Acorn News Autumn/Winter 2022

Acorn News

Floppy Ears

Likemanyanimalwelfarecharities,theTeamatOakTreewere dismayedtoseethepostersfortheanimatedmovie“DCLeagueof SuperPets”byWarnerBrothersthissummer.Oneofthemain characters,Acethe bathound,isfeaturedwithearsthatlookcropped. Earcroppingisapurelycosmeticprocedure,whichinvolvescutting piecesofapuppy’searsoff,sometimesremovingalmostallofthem completely.Thisisnotonlypainfulbutcanalsobedetrimentaltotheir health,welfareandbehaviour.Recently,ourTeamhaveseenarisein thenumberofdogsinourregionwithcroppedears. WhileillegaltocarryoutintheUK,thedesireforthecroppedearlook hasresultedincroppedpuppiesbeingbroughtfromabroad,puppies fromtheUKbeingtakenabroadfortheprocedureandevenpeople buyinginternetkitsanddoingDIYsurgeryathome. Followingthe#FlopDon’tCropcampaign,thegovernmenthaspledged tobantheimportofcroppeddogsinupcominglegislation.However, thisBillhasbeendelayed. Moviesandpopularculturehavealwaysinfluencedanimalpurchasing

When Alfie arrived at Oak Tree, we quickly realised that he wasn’t able to cope in a kennel environment. Due to high levels of stress, Alfie started to lose weight and his health and behaviour deteriorated. Most dogs adapt well to the kennels but unfortunately, there are dogs like Alfie that can’t, no matter how much we try.

We were extremely lucky to have a foster family available who were willing to work with Alfie’s specific needs and provide him with comfort and security. Alfie quickly settled into his foster home and, though he did prove challenging at times, his foster family didn’t give up and he is now flourishing!

Riley they now?

Little Riley had a really rough start in life - he was found abandoned at only a few weeks old and in extremely poor condition. Underweight, suffering badly with cat flu and covered in bite wounds and abscesses, we weren't sure if he would pull through.

On the day of his arrival Riley couldn’t even hold his head up. He received emergency veterinary care and was placed in one of our wonderful foster homes. Having been through so much at such a young age his foster family had to work hard to keep a close eye on his health, cleaning his wounds daily, encouraging him to eat and creating a safe space where he could learn to trust.

It took some time, but due to the dedication of his foster family Riley is now a healthy, playful, cheeky chappie, just as a kitten should be!

Riley was returned to Oak

ready for rehoming, his foster parent told us...

Crystal's Success

CrystaloriginallycametoOakTreefromthe SussexHorseRescueTrustduringtheCovid-19 pandemic,whentheysadlyhadtoclosetheir doors.Shewentontoberehomedtoariding school,however,beingayounghorse,this wasnotasuitablematch.Shereturnedto usearlierthisyearandsoonfoundanew homewithEllieJo. Ellie-Johasputalotoftimeandeffort intobuildingtheirpartnership, improvingCrystal’sfitnessand continuinghereducationwithregular lessonsinjumpinganddressage.They havecompetedinanonlinedressage competitionwheretheycamein2nd place.CrystalandEllie-Joarealso trainingtojoinsomeendurancerides, withtheirfirstridebeing20km!It’sbeen apleasureforustohearaboutCrystal’s progress,andwearegladshehas managedtofindsuchalovinghome.

Commercial Participator Spotlight!

The Happy Herdwick continues to contribute generously to our cause. Raising over £250 since deciding to donate a very kind percentage of the proceeds from sales of felted models of resident goat Matilda and donkeys Charlie and Pringle! Come along and visit this lovely shop in Orchard Yard here at Oak Tree! Enormous thanks to Karen and Scott for their ongoing support.

Jenny G Artistry kindly chose to help us through donating 10% of every sale of artwork between 1st July and 31st August. Huge thanks to Jenny G Artistry for supporting Oak Tree.

HSBC UK very generously funded a new outdoor community Tearoom space at our main site. This facility, which officially opened in July, not only provides a space where we can help pets and owners who need our support, but is for anyone visiting Oak Tree to enjoy a cuppa and cake, even if it’s raining! Thank you so much HSBC UK!

Pets in Rentals

We never want to see families separated from their pets simply because they can’t find suitable housing. For several years Oak Tree has been working with letting agents to increase the number of pet-friendly rental properties in our area. We have a fantastic free pack we can provide letting agents with to support landlords in becoming pet-friendly. Now, we are delighted to see the Renters Reform Bill is changing legislation to make it easier for tenants to keep pets. Tenants will be able to request permission to keep a pet and challenge a decision if the landlord says no. Landlords need to be able to protect their property from irresponsible pet owners, so there are pet insurance products which cover any damage caused by the pet.

