The Mayhew - Issue 24

The Mayhew

£1 where sold

The magazine of The Mayhew Animal Home

Issue 24 • Summer 2009

One chance only What saves the life of an illegal breed?

Kitten season

Feline families arrive at The Mayhew

Snap happy!

Enter The Mayhew’s animal photography competition

Plus: Red Dwarf’s Danny John Jules interviewed • Educational visits • Feral cats • Summer Fair

Helping animals and their carers since 1886™

We believe that animals, as living creatures, are entitled to legal protection, moral and ethical consideration and have a value beyond economic measure At The Mayhew we • Take in and care for

unwanted and abused animals and re-home them with responsible, caring owners

• Ensure that no healthy

animal in our care is ever put to sleep

• Prevent unwanted animals through our neutering and outreach programmes

• Promote respect and

compassion for animals through our activities, campaigns and education programmes

The Mayhew 14

32

31

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19 5 6 8

Beth’s happy ending News round-up

Fundraising Spring round up

10 12 14 16 17

Reception gets a makeover Danny John Jules interview Mayhew International Kitten season Garden cats

The Mayhew Animal Home and Humane Education Centre

Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ Tel: 0208 969 0178 Fax: 0208 964 3221 Email: info@mayhewanimalhome.org Website: www.mayhewanimalhome.org

18 20 22 24 25 26 29 30

The Mayhew Photography Competition Ask the Vets Animal care in the classroom

the life of a ‘dangerous dog’?

33 34

What’s on Your letters

Animal classics Kids’ stuff Find me a home Part of the team: animal care staff On the Register:

What saves Fundraising and Publicity Office

1078 Harrow Road, London NW10 5NL Tel: 0208 969 7110 / Fax: 0208 969 3902 Email: pr@mayhewanimalhome.org ‘The Mayhew’ is printed on paper from sustainable sources.

Please recycle your copy after reading.

The costs of this magazine are supplemented by advertising.

For further details please contact sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org

29 Photographers: Lyndsay Scott and Ashley Contributors: Sarah Dickinson, Ursula Goetz, Radek Konderla, Fran Llewellin, Tracy Rowlinson, Christopher Sainsbury, Kate Stanley, Dan Stibbs, Anna Underwood, Caroline Yates, Abdul Jalil Mohammad Zai Design: Fiona Jerome @ Deeper Media, fiona@deepermedia.co.uk / 020 7263 8857 Print: Velvet Consultancy, 020 7386 6623

Welcome

W

elcome to the summer edition of The Mayhew magazine. In the last couple of months we’ve seen the weather change for the better but unfortunately, the number of animals arriving has taken a turn for the worse, as sadly more dogs and cats continue to be admitted to us; no longer wanted or cared for.

It is The Mayhew’s mission to take in and care for the unwanted and abused animals who come to our door and we rescue thousands from

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ignorance and neglect every year.

The vital work of our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) emphasizes the links between social issues and animal welfare issues, some of which have been exacerbated by the recession. The Mayhew, through the work of our AWOs and Animal Adoption Team, strives to tackle the root causes of the current animal overpopulation crisis in the UK. Their daily commitment to the ethos of our organisation works to prevent more cats and dogs being given up to centres. Raising awareness

and educating local communities on responsible pet ownership is paramount and The Mayhew offers many avenues of advice.

In this edition you can read about the happy ending to a tragic tale of a puppy arriving at the Home earlier this year, only hours from death’s door (page 5) and see how our AWOs work on educational programmes in order to inform future generations of pet owners (page 22).

Summer time for many readers will mean school holidays, so we’ve made sure this edition includes plenty for our younger supporters, with quizzes, games and reviews (pages 24 and 25).

Summer time for The Mayhew, however, means dealing with ‘kitten season’ and the arrival of many abandoned litters. Read about the feral felines who fill up the kitten cabins and the garden cats who patrol the grounds of the Home (pages 16 and 17).

We hope you enjoy the range of pictures in our magazine and the opportunity to see more of the Home itself and the animals who come into our care. Now is your chance to see some of your own animal friends on these pages by entering The Mayhew Photography Competition (page 20).

