneous as ever, I swear it's taking longer to find her each time we get her out! 

Cuddle time!

Feel a bit like Dr Dolittle! Best time of day is cuddle time with my two fluffy teddy bears. Awww :)

Re-homing an animal in need was the best thing I have ever done. 

I've been searching for animal shelters I can volunteer in, because I need to do something, anything I can, to help. Just been on http://www.rspca-northeast.org/ and within minutes I find myself sobbing at a picture of a German Shepherd who has been axed in the head. I just really can't understand how people can do this? I can barely take my dogs to the vets for their injections because I feel cruel! 

I don't want to sound self-righteous but I would do anything to help these animals, which is why I am applying to be a volunteer, I already donate monthly and I plan this week to ask everyone I know to collect old towels, blankets and even buy the odd tin of dog/cat food at the supermarket and I will personally drive up and donate it to the local shelters. 

While Ollie didn't come from an abused home, he was unwanted and left alone for a large proportion of the day, I look at him everyday now and feel so happy because I know his life is 100x better with us. He is adored, taken on walks every day, fed well, and has little Miffy as a companion. 

The same goes for Miffy. She was in a horrible state when we went to buy her. Her lovely curls looked more like dreadlocks, all knotted and dirty. She did not know how to climb the stairs, was absolutely terrified of going for a walk and was not even remotely house trained, despite living with her old owner for almost a year. I can let that anger go now because I know that Miffy has found the perfect life with us. She is adored by us, groomed, well fed, exercised and trained properly. She is happy and feels safe and I could not have had a more wonderful time than I have spent with her these past five years. 

I understand people have fears about bringing a 'damaged' animal into their home, about the costs of having a dog/cat - the vets fees, their food, bedding. I won't lie and say that it is easy. It requires unlimited love and patience while the animal slowly starts to relax in their new surroundings, while some, like my little guinea pigs for example, never will. Two years on they are both still timid and won't come out of their little house unless you leave a present of cucumber or lettuce for them! BUT when they make even the slightest improvement - whether Rocky decides to stay outside of his little igloo house to eat, or Scrappy walks over to you when he's playing out, you know that they're beginning to feel more comfortable and are slowly forgetting the past. 

 'Mam.... can I take him home!'

Today my friend Gemma and I went to Whitehouse Farm, based in Morpeth which is only a short drive away. As you can imagine I had the best day ever, and getting to cuddle the animals was a dream come true! We made friends with a cat who kept following us, two meerkats thought Gemma was their new best mate and I got pretty attached to this beautiful little rabbit. 

I thoroughly recommend you pay a visit animal lovers! Luckily we had a bit of sunshine today so  that made the day even better. It's an inexpensive way to have a great day out, and animal lovers like me will love it! 

....I just need to work out how I can take them all home with me! 

http://whitehousefarmcentre.co.uk/

Poorly Miffy 

Just been to the wonderful PDSA Animal Hospital in Newcastle to get the diagnosis of Miffy's cramped up paw. She has snapped her cruciate ligament, an injury I didn't realise was very common in dogs. All she was doing was running to fetch a ball with Ollie and started squealing. Her leg cramped up and she became lame.


I absolutely cannot praise the PDSA Animal hospital enough, the resident vets and nurses we saw were so patient and understanding (obviously I was near-hysterical with worry....) The hospital only admits animals with a certain income criteria, which is so so helpful for people like us! We have these wonderful pets, but cannot afford to pay high vets fees.


I'm drawing attention to this service for those who have an animal in need and like us, could not afford to take Miffy to the vets to be put under anesthetic for an x-ray. Not wanting Miffy to suffer we contacted the PDSA and got an appointment the next day. Once you provide the relevant documentation, and get approved, they will do everything in their power to care for your beloved pet.


All they ask is for you to make a donation, which is absolutely no problem. I only hope that people do not abuse this service and give very small donations when they can afford a few extra pounds. I know every little helps, but I could not bear to think of how many animals would suffer if the hospital did not receive enough, given that it has NO government funding. :( 


So anyways, Miffy has been told to get lots of rest, she is not allowed to for walks, which is sad having to only take one fluffy white dog out - people keep asking 'where the other one' is! We've bought a baby gate (only £15 from Wilkinsons!) and blocked off the stairs, she has to be carried up them so as to not cause any further pain. I syringe Loxicom painkiller into a small treat for her every morning. Thankfully as she is only a small dog she is unlikely to need surgery, so keep your fingers crossed everyone!