We’d love to hear what you think or if you’re likely to be affected by this change.

Please get in touch via community@oaktreeanimals.org.uk to let us know.

Training at Oak Tree

Our team is expanding!

We recently welcomed Tara to the Training Team after making the switch from Small Animal Rehoming. Tara has a great level of canine knowledge and has been busy assisting with classes to practise teaching her knowledge to owners. Soon, there will be even more training options available...

It’s 'all systems go' in our Training Department between our adorable Puppy Class graduates and our Life Skills classes. Helping dogs focus around distractions gives owners different options to suit their needs.

For more information about our Dog Behaviour and Training Classes, please visit our website!

Walter

Walter came to us for some 1:1 sessions and, after some sessions to prepare him and his owner, we then applied the skills with some trips out and about...

I can’t recommend Gemma enough. My dog is so much more able to manage situations with other dogs and, importantly, I now have a good understanding of his behaviour and how to manage it.

Christmas Cards

and Snowman

Tractor

Robin

in a Santa Hat

Gathering

Sheep

Thank You

Your continued contributions are the difference between us surviving as a Charity or not. Without you, we would not be able to help the vulnerable animals and owners who desperately need our support. All the topics we touch on in this newsletter from animals finding their perfect ‘Forever Home’ to the vast range of services we provide – would not be possible without your vital support.

Facebook Fundraisers

Fundraisers

Over £3,000 has been raised by schools, playgroups, colleges, gymnasiums, coffee shops and individual adults and children!

Local Businesses

For their constant support and donations throughout the year!

Partnered Vets

For the year-round work they do with our animals and teams!

Our Volunteers

For giving up 762 hours of their time since May and raising over £3,300 on fun quizzes!

Thank you to all of you!

Who kindly donate your time, money and items to help animals in need!

Nearly £1,000 has been raised by our supporters for birthdays and other activities!

Corporate Volunteer Days

To all the businesses and organisations who have given their time to support animals in need!

Our Regular Givers

Over £10,000 has been raised by regular donors, Lottery players, Animal Sponsors and Club Card members!

The Trusts

Who have chosen to award us grants, enabling us to continue helping animals most at need in the community!

Events 2022/23

Halloweek Trail

22nd to 31st October

Granny Haggard's spooky Children’s Trail, just £2 per person, no booking necessary and collect a treat on completion A spook tastic activity for all the family, including your canine companion!

Fright Night

Friday 28th October

Enter the woods, if you dare On the Friday before Halloween, Blackburn Woods is turning into Horrorland where there will be terrifying interactive group tours Just £10 per person, tours last around 20 30 minutes, and booking is essential, so please visit our website (see below).

Coming Soon: Steps For Pets

January 2023

Help make life MILES better for animals by completing 55,000 steps in a month that’s 262 miles! You can complete the steps however you like hop, walk, jog, cycle, it's up to you! Sign up is coming soon, so keep updated on our social media or website!

Don't miss out!

Keep an eye on our website and social media pages to find out more about upcoming events and activities!

We also send out monthly E updates which tell you more about the goings on at Oak Tree, check out page 3 to sign up!

Events

Quiz

19th

Over 40 cats helped

Lowry Hill Road

Our Community Team have been hard at work in the Lowry Hill Road area of Carlisle helping unowned cats with our Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) programme. Altogether, they helped 43 cats, along with rehoming seven kittens!

TNR is an essential and free service helping to prevent unwanted pregnancies, fighting and reduces the spread of diseases, not only in feral but domestic cats too. The vet bills for helping the Lowry Hill Road cats and kittens has totalled about £4,000, but that won’t stop us from continuing to get each cat the help they deserve.

Did you know?

One female cat can be responsible for up to 20,000 offspring in just 5 years!

Exotic Animals

During this year’s Summer Fair, the Community Department opted for a different approach. Mike Collins (Community Engagement Officer) has been keeping reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates for about 20 years. With the rising costs of living, and the continual growth in popularity and relinquishment of these animals, he decided to bring in a selection of his own exotic animals. These were used to talk about the high welfare needs and requirements of different species, focusing on the importance of researching any animal before getting them, considering costs and not impulse buying animals for novelty.

It was very rewarding to see people enjoy engaging and learning about animals not usual to our site! Some of the characters they met included Ripley, the Brazilian salmon-pink Bird Eating Tarantula, who shocked everybody with her size (and the fact she was a real living animal!); the matt black Millipedes with their specific care requirements and lifespan of up to 10 years were also very popular. Gordan, the Malaysian Forest Scorpion, who glows under UV light had people talking and Coco, the Horse Field Tortoise, who can live for 80 100 years and loves a bath, proved very popular with the crowds!

The Tearoom

or

There

Tearoom

Orchard Yard and Gift Shops