So grab your magazine and head out to a sunny patch of grass to check out our other features including Ask the Vets and our Celebrity Interview

Media and Communications Officer

Survival story

Beth O

n 2 December last year, one of our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) received a call about an extremely thin and injured dog in the garden of a residential care home in London.

They found a tiny, terrified ninemonth-old pup looking very much on her last legs, so she was rushed back to The Mayhew for urgent treatment.

Starved, weak and covered in bites and scars, Beth’s injuries could well be attributed to the shadowy world of dog fighting. Her body was also covered in many scalds as a result of having a hot or caustic liquid thrown over her. Due to her small size and bite injuries, it was possible that she had been bait for other fighting dogs.

It was very upsetting to see her in this condition but early on it became apparent just what a friendly girl she was and how much she adored people and other dogs.

An amazing survival story – from dog-fighting bait to happy family pet, thanks to The Mayhew Once her injuries were healing and she had put on weight, she was able to settle in to kennel life and enjoy a lot of TLC from staff and volunteers.

In fact, she seemed to think that kennel life was the best possible thing to have happened to her!

Beth’s arrival and treatment was documented by our AWOs and her story was shown on ITV London Tonight as part of a report looking at the problem of irresponsible dog ownership in the UK. The Mayhew was very pleased to be involved in the programme as we see so many Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Staffie crosses and it is vital for those who deal with these issues on a daily basis to have the opportunity to explain the bigger picture. These dogs can, in the right hands, make excellent family pets. Beth is an ideal example of the friendly and resilient nature of the Staffie. Her happy and sociable

personality shines through even after all the trauma she has experienced at the hands of humans.

Beth’s friendly nature meant that when Mr Jackson saw her photo on our website and came to the Home to meet her, she was keen to shower him with affection.

Now, not only has Beth been lucky enough to find a loving home with Mr Jackson and his wife, she also has 84 acres of land to run around on at their home on a caravan park in Banbury. In an update to The Mayhew, Mr Jackson said: “She is the loveliest, friendliest dog and her past doesn’t bear thinking about. Given the start she had, her affection and love of people is incredible, there’s no aggression there at all.”

Apart from the physical scars, which may remain for life, there is no trace of the miserable, abused puppy who arrived at The Mayhew five months ago. A happy ending.

The Mayhew

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News round-up

Lost lambs, cats binned with the rubbish and a special appeal to pet owners’ landlords

Mystery of the London lambs

Spring time is synonymous with baby animals, daffodils and lambs gambolling across the fields, but The Mayhew was not expecting a call to rescue two 10-day-old lambs from a built up residential area in Kilburn, North London.

The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) were called on 30 March about reports of two tiny lambs wandering in the gardens of a property development company. The lambs were dirty, cold and dehydrated so once at the Home they were given a much needed bath, food and a warm bed.

The lambs, named Spring and Summer, remained at The Mayhew for a few days to be monitored by our veterinary team. They were given round-theclock care, with night staff bottle-feeding them every three hours. When they were healthy the lambs travelled to Wood Green Animal Sanctuary in Cambridgeshire, which has facilities to care for farm animals.

Recession’s voiceless victims Sadly the numbers of cats and dogs arriving at The Mayhew is on the increase and the media have been quick to report that one of the results of the economic downturn is an increase in pets abandoned because their owners can no longer afford to care for them. The Mayhew worked with the Daily Express to highlight this issue and urge people to consider carefully the commitment required when owning an animal.

Financial pressure can make people rethink pet ownership, but that is

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part of the forward planning needed when taking on an animal companion.

An important aspect of responsible ownership is pet insurance, as veterinary bills can spiral and many people are unprepared for sudden costs.

Animal Friends Insurance (AFI) policies start from around 20p a day and offer full lifetime cover. The Mayhew receives commission on policies taken out by Mayhew adopters and supporters. AFI is also a contributor to our Free Staffie Neutering Programme. So why not let them protect your pets and your finances in the future? www.animalfriends.org.uk

The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare The Mayhew’s Officers run a Pet Refuge Pet Rescue programme that provides people with the opportunity to have Programme their cat, or dog cared for while becomes a difficulties they deal with certain in their life. These difficulties Big Issue

may include hospitalisation, domestic violence or if a home has been damaged through flood or fire. It is our aim to assist both animal and owner and keep pet and person together, if that is the best situation for both of them.