Does anybody know any other treatments or ideas I could use to help Miffy?




Here is a link which tells you more about the PDSA PetAid Hospital, explaining more about the wonderful work they do, I am so, so grateful for them helping my little princess!

http://www.catsup.co.uk/hospital.htm

Dora the Explorer

Dora's story is perhaps the saddest, yet most intriguing. Bought on a whim, Dora's previous owner underestimated the time and effort it would take to care for her. This is remarkable given that tortoises can live up to 100+ years! My big heart couldn't bear to watch her suffer, so I suggested taking her for the summer to get exercise and fresh air..... and I've had her ever since.

While I admit a tortoise was not a pet I would have chosen, she is a charming, fascinating little thing! My mum took a while to come round to her.... but now she has no fear of her scaly legs. 

I have had to spend a long time researching tortoises and caring for them, which was especially difficult since I didn't even know what type she was! Dora is two, and lives in a tank with a UV bulb so will not hibernate, or so I'm told. She is a fussy eater, and will only eat Dandelion flavour holistic food (which is not cheap!), lettuce and tomato. 

We've had a few mishaps with Dora. She likes to burrow and dig, so many a time we have had to call in a search party in the backyard to find her under a plant pot or at the very bottom of the yard. It is a myth that tortoises move very slowly! You can put Dora on the floor and within seconds she has disappeared! 

If you're looking to get a tortoise as a pet I urge you to think of the costs first! While my head nearly always rules my heart, it is from experience I urge this. Her UV lightbulb recently went out and it cost £25 to replace, and is going to need replacing every year. Because of the climate, she needs a heat mat to sit on, which is not cheap at £20. Furthermore her large tank alone was over £60, along with electric equipment to rig up the lighting. Finally her tortoise dry food is £6 for 200g! We'll not mention the time they ran out of dandelion flavour, so I got fruits instead and she didn't touch a crumb! 

I don't know how long I'll be able to keep Dora for, but one thing is for sure, I will not allow her to go back to her old owner if they cannot look after her properly.But for the mean time I try my best to look after her, and learn a new thing about her species every day!

Dora's likes: Dandelion food, getting into trouble/being naughty, the dogs' biscuits, being talked to.

Dora's dislikes: being left in her tank for long periods of time as she starts to try climb up the walls, being approached quickly (she hisses and hides her head in her shell), getting a bath

Squeak, squeak

Meet Scrappy (left) and Rocky (right). Both delightfully fluffy abyssinian breeds of guinea pig, and arguably the cutest! As I mentioned I have always had pet guinea pigs, so when Oxo died at the grand old age of seven, we knew immediately that the house was empty without the smell of sawdust and cheeky squeaks whenever the fridge opened!

Advertised in The Chronicle was http://www.northeastguineapigrescue.co.uk/contact/, which is an entirely self-run shelter by a lady named Layla. Luckily she lives just round the corner from us, so organised an appointment to go pick some new babies! Naturally once there I found it impossible to choose, each little piggy had its own heartbreaking story. Scrappy and his brother Bumblebee were tiny babies when given to Layla so luckily didn't do too badly, but poor Rocky on the other hand is a different story.

Rocky's age is unknown, but he was rescued with a large number of both male and female guinea pigs who were foolishly placed all in the same cage, and so while the female was fought over, Rocky wasn't so tough. His tiny ears have been bitten beyond recognition by the other male guineapigs, fighting for dominance and has left Rocky deaf.

It's been over two years since we adopted them, and while Scrappy has thrived in this loving environment, he is still very timid compared to every other guineapig I have owned. Rocky however is extremely cautious and timid. We bought a big igloo to fit inside their cage - which I'd highly recommend - and he peeks his nose out at dinner times, but other than that you rarely see him outside of it. 

My mum has been very creative and made them an outside play area (as you can see in the photo). Since we don't have a garden she buys a small patch of grass for less than a fiver from B&Q, surrounded it with a tiny picket fence and bought an outside cage which the boys can hop in and out whenever they please. We bring the cage inside for winter and secure the back room so they still get plenty of exercise. 

