The Mayhew Magazine Summer 2017

The Mayhew Summer 2017

Helping animals and their carers since 1886

A day in the life‌ of our work with the homeless Our longest stayers find a home

Issue 48

Mill Lane Veterinary Surgery Advanced medical care for your pets

Proud to support The Mayhew Animal Home Joshua Rusnak BVSc CertSAS MRCVS 68-70 Mill Lane, London NW6 1NJ www.mill-lane-vet.com

020 7794 1777

Community Vet Clinic at The Mayhew We offer low-cost neutering from only £55 for dogs and £25 for cats, vaccinations, flea and worm treatments and microchipping.

Call us on 020 8962 8017 or email vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome.org for more information and to book an appointment or visit www.themayhew.org

Welcome to the summer edition of The Mayhew! We have had

a great few months which included fundraising for our newly launched ‘Month of May-hew’ campaign and our Open Day which saw our supporters get together for our annual street party! This issue is packed with tips on how to keep your four-legged friends safe in the hot weather, expert advice for owners of brachycephalic pets, a look into our work for the homeless and their companions and much more…

Contents News 4 Our longest stayers find a home 6 A day in the life of our work with the homeless 8 Stella’s still smiling 12 Find me a home 14 Ask the expert: brachycephaly 16 How to handle the heat 18 Making a lasting difference 21 Our events fundraisers 22 Dates for the diary: Hounds on the Heath 23 Your letters – adopted & loved 24 My rescue & me 26

What we do: We help animals in need gain a better quality of life by delivering a broad range of preventative and community-based animal care, education and welfare projects Editor: Claire Gratzke, Claire@mayhewanimalhome.org Design: Grade Design, gradedesign.com Many thanks to our photographers: Rowan Williams (for cover photo and more), Jo Moolenschot, Fernando Bonenfant, Jo Sowry, Alissa Johnson, Kriszti Nagy.

Please pass on to a friend and recycle after reading.

Printed on 100% recycled paper

We also offer free neutering for bull breeds and cats on the C4 scheme.

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Registered charity no. 1077588 Registered in England and Wales Company limited by guarantee no. 3837732 VAT registration number: 820 4030 87

To make a donation or to get in touch Write to: The Mayhew, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, NW10 6BJ Telephone: 0 20 8206 5870 Email: support@mayhewanimalhome.org Visit: www.themayhew.org Join us on Facebook: themayhew Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @themayhew

News Stay Together Pawever

Month of May-hew

Tesco Bank’s Pet Roadshow

With the one-year anniversary of the compulsory dog microchipping law this April, we continued to promote the benefits of microchipping to encourage more owners to get their pets chipped.

Our Animal Welfare Officers were on the scene, offering free microchipping and their expert pet advice at BARK in the Park events that are being held all across London this year.

In May we launched our fundraising campaign, encouraging supporters to find fun ways to help us reach our target of £8,401 – the costs of running the Animal Welfare Officer’s community outreach programmes for a month. Supporters took part in Poleen’s Animal Flow Yoga, a Tea ‘Paw-ty’ in our Cattery at The Mayhew and Gaucho’s Doggy Sunday Lunch.

Thanks to everyone who took part!

We teamed up with our friend and veterinary surgeon, Marc Abraham, at Tesco Bank’s Pet Roadshow which spent the day at Tesco’s superstore in Kensington, London. Tesco sponsored National Pet Month promoting responsible pet ownership during the month-long event. Marc, founder of Pup Aid, is a great advocate for adopting pets rather than buying them, which is in line with The Mayhew’s views. There were plenty of doggy-care demonstrations

by Marc and The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers, AJ and Paul attended.

Our TheraPaws and rehomed dogs, Honey, Toby, Ben and Tess, also joined us on the day.

Toby shows Marc his appreciation.

Tell us what you think!

Our Head of Animal Welfare, Zoe Edwards, at BARK.