Through our fantastic team of foster carers, we can place cats and dogs in homes for a fixed period of time until their owners can look after them again.

Lulu – Left to die A North London resident was putting his rubbish out in an enclosed bin area for the property when he noticed one of the bags at the bottom of the bin was moving.

Although he was worried about rats, he reached in regardless, nearly having to climb fully in, and pulled out a tied up hessian sack. Inside was a one-year-young, beautiful, female cat which he brought to Th e Mayhew, concerned about her health.

Th ankfully she was healthy and although a little underweight didn’t seem too disturbed by her ordeal. Th e bins were to be collected only a matter of hours after she was discovered so it was incredible luck this man took it upon himself to rescue her. Although the story has a happy ending, as within a week she was adopted to a forever home, it does beg the question: who on earth would tie her up and dump her in a dustbin to await such a grisly end?

The Big Issue magazine published a feature about our pioneering initiative, which highlights the need for more community programmes to assist people and their pets in difficult circumstances.

Mayhew requests that landlords review ‘no pets’ policy The Mayhew Animal Home sent out a request to landlords during National Pet Month to reconsider their ‘no pet’ policy on rented properties. High numbers of cats and dogs arrive annually at the London rescue home after owners have to move and are unable to find a landlord willing to accept their pets.

The Mayhew proposes that landlords ask pet owners for references from previous landlords and their vet in order to establish that they are a responsible owner. They could also ask for all pets living in the property to be neutered, therefore eradicating unwanted litters of puppies or kittens and preventing behavioural issues such as territorial marking of the property. Asking for an increased deposit can be an added assurance while the animal is living at the address.

All these measures would offer a huge amount of security for concerned landlords and would reduce the high numbers of dogs and cats needing to be re homed through rescue centres.

There is currently an animal over-population crisis in the UK and rescue centres are having to deal with an increasing influx of abandoned cats and dogs. We need to identify the root causes and act to address them.

The Mayhew

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Fundraising Spring 09 Events Co-ordinator, Fran Llewellin, takes a look back at some of our Spring fundraising events

Marathon Man

Photo courtesy of Mar athonfoto

The Mayhew was represented at this year’s London Marathon by Vice Chairman James Hogan. James has run in every London Marathon since it began in 1979 and this year marked his 30th! We would all like to say congratulations to James for completing all 26 miles, despite the hot weather on the day, in three hours and forty eight minutes and a big thank you to everyone who sponsored him. So far James has raised over £2,800 for The Mayhew.

Egg and Bone Race With our Easter Fair unable to take place this year due to the refurbishment of The Mayhew’s main reception, we celebrated instead at the Egg And Bone Hunt in Kensington Gardens on 5th April. Dog accessory store Funky Mutts and dog walking company Bone Rangers organised a day of fun for dogs and owners alike to help raise money for charities including The Mayhew. It was a wonderful day with a treasure hunt, dog show, flyball activities and the chance for people to meet some of The Mayhew dogs looking for new homes.

We would like to say a big thank you to Funky Mutts and Bone Rangers for organising this event and supporting the work of the Home.

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The Mayhew

Open Day Our annual Open Day is coming up on Sunday, 19th July. It’s set to be a fantastic event with gift stalls, face painting, a barbecue, live music, the chance to meet some of our fourlegged residents and a whole lot more!

We would love to see you all there, so please come and meet some of The Mayhew team.

We’d also like to take the chance to thank, in advance, each of our 36 runners who will be taking part in the British 10K London Run on 12th July in support of The Mayhew – Good luck for the run – we will be there to cheer you on!

For further information about the Open Day and some of our other upcoming events, please go to page 32 or visit the Coming Events page on our website www.mayhewanimalhome.org

Mayhew Sponsored Walk

On Sunday 26th April, The Mayhew set off to Hampstead Heath for our annual Sponsored Walk. This year the event also included a mini Dog Show, giving entrants the opportunity to show off their dogs and giving our judge the tough job of deciding which dog had the waggiest tail!

The glorious sun brought people to the Heath to take part in the day’s activities. Our Animal Welfare Officers were on site to provide free micro-chipping for dogs and participants had the chance to pick up some goodies for their pets.