Scrappy and Rocky's likes: lettuce and cucumber! Sunny days to play out, their mum growing vegetables so they can climb in the plant pots and help themselves, Wagg dry food (they won't touch anything else!!)

Scrappy and Rocky's dislikes: loud noises, people putting their hands into their igloo, Ollie trying to paw them (we're working on trying to get Ollie to accept the guineapigs, Miffy has never had a problem with them)

The new baby... 

This is Ollie, or 'Shmol' as he has randomly been nicknamed. We had been looking for a friend for Miffy for a while and as fate would have it, along came her little mini-me. Ollie was also advertised in the local paper, but this time we were careful. He came from a divorce, and his owner was unable to care for him properly, so he sensibly decided to re-home him, 

Ollie is a pedigree, though we have no desire to put him in shows or breed him, his pedigree name 'Magnolia Barney' always raises a few laughs. I personally don't notice any difference between him and the supposedly non-pedigree Miffy, except maybe his fur is finer. Like introducing any new pet to your current ones, Ollie was not liked by Miffy for a while! But after Miffy's dramatic walking out of the room every time he came near her, she soon allowed him to lie within a metre of her, and now they cuddle up together!

Ollie is a delightful little dog. He is intelligent and eager to learn tricks, he is the softest, most lovable little baby when he wants to be! He seems particularly taken with my little brother, so maybe it is true what they say - that bichons pick a certain person to follow. 

Ollie's likes: playing, ALL OF THE TIME. Everything is a game with Ollie, which means you come home to find your belongings strewn across the stairs. Ollie love socks, and likes to carry one around in his mouth whenever he can. Unlike Miffy he absolutely loves getting his hair brushed (the girls at the groomers are especially fond of him!)

Ollie's dislikes: having nobody to play with, having his food in his bowl and not all over the floor, being kept on his lead during walks, losing at playing fetch with Miffy. 

  Miffy Mouse?

If I'm honest, Miffy has a very special place in my heart. She is the most loyal, beautiful, lovable little dog you could ever meet! Miffy was put up for sale in the local newspaper with a litter of puppies who unfortunately had been over-bred by an untrustworthy breeder, but since she was our first Bichon, we had no idea. 

£550 later and no pedigree papers, Miffy came home to us, bedraggled, dirty and terrified of her own shadow. They say bichons take to one person in particular, and for some reason Miffy became my little sidekick. Cute at first, she soon refused to leave my side, to the point where I had to let her sit on the bathroom floor with me while I bathed! 

We have recently found out that Miffy has a degenerate disease called 'hip dysplasia'. As a result she has snapped her cruciate ligament, and is currently very poorly. We're trying our best to keep her comfortable and resting, and fingers crossed she might not need major surgery! If any readers have any tips or experience of this, please share, I'd love to hear them! 

 Miffy's likes: her beloved toy hedgehog, bacon treats, playing chase with a ball, getting spoiled, cuddles from her mum, her new big fluffy bed, long walks to the beach or the park.

Miffy's dislikes: getting her hair washed and brushed, having to share her bed with Ollie, when her mum has to leave the house, being by herself, nervous of other dogs 

Hi there,

My name is Chloe, I recently turned 21, I am currently an undergraduate at Newcastle University, studying English Literature. I love it. I've always wanted to start a blog, but never knew what to write about... so I've decided to combine my two loves: writing and animals!


For as long as I can remember I have adored animals. Brought up with guinea pigs that lived for seven years + (true story!) and hamsters who escaped from their cages and of course the 'family dog', I am known in my family as the 'animal lover'. I guess that is why I feel so strongly about helping animals in need, particularly ones who need a home. In fact my mum has threatened to kick me out if I bring anymore poorly animals home... 


So who's who? 


Miffy - 6 year old female Bichon Frise
Ollie - 1 year old male Bichon Frise (the latest family member!)
Scrappy - 2 year old Abyssinian guinea pig 
Rocky - sadly his age is unknown as he was part of 9 appallingly neglected rescue guinea pigs (also Abyssinian)
Dora - 2 year old Russian tortoise 


Let me introduce you properly...