Open Day Our Open Day on Sunday 21st May 2017 brought crowds of supporters to join our street party! Packed with music, stalls, drinks, a BBQ and chance to meet Mayhew staff behind-the-scenes.

Thanks to all who came and made it such a success and to our sponsors Hamilton Court Developments for their amazing support! Our Open Day also raises much needed funds for our work helping animals and pet owners in need.

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Our CEO, Caroline Yates, during the Month of May-hew.

You may have noticed a short survey accompanying this edition of The Mayhew, and that’s because we really value what you think.

We would be very grateful if you could spare a few minutes to complete this questionnaire to share your thoughts on The Mayhew with us. It is also an opportunity for us to make sure we know exactly how you wish to be contacted in the future, and of course we will never share your information with any third party. Simply fill it in and send it back to us in the Free-post envelope provided, or complete it online at www.themayhew.org/survey. www.themayhew.org

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Our longest stayers find a home It may have taken longer than usual but our longest stayers Rosie and Prince found their forever homes this year, proving that there’s the paw-fect match out there for every animal.

Rosie Thirteen-year-old tortoiseshell Rosie first arrived at The Mayhew in May 2015 after her previous owner sadly became too ill to care for her.

Heartbreakingly, as the weeks, months and even years began to pass, Rosie continued to wait patiently for someone to give her a last chance at happiness.

We suspected the reason Rosie was taking so long to find a home was because of her age. It can be common for older cats to be overlooked, as most people tend to gravitate towards the bouncy, big-eyed kittens.

Our Cat Welfare Coordinator, Georgina Disney, believes that older cats like Rosie can take longer to find homes despite making ideal pets. Adopting an older pet can be extremely rewarding as they are often more settled in their character

Our Cat Adoption Officer, Matt, with Rosie.

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and are calmer, cleaner and much less likely to scratch up the furniture. For older cats like Rosie, it can sometimes be their last chance to enjoy the warmth and comfort of a loving home.

In February 2017, having spent just under two years, which is roughly seven cat years with us, Rosie finally landed herself a loving forever home. Our staff were over the moon that Rosie had finally found a home to spend her twilight years in.

Rosie has since settled in to her new home and although it took her a lot longer than most to be adopted it was worth the wait, for both cat and owner.

Rosie’s new owner Jo said: “Rosie settled in very well. She is happy and content and loves coming to wake me up for cuddles in the morning. It’s like she’s always lived here!”

Rosie enjoying her new home comforts.

Prince getting cuddles from our staff.

Prince After spending an incredible 330 days at The Mayhew Animal Home, one of our longest stayers, Prince, has finally found a new forever home and his happily ever after.

Prince was brought into The Mayhew because of his previous owner’s ill health. The adorable 4-year-old Akita had many admirers while he was in our Kennels, but sadly none could take on the responsibility of caring for this gentle giant, as he needed a home with plenty of space to roam around and preferred not to be around other dogs.

Prince’s 330 days in our care cost The Mayhew an average of £19,000.

Thankfully Prince found happiness when Tony saw his adoption video on our website and fell in love immediately.

When he visited him at the Home, Prince immediately came up to him with a wagging tail and sat on Tony’s feet. www.themayhew.org

He now lives near the beach where he goes on daily walks and is living out his dream life watching the splashing waves– although he won’t go in the water just yet!

Tony says:” It’s like he’s been with me all his life, like he was born right next to me. He definitely adopted me, not the other way around!”

Every year our Adoption Team rehome hundreds of cats and dogs, like Rosie and Prince. It costs us roughly £1,000 to put an animal through our care from rescue to rehoming – please consider a donation to help us continue with our vital work for animals in need of some love.