Our dog show was a huge success,

with all four fun categories filling up in a matter of minutes. We were also lucky enough to be joined by comedy legend Ricky Gervais, who kindly agreed to judge the ‘Handsomest Male’ category with our Chief Vet, Ursula Goetz. Winners were given a rosette and a goody bag of Lily’s Kitchen organic food!

With over 100 walkers, on two legs and four, taking part in the four-mile sponsored walk, the event was a huge success. A total of over £7,000 has been raised so far from the day and it was fantastic to see so many of our re-homed Mayhew dogs with their new owners.

Thank you to everyone who came along on the day. We hope to see you there next year for an even bigger and better event.

Animal Rescue

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Please The Mayhew’s front of house area

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TOP: The Mayor of Brent, Jim O’Sullivan, and Deputy Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Cllr Adronie Allford, cut the ribbon opening our new reception together.

RIGHT: Cllr Allford gives one of the cattery residents some extra special attention.

FAR RIGHT: Stewart Goshawk of The City Bridge Trust with Kim Pearce, Mayhew Trusts Officer.

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The Mayhew

he Mayhew has, over recent years extensively refurbished its animal accommodation and clinic facilities so the need for a better reception area to welcome visitors soon followed. We also wanted to provide better facilities for our disabled visitors. To introduce the ethos of The Mayhew to the public we needed a modern, accessible space to accommodate the hundreds of clients that come through our doors monthly, who may be looking to adopt an animal, attend an educational tour or simply receive our advice and support.

The re-fit would not have been possible without generous grants from The City Bridge Trust, The Rose Foundation, Park Royal Partnership, The Bruce Wake Charitable Trust and the 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust. Thanks to their benevolence we have been able to create an area which will assist us in promoting the importance of animal care and welfare within the community.

Mayors in joint scissor snip

For the opening of the new reception on May 28th, the Mayor of Brent, Jim O’Sullivan, and Deputy Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Cllr Adronie Allford, joined us in an official capacity to cut the red ribbon and unveil the new refurbishments as photographers snapped away.

After a day of relentless rain on

ed to meet you

has just had a re-fit... and lots of our friends came along to celebrate the reopening

Wednesday, the sun blazed down on ‘official Thursday’ and guests mingled in our garden with drinks and nibbles before the refurbished area was officially opened.

Grant givers were able to see exactly how their money had been spent and to view the rest of the facilities to better appreciate how the new reception area reflected the aims of The Mayhew. Staff and volunteers were happy to show new visitors around as the feedback received was consistently complimentary about the facilities and the

standard of animal care we provide. Cattery resident, Rita, was lucky to receive a special afternoon cuddle from Mayor Sullivan and two of our abandoned kittens were given equally special treatment by Deputy Mayor Allford.

It was a day not only to celebrate the new refurbishments and what they will bring to the community, but also to introduce some new faces to the Home’s facilities and our commitment to the best possible standards of animals care and welfare.

The Mayhew would like to extend our appreciation to the trusts and grant-giving bodies who made this refit possible and also to the organisations who assisted us in including better provision for our disabled visitors by giving support and advice. The Mayhew exists to help both animals and their carers whatever their circumstances.

Many thanks to the support received from Brent Mencap, HAFAD, Great Ormond Street Hospital School, Access All Areas and Westminster Disabled Access.

I

t was a day not only to celebrate the new refurbishments and what they will bring to the community, but also to introduce some new faces to the facilities of the Home and the commitment of The Mayhew to the best possible standards of animals care and welfare.

The Mayhew

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Danny John Jules

“I am a huge feline fan and want to help The Mayhew by encouraging people to pay attention to the plight of these kittens who are at risk from a life on the streets.�

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The Mayhew

B

est recognised when wearing the vampire fangs he has donned for roles in both movie Blade and the cult sci-fi hit Red Dwarf, Danny John Jules aka ‘The Cat’ is a life-long animal lover and newlyinitiated volunteer at The Mayhew.

Danny came to volunteer in April 2009: he is a supporter of the work of the Home and being a local resident to The Mayhew, wanted to make a hands-on contribution. Mayhew staff were thrilled to hear about Danny’s volunteering plans and suddenly Red Dwarf merchandising started to appear mysteriously around the staff room.

Those infamous feline nashers stayed at home, out went the resplendent outfits that made his name on Red Dwarf and in came overalls and abandoned animals; The Cat couldn’t have fitted in better.

Danny spent his time with us working on The Mayhew dog section alongside Head of Kennels, Dan Stibbs, and his staff and students. This involves a lot of cleaning and requires someone whose delicate nasal hairs won’t be offended by the morning smells of a canine kennel. The Cat was more than happy to get stuck in.

“I can certainly see how it could be a shock to someone who hasn’t prepared themselves for the cleaning aspect of Mayhew volunteering, but it was one of my favourite parts of the job! Not because of the actual cleaning (I’m not mad!), but because you are doing something for the animals that they can’t do for themselves. I really appreciated the immediacy of the help I was giving because, as a volunteer, you may not be there to see a dog or cat all the way through the re homing process, but keeping their environment clean particularly resonated with me.”

Danny also gained further insight

into the past histories of some of the dogs that arrive at the Home and explained how his perspective certainly changed.

Appreciating that from a passer-by’s viewpoint some dogs may look skittish or unpredictable, the reality is they may be nervous or scared and are working through their fears and concerns regarding people or their environment.

“Walking the dogs with Josh and some of the other guys gave me such understanding of each dog’s personal story, what they had been through and what special care they need. It really opened my eyes to what can be done to help dogs overcome their fears or undesirable behaviours through training and understanding.

As they were given reassurance and care by staff, I could see the dogs developing and changing through my time on the kennels.”

While using some elbow grease to help care for the animals Danny also used his public profile to champion an essential welfare message during promotion of the 21st anniversary series of Red Dwarf. ‘The Cat’ joined with The Mayhew to remind cat owners everywhere just how important it is to neuter your pet.

The media loved Danny’s support of The Mayhew’s campaign for

responsible pet ownership, when he spoke out for the street kittens.“I am a huge feline fan and want to help The Mayhew by encouraging people to pay attention to the plight of these kittens who are at risk from a life on the streets. So in support of the Home, The Cat says ‘Save and Spay Strays’!”

Every summer The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers are called out to collect numerous litters of stray and feral kittens who are homeless and vulnerable to outside elements. Responsible pet owners need to neuter their cats and Danny immediately stepped up to speak out when he heard about these kittens in crisis – we couldn’t think of a better spokesperson.

The Mayhew

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Mayhew Internat Tbllisi City Assembly and ARC Georgia visit The Mayhew

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Stray dogs rounded up from the streets of Tbilisi

In May Mayhew International hosted a visit for Tbilisi City Council representatives and ARC Georgia during their 3 day fact-finding mission to London.

Following our earlier lobbying of the City Council and the Georgian Ambassador in the UK regarding the critical state of stray animal welfare in Georgia, the delegation came to London to see how the UK deals with over-population. They also came to learn more about the cooperation

between government and nongovernment bodies and, more specifically, how London deals with stray and abandoned dogs and other dog welfare issues.

The visitors saw firsthand the daily operations of The Mayhew Animal Home and also visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Thanks to The Mayhew’s close collaboration with Brent Council Animal Welfare Services, they met with the Mayor of Brent and

their Animal Welfare Team to find out more about local authority initiatives on the issue.

We were also welcomed back to the Georgian Embassy in London to meet the Ambassador who had been instrumental in arranging this visit.

A lot was covered in the three days and we were able to brainstorm how the City Government and local animal welfare activists can move forward to alleviate the suffering of street dogs on their return to Tbilisi.

“The delegation came to see how the UK deals with animal over-population”

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ional International Veterinary Training Programme Update Dr Mariam Chkhikvishvili, a vet from Tbilisi, Georgia was our first candidate of 2009.

Mariam has been voluntarily offering her services to the Animal Rights Committee (ARC) Georgia, an organisation which is trying to improve animal welfare Mayhew Vet work in the country. Together Mohammad with ARC she has established and Dr Mariam the Homeless Pets Help Organisation which aims to the IVTP training programme I educate local welfare groups will be demonstrating everything about humane methods of animal to my colleagues and students control. in our University, with the aim When speaking about the current of increasing and extending our situation in Georgia and the vets’ knowledge. The programme benefits of our training programme, is essential for every country like Mariam said: “The situation in mine. I will be forever grateful to Georgia with homeless dogs and Mayhew International for cats is very complicated as nobody allowing me to learn so many new supervises the population; there things such as gas anaesthesia, is no identification method. After intubation and more efficient

sterilisation techniques.