If you are interested in adopting a cat or a dog, please visit www.themayhew.org/adopt or call us on 020 8962 8000

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A day in the life… of our work with the homeless For the past 17 years our Animal Welfare Officers (AWO’s) have worked closely with charities and organisations that offer support to the homeless across London. Some homeless people have animal companions, and very often this is their sole reason for living. It is important to make sure that these pets are well cared for and that the owners are given welfare advice and help where needed. Here we show you what a typical day supporting the homeless’ and their dogs can look like.

It’s time to pack the van full of essentials for the homeless’ dogs.

Throughout the year we collect donations of food, treats, toys, poo bags, collars with tags and leads to give to them. In the colder months we’ll also give them waterproof coats to keep them warm and dry.

When the AWO’s arrive at the Centre, each dog gets a general check to make sure they are doing well. Our AWO’s have built a strong relationship with the homeless people at the centres and drop-ins they visit, their visitors and their dogs, so are greeted with a warm welcome and lots of doggy cuddles!

Our AWO’s see how the homeless are coping with their dogs and if there is anything that The Mayhew can help them with, whether that is support, advice or arranging neutering with our Mayhew Community Vet Clinic.

Our AWO’s work closely with homeless organisations such as Spitalfields Crypt Trust and The Salvation Army and visit fifteen homeless centres regularly each year. Today they are visiting the Broadway Homeless Hostel and Drop-in Centre in North London.

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www.themayhew.org

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Here we provide them with any urgent medical treatment, medicine and care, as well as free preventative care including neutering, microchipping and flea and worming treatments. Some dogs need and receive ongoing treatment and care that our AWO’s arrange with our Clinic.

Our Officers will also visit rough sleepers sleeping on the street to make sure their dogs are healthy and to offer them assistance if they need it.

The dogs who stay overnight with us to have treatment will be cared for until they are better and then we return them to the Centre to be reunited with their owner as soon as possible.

If a dog needs further treatment and care, our AWO’s will organise a visit with a Mayhew Vet for free at our Community Vet Clinic.

Turn the page to read about Stella, a homeless man’s dog in need.

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www.themayhew.org

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Stella’s still smiling Our Animal Welfare Officers are always on call. The Mayhew was one of the first animal welfare charities to work with the homeless and after working with London’s homeless for over 17 years, they have built a trusted and effective relationship with homeless people, their dogs and the Centres they visit across London.

One such owner is Ian and his dog Stella, his loyal best friend. She gave Ian a real panic when she suddenly stopped being her bouncy, playful self. At 15 years old, gorgeous staffy Stella still acted like a young pup, so when she became quiet and withdrawn, Ian knew something was wrong.

He went to the local homeless hostel who had The Mayhew’s emergency number and called us up immediately.

Our Animal Welfare Officers (AWO’s) arranged for Stella to come into our Community Vet Clinic right away for a thorough health check, and soon discovered what the problem was.

Stella’s tooth had become severely infected causing her terrible pain. Our Vet Team took an X-Ray and discovered that the tooth would need to be removed, but not before the infection was cleared up. Stella was provided with a threeweek-long course of antibiotics and seven days of anti-inflammatories, which thankfully got rid of the infection and allowed our Vets to perform surgery and 12

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remove the decaying tooth. We also gave Stella a scale and polish, and de-flead and dewormed her. She stayed with us for two nights until we were confident she was able to get back on all four paws again. Our AWO’s continue to regularly check in to see how Stella and Ian are doing and to make sure she has plenty of food supplies, is de-flead, de-wormed and a happy, healthy dog.

All of Stella’s veterinary treatment and care was carried out for free by The Mayhew.

We need your help to be there for more animals just like Stella who desperately need our urgent care.

If you’d like to support us in helping more dogs like Stella, please fill in the donation slip that came with this magazine and send it to us in the prepaid envelope. Alternatively you can call 020 8206 5870 or visit www.themayhew.org/donate Stella and her owner at a regular check-up with our Animal Welfare Officers.

www.themayhew.org

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P out lease pu pin-bo and displayll ar o whered or in a wi n a ndow lots of pe will se e me! ople Hope help, o fully, with u y will be r forever h our om found sooner es !