Thank you so much for this fabulous opportunity.”

Ursula Goetz, our Chief Vet, commented on Mariam’s visit: “Mariam was a fine candidate for the IVTP. Her main concerns were that she had little knowledge of modern anaesthetic protocols and not much surgical experience during her training in Georgia. She did improve extensively during the three weeks she was here. The most important thing that she learnt was flank spaying and her opportunity to observe a modern working clinic and post operative care will be priceless for the future.”

Slumdogs Seek Sterilisation Support Mayhew International has agreed to support the work of Hope and Animal Trust, Jharkhand State, India.

Advocating sterilisation as the most humane method of controlling stray animal populations, we are raising funds to sponsor local vet Dr Ajoy Kumar, who will work in field clinics in the district of Ranchi with the objective to sterilise the local street and community dogs as well as providing rabies vaccinations. £25 will pay for the neutering of 4 dogs – if you would like to help us help Dr Ajoy and the team from Hope and Animal Trust then please go to www. mayhewinternational org/donate/index.html

Mayhew International website: www.mayhewinternational.org The Mayhew

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Kitten Season

Summer sees the cat population explode. At The Mayhew we have special provisions to deal with the frightened feral kittens which are frequently brought in

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s summertime progresses The Mayhew will see the kitten cabins fill with young ones as our Animal Welfare Officers get called out to numerous reports of stray and feral feline families.

There are thousands of feral cats living in London but they tend to avoid human contact, often only being seen when a queen is venturing out to feed her kittens or the kittens themselves appear. When our Officers bring mum and babies back to The Mayhew, we are in desperate need of suitable fosterers to come forward and take the feral kittens in to their homes for socialisation.

Wide-eyed and hissing these kittens are often very confused about the human giants who have just entered their world. It is crucially important for us to socialise feral kittens as quickly as possible for a chance to re home them with a family.

The Mayhew operates a Trap, Neuter and Return (TNR) policy meaning adult feral cats are brought to the Home for neutering and then returned to their original habitat, providing it is safe to do so. It isn’t really possible to home adult ferals as domestic cats,

but kittens are very vulnerable to a life outside so successful socialisation means they can live happily as pets.

However, the opportunity must be seized at an early stage as socialising to domesticate kittens ideally needs to start before 10 weeks of age. All these kittens have ever known is to be wary and even fearful of human contact, so to convince them otherwise needs lots of care and compassion. You will be able to read in our adjacent feature about some of the semi-feral garden cats that live permanently at The Mayhew. Some of these cats were brought in as feral kittens but never adapted to life with humans.

Early experience of human contact and a home environment make all the difference to a kitten’s confidence so we try and find them a foster home as soon as possible. Being a foster parent can be amazingly rewarding and we will be looking for people in the upcoming months to help us. If you are at home for the majority of the day and feel you could help, then we would love to hear from you.

Contact catfostering@mayhewanimalhome.org or telephone Lucy on 0208 968 2350

Open Air Life

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art of the facilities at The Mayhew Animal Home includes a large garden where there is a colony of semi-feral cats living as residents. It certainly brightens up your day when you catch them peering down at you from the rooftops or the tree line – just checking in on what you are up to. The garden cats are available for adoption, but with little desire to become house cats, they would be miserable and insecure if forced to live domestically alongside humans in a restricted space. They are better suited to life on a farm or stables as long as it is a secure environment with food and shelter.

There are 30 semi-ferals presently residing at the Home and they all have their own identifiable character traits and little groups within the colony. The Mayhew also has indoor areas for the ferals to retire to and when there is a bit of a chill in the air they can be found snuggled up in heaps of tails and paws in our heated cat rooms.

The Cattery staff know all the garden cats by name and are familiar with their little idiosyncrasies. Here is an introduction to four of them: Johnnie

Pan arrived with Johnnie and the two are still inseparable even five years after their arrival. It is so rewarding to see how life has been transformed for these two cats and how relaxed and happy they are.