Find me a home Here are just some of the lovely cats and dogs patiently waiting at The Mayhew for their forever home. Please help us to find their new families.

Charlotte: 7 years old (female) Likes: Charlotte likes to give head bumps and cuddles.

Essentials: Charlotte has a heart murmur and is on a diet, which is going well. She will need a garden but still prefers to use an indoor litter tray.

Randall: 5 years old (male) Likes: : A cosy bed, food in his belly and some TLC! Essentials: Randall would love a nice chilled home as he is a bit shy, but will find his feet soon enough.

Crystal: 5 years, 10 months (female) Breed: : Pomeranian Likes: : Crystal enjoys the company of people and builds very strong bonds.

Essentials: She would prefer to be the only dog in the home.

Winnie: 19 months (female) Breed: : Staffy Likes: : Bouncy and playful Winnie is a very active girl. She’s super friendly, affectionate and wants to say hello to everyone she meets.

Essentials: Winnie would prefer to be the only dog in her new home.

To find out more about these animals and other Mayhew residents please visit: Cats: www.themayhew.org/cats Dogs: www.themayhew.org/dogs Or telephone: 020 8962 8000 Misty: 2 years old (female) Likes: : This girl likes to roll on the floor like a big kitten, and of course, tummy rubs.

Essentials: Misty is diagnosed with Hyperesthesia which causes episodes of agitation that lead to self-harm. In Misty’s case she took to biting her tail, but in the right environment and with minimal stress you should hopefully not see any flare-ups.

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Meowington: 2 years old (male) Likes: : He is a very friendly cat, he loves sitting on your lap and curling up beside you.

Essentials: He has fractured Canine teeth which our vets decided best to leave at this time as they are not causing him any problems.

The Mayhew can help with costs if they need removing within 6 months of adoption.

Tye: 2 years, 9 months (male) Breed: : Thai Ridgeback cross Likes: : He enjoys a good game of fetch and his favourite toys are tennis balls.

Essentials: Tye is looking for a home near a low dog populated open space where he can be exercised without coming into constant contact with lots of other dogs.

www.themayhew.org

You can help us rescue more dogs and cats and find them loving homes by making a donation: www.themayhew.org/donate

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Ask the expert: brachycephaly There has been a huge surge in the popularity of brachycephalic pets recently. The fastest growing brachycephalic breed is the French Bulldog, with Pugs and Bulldogs close behind. It also affects cats, with Persians and Burmese being popular brachycephalic breeds.

If you are thinking of getting a dog that belongs to a breed that is brachycephalic, (brak-ee-suh-fal-ik) it is very important to do your research first, because these are breeds with a special physiology which you should be aware of. Here our Head Vet Ursula Goetz explains brachycephaly in dogs, what causes it and what it means to be a brachycephalic pet.

through the nose resulting in the dogs breathing through their mouths most of the time. This means the dogs have even more difficulties whilst they are eating and they often pant severely after a meal as they were not able to breathe properly during meal times.

The soft palate which is the soft and loose part of tissue at the back of the mouth is often elongated in brachycephalic dogs which means this What is a brachycephaly? part of soft tissue lies over the trachea Brachycephalic breeds are animals that opening and partly obstructs it whilst are bred to have a flat face which causes the dog tries to breathe. This causes a their muzzle and nasal aspect to be snoring noise as the soft tissue part short, creating a perceived appearance moves over the trachea and compromises of cuteness. These breeds are appealing the air entering the lungs even more. to the general public because they look Dental problems. A short nose and jaw similar to human babies with their round often means there is not enough space faces and large eyes. Unfortunately a for the teeth, resulting in the dog high percentage of flat-faced pets will needing dental treatment under have health problems throughout their anaesthetic and usually several teeth lives which can result in a poorer quality being removed. of life and will often require veterinary Temperature. Open-mouth breathing intervention. is a dog’s way to regulate its body temperature, but if the dog is not able What are the health issues? to breathe properly then heat regulation Breathing problems. The nostrils are is compromised, so overexertion can too narrow to facilitate proper airflow become life threatening to these dogs.

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Overheating issues often result in an intolerance to exercise which is mistakenly interpreted as a “stubborn dog” that suddenly lies down during a walk. The reason for this however can be that the dog needs a break to catch his breath and is close to fainting.

Eye problems. Flat-faced breeds have been bred to have bulging eyes which are exposed to more air than other breeds, which can cause the eyes to dry out quicker. Eyes need to be kept moist with a constant tear film and if this is not possible due to the bulging eyes then artificial tears may have to be added as a daily, ongoing treatment. Furthermore, due to the face being so flat, the tear ducts are often obstructed. As a result the dog can suffer from tears not being able to drain through the ducts and develop constant moist tear stains on their faces.

These moist areas can become infected and painful. Severe cases may result in needing ongoing daily treatment for life and some dogs may end up losing their sight completely.

Skin diseases. The extra skin folds over the nose can cause fur rubbing on the eyeballs and the weepy eyes keep the skin folds moist which can be a breeding ground for infections. These infections cause soreness and the dog to rub its face, resulting in even deeper wounds around the face that could require veterinary attention and sometimes surgery to cut out the extra skin folds.

Neurological problems. A Pug’s screwshaped tail is often linked to painful spine abnormalities, neurological problems and an inability to give birth without surgical intervention. www.themayhew.org

Malone is an example of a brachycephalic breed.

How can owners help their flat-faced pets?

Signs of breathing difficulties are a sign that a dog needs veterinary help. Surgery is recommended for dogs that have moderate to severe breathing problems, however being under anaesthetic carries a greater risk for a brachycephalic dog.

You should also act promptly if your dog has a sore or discharging eye, or sore or smelly skin or ears.

Please think before getting a brachycephalic pet and consider adopting a rescue from an animal shelter such as The Mayhew Animal Home rather than encouraging the demand for further breeding of brachycephalic pets.

If you have a question you’d like our team of experts to answer in our next edition of the magazine, please get in touch: support@themayhewanimalhome.org

or call 020 8206 5870.

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How to handle the heat With summer upon us and the temperatures heating up, our Head of Animal Welfare, Zoe Edwards, talks us through some top tips to ensure your pet stays safe and comfortable in the warmer weather.

Watch their paws As we would wear shoes when we go out and about in the sun, we might not realise that the ground can get extremely hot. This can be painful for an animal’s sensitive paw pads and their bodies too, which are much lower to the hot pavement. It can be very stressful to a pet and can cause overheating, so the general rule of thumb is if the pavement is hot to your touch then it will be too hot for an animal’s paws. Often grass is cooler, so go for a walk in a field, and take note of our next tip!

When to walk Gentle exercise in the morning and evening when the temperature is cooler is much better for your dog in the summer months. Zoe advises dog owners to avoid their dogs being outdoors at peak heat time (typically noon-3pm) and to keep their pet indoors in a cool room on a hot day, with access to the garden for toilet stops and plenty of shaded areas to cool off both inside and outside.

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Bob out and about before the sun gets too hot.

Always ensure your pet has plenty of fresh water.

Watch out for any signs of overheating.

The ‘glass oven’ effect

regulate body temperature by panting, overheating in a matter of minutes to the point where their life can be at risk.

With the weather heating up, we are urging people to not take this risk, even if you “won’t be long” or if it doesn’t seem to be extremely hot outside.

It’s not just the dog being left in a car while the owner pops into a shop that can be life-threatening and cause your dog to overheat. An owner driving their car can be unaware of their dog overheating if it is in the back seat or boot of the car. Zoe says: “I’ve seen many cases of owners oblivious to their dogs’ stress while they are at the wheel

of their car driving and their dog is in the hatch or boot of the car with the sun shining directly onto them through the back window. The dog is restricted and unable to move, panting frantically to try to regulate their body heat.” It’s important to understand that in situations like this, animals are completely dependent on their owner to keep them cool in the warmer months, as the dog can’t move itself to a cooler and shaded area to cool down.

Every year many people gamble with their pets’ lives by leaving them in a hot car or other unsuitable, enclosed environments, including caravans, conservatories and outbuildings which can heat up in a matter of minutes and become a ‘glass oven’. Zoe warns never to leave an animal in a car, caravan or conservatory on a warm day, as the temperature inside will be much hotter than outside and sadly animals can very easily overheat and die from heatstroke, even on milder days.

Dogs have less ability to cool down than humans and a hot dog can only

www.themayhew.org

Keep hydrated Animals should have clean water available at all times and it should be 19

Making a lasting difference Over a third of The Mayhew’s work is funded by gifts left in Wills. This generous gesture is vital to the future of our organisation and our proactive work against animal cruelty and neglect. Read how Dolores and Paul’s rescue cats inspired them to include The Mayhew in their Will.

Make sure cats have plenty of shaded spots.

replaced with fresh water every day.

If you are travelling with a pet make sure they have access to a non-spill travel bowl of water and take regular breaks to cool off in shaded areas. You can carry a cool water spray with you to mist over your dog or freeze a bottle of water for them to lie on. You can even add some ice cubes to your cat’s water bowl as a cool treat.

Provide shade Your pet will seek out the coolest parts of your home, so make sure they have access to areas with tiled floors and rooms that don’t get much sun. You can leave a fan on in a place where your pet can sit in front of it. Many dogs enjoy a splash in a paddling pool, which is a great way of cooling down, but be sure it isn’t in direct sunlight.

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Watch out for heatstroke Hot temperatures can cause heatstroke.

Some signs of heatstroke are heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, excessive thirst, lethargy, fever, dizziness, drooling, vomiting and unconsciousness.

Animals are at particular risk of heatstroke if they are very old, very young or overweight. Some breeds like Boxers, Pugs, Shih Tzus, and other dogs and cats with short muzzles will have a much harder time breathing in extreme heat, but all breeds can be at risk.

If you suspect your pet is suffering from heatstroke, call your local vet or emergency vet right away.

Dolores and Paul Davis from London are animal lovers who know the work of The Mayhew very well as they have adopted two handsome cats, Lennie and Luis, from our rescue home. They are beginning to think about their Will and what will happen not only to their cats, but also where their finances will be best placed, should the worst occur.

The couple first considered leaving a legacy to The Mayhew as they believe in the work we do and the good care we take of every single animal that comes through our doors.

Dolores and Paul adopted their cats from The Mayhew and praised our adoption team on the level of detail they went into when vetting them and their home and matching them to the most suitable cat for their lifestyle.

“When we approached The Mayhew about leaving a legacy, they were very helpful and gave us a tour of the cattery and the Home and Vet Clinic, as well as answering any questions I had regarding my legacy making it as easy as possible for us. On this occasion The Mayhew has also agreed to care for the cats if need be, which puts our minds at rest should anything happen to us. The Mayhew will take the best care of Lennie and Luis and find them a caring new home, www.themayhew.org

Past legacies have helped us refurbish our Cattery.

as well as all the other animals in need.”

Paul added that he would encourage anyone to leave a legacy with a charity that is close to their heart and to him it will mean a lot to know that at The Mayhew we can continue our great work and that he and Dolores can continue to support us for many years to come.

Including The Mayhew in a Will is a straightforward, easy and costeffective way to support our work.

You can find out more information at: www.themayhew.org/donate/ gift-in-your-will/ If you have any specific questions please contact legacies@mayhewanimalhome.org or call 020 8206 5870.

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Mayhew fundraisers Raising funds for The Mayhew is not only rewarding as you are helping the care of hundreds of animals in need each year, but it’s also a whole lot of fun! But don’t just take our word for it; see what our past events volunteers have to say.

Emily and Norman “I will be taking part in the 5k Color Vibe run in Brentwood, Essex on August 27th in aid of The Mayhew Animal Home. I am a great dog lover and found that this home does some amazing things to rehome all types of less fortunate animals. My dog, Norman, was from another rescue home so I know how hard it can be, to a smaller scale. I am really looking forward to running and meeting the other supporters of The Mayhew Animal Home in the future!”

Danni and Kinky “I first visited The Mayhew Animal Home about 4 years ago and I was won over by the people and how well the animals were cared for. I’m really excited to be running the British 10k for the Home and hope it’s the first of many fundraisers I can get involved with.”

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Karen and Bertie “Last year’s Hounds on the Heath event was Bertie Cheesecake’s (our rescue puppy) first visit to a show and he certainly seemed to enjoy himself.

As well as doing well in the Rescue category he loved meeting Lucy the Rescue Cavalier, Marc Abraham and all the lovely helpers on the Mayhew stall, who gave him lots of cuddles. As part of the Daily Mirror Animal Hero Awards team I am always keen to support charity events and we’ll certainly be back this year”.

Dates for the diary 16th July, 2017 Hounds on the Heath Hampstead Heath, 11am–4pm The hottest date for your diary this summer is our annual Hounds on the Heath event!

It is the perfect event for dog owners and dog lovers alike and this year we’re in partnership with Hampstead Heath’s ‘Give It A Go’ festival, so it is sure to be the biggest one yet.

The ever popular dog show with our VIP judges will be back, as will Temptation Alley and Agility Course provided by Friendly Creatures.

Not only will there be an exciting mix of stalls for four legged and two legged visitors, activities and

entertainment including a raffle with amazing prizes, but all funds raised go towards helping cats and dogs in need.

Find out more about this pawsome day out for all the family on our website, and if you think your dog’s got the waggiest tail or is the prettiest pooch then register for the dog show here: www.themayhew.org/ houndsontheheath

We regu lar website ly update our wit exciting h new and events t so keep oo a n eye ou , www.th t at emayhe w.org/ev ents

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Your letters – adopted & loved We love to hear about how our ex-Mayhew animals are doing in their new homes, as it’s so rewarding to see them happy and loving life! Here are a few of our favourite updates we’ve received over the last few months.

Peanut Hi Matthew, I wanted to get in touch to let you know how things are going with Peanut.

We can hardly believe it’s been a month since we got her!

She’s settled in really well and is such a lovely cat.

She is obsessed with food, purrs a lot, likes to play and go to sleep on us while we sit on the sofa in the evening.

We absolutely love her and her cheeky little personality.

Dusty and Bo Hi Matthew, Just wanted to let you know how Dusty and Bo are getting on. They’ve settled in really well and are now basically completely in charge of the house. They spend a lot of time chasing each other around the place like mad things, but they’re really affectionate girls.

Dusty likes to throw herself on her back for a tummy scratch and Bo just wants to be sitting on one of our laps or curled up with her sister. We can’t believe we thought Bo would be super shy - she’s now very vocal and gives us firm little head butts and nudges until she gets a cuddle!

Thanks so much for all the advice - we’re so glad they came home with us!

Sarah & Jake

Thanks so much for bringing us together. We can’t imagine life without her!

Best wishes, Katie

Moo Moo Hi Lisa, Moo is doing really well with us. He is adorable.

Penny and Purdy Hello Lisa.

Penny and Purdy celebrated their 10th birthday yesterday. They are the picture of health for 10-year-olds and have adapted to beach living so well. Everyone they meet falls in love with their lovely natures!

We’ve had no messing in doors and very little destructive behaviour (the only casualties being one of my Croc shoes which I didn’t like anyway and a little Acer Tree in the garden. Now we collect him branches to chew!)

We all love him to bits, but to me he is special.

Thanks, Vivienne

They are wonderful with children and we meet up and play with all the local dogs no problem (though Purdy is convinced small dogs are cats) and living where we do, with an all year round dog friendly beach, there’s a lot of them!

To share your stories, contact us on Facebook, write to The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, NW10 6BJ or email support@mayhewanimalhome.org

We are forever grateful that we became their new family.

Veronica & Pete

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www.themayhew.org

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My rescue & me David Jackson and Helen Beuschel from North London adopted Foster from The Mayhew in 2009 when he was nine and a half years old. David’s touching tribute to his best friend shows us just how much love an older dog has to give.

Why you buy old dog? He soon dead.” It was the first thing that our postie said when we introduced her to Foster, and something that we joked about many times after, as we pondered just what a great decision it had been to adopt him, whilst he continued to outlive her pessimism, grinning all the while.

Foster was our first dog together – made possible by both of us working from home more often. But, having realised we could finally have a dog where to start?

Our friend Ellie opened our eyes to rescue dogs - enthusing about how they could be just as lovely as any dog, but more rewarding. Then, when my friend Mark said to me: “I would love a puppy... but an old dog would love a new home”, the decision was made.

We would rehome an oldie.

And there was Foster, on The Mayhew website, sporting an excellent “CV”.

Helen said it “couldn’t hurt” if we went to meet him. The result was love at first sight. He was a truly gorgeous hound.

He turned out to be an even better dog than we could have ever dreamed.

He travelled well, could be left on his own for a while, was good with adults and kids, obedient and loving... in short he was, as Helen’s sister Gail put it: “Everything a good dog should be”.

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The Mayhew _ Summer 2017

He’d obviously lived a fairly comfortable first-half of his life, arriving at The Mayhew as a chunky package. We suspect the name “Foster” came from a pub life as he could never walk past an open pub door, and could “work the room” for treats like a true pro.

But while he still did get to visit the odd pub or two, there was plenty more to be seen in between. He travelled the country with us from Scotland to the south coast; climbing the mountains and zooming through the woods; barking at the sea then sharing an ice cream… always making us laugh, always making every day together that bit better.

Many people overlook older dogs but I would say never discount an oldie.

Despite being nine and a half years old when we adopted him, Foster just didn’t seem to want to slow down - one of his

many nicknames became “Iggy Pups”, due to his endless Lust for Life.

As the years passed, he would be ready at the front door, every single day, come rain or shine. And even though in time he couldn’t win the race to the ball, it never stopped him wanting to be in the middle of it all, even if only for a big woof and a grin.

Inevitably though, despite his incredible will, eventually his body could no longer keep up, and with massive sadness we had to let him go, aged 17. That “soon dead” dog had outlived many of his younger friends, and had given us seven fantastic years.

No dog will ever compare with Foster – he was the first of everything for us as dog owners and we’ll probably still shed the odd tear at his absence for years to come. But when Lisa Guiney, The Mayhew’s www.themayhew.org

Dog Adoption Officer, introduced us to Sparky, we knew we had to take a deep breath and start that journey again, with another lovely dog desperate for a forever home. We think Foster would approve.

If you’ve recently lost a pet, why not share your story and fond memories with us as a way to honour your time together.

Please email support@mayhewanimalhome.org

You can also make a donation to The Mayhew in memoriam of your loved one. Your donation will go towards helping our cats and dogs in need. Visit www.themayhew.org/donate

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S D N HOU he on t

H T A HE A PET

ll out for a y a d r la acu

y! the famil

16th July 11am–4pm

Hampstead Heath, opposite the Parliament Hill Café VIP-judged dog show Temptation alley Stalls Food and refreshments Give it a go agility

FIND OUT MORE AT

themayhew.org/hounds or call 020 8206 5872