Pan

Johnnie aka 5 Toes arrived in April 2004 after his owners were temporarily removed from their home due to the unhygienic state they were living in. Our Animal Welfare Officers arrived to find Johnnie stuck inside the flat with no outdoor access, living among human and animal faeces and the dead bodies of other cats. No amount of coaxing and care was going to convince him to return to a life with humans and so his new vocation as a garden cat began. Thoroughly in his element he took to his new life with aplomb and is officially Top Cat, with many female admirers vying for his attention daily!

Zens arrived in March 2005 as a five month old feral kitten. There is a specific time period when it is possible to socialise feral kittens and Zens was past this crucial period.

However, a bout of cat flu meant he became more familiar with attention and is happy for Kate, one of our Animal Care Assistants, to give him a tummy tickle if he is feeling particularly frisky. A real bouncy boy, it is great to see his playful nature shining through.

Freddie

Freddie arrived in March 2003, aged 17 months, after The Mayhew got a call about 150 cats living in a property in southwest London.

The case hit the national press as this was one of the most extreme cases of animal hoarding in the UK. The Mayhew took in all of the cats and rehomed the majority. Animal hoarding is now being recognised as a psychological condition, with the people involved needing as much help as the animals.

Zens

If you wish to enquire about potentially rehoming one of our Garden Cats please contact Lucy Edwards, Cat Adoption Officer on 0208 969 0178, or lucy@mayhewanimalhome.org The Mayhew

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Snap happy! – Enter

If you’re a keen photographer with a trigger happy finger and a posing pooch to hand, then this up for grabs and the ultimate winner’s photo will appear in the Mayhew 2010 calendar

Categories

We would love to see snaps of your furry friends, so enter them into any of the following categories – the more the merrier!: • Lights, Camera, Action!: photos of your pet in action • The Best of Friends: your pet with their best friend, 2 legs or 4!

• Funny Bone: funny photos of your pet • Perfect Pets: photos of your pet which are particularly special to you • Never Forgotten: A chance to remember special pets who are no longer with us

Winners!

The best photograph in each category will be featured on The Mayhew’s website and online magazine.

The overall winner from each of the five categories will be featured in the next edition of The Mayhew magazine in October and get a special goody bag.

The overall winner of the whole competition will feature in The Mayhew calendar 2010

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The Mayhew

Mayhew volunteer photographer, Lyndsay Scott, visits the Home every week to take updated shots of our cats for The Mayhew adoption pages.

With a wealth of experience getting up close and personal with our feline friends, Lydsay offers some advice to any budding animal photographers.

What made you want to help The Mayhew by taking photographs of the

our photographic competition is the competition for you! There are goodie bags

any particular reason you like them the best?

For me, the cat is nature’s most beautiful creation; they really know how to pose too! They’re capable of such great expression and can look right down the lens at you. In a good photo, you can really capture the cat’s character and their particular mood at the time: happy, affectionate, curious, grumpy, mischievous, nervous... they show it all.

“I’ve got loads of favourite photos, but I really love this one I took of Marbles.

She was a really inquisitive girl and in this shot she’s coming right up to the camera to check it out. It’s like she’s stalking me!”

What tips would you give to budding animal photographers wanting to enter our competition?

Be Patient. Anyone who’s ever owned a cat knows that they won’t do anything they don’t want to do!

There are of course a few ways to encourage them, such as a titbit or some catnip. A squeaky toy either attached to or dangled next to the camera can do wonders to grab their attention.

Try not to use the flash, especially when it’s very dark. Cats eyes are so good at reflecting the light that they can look quite demonic animals in our care? when photographed with the flash.

Primarily, I do it to spend time with Natural light is always best as it the animals. I’ve been cat socialising brings out the beautiful colour of at The Mayhew for many years, it’s their eyes. one of my favourite places to be. I Take loads of shots. Keep snapping get to meet cats with such colourful away and it will increase your personalities – it really brightens up my day. Doing the photography allows chances of capturing that special me to give that bit more to the charity moment. as it increases the animals’ chances of As for composition, a general rule is to try not to cut off the cat’s ears, being rehomed by showing just how as the ears really define the cat’s face. gorgeous they all are!

But don’t be afraid to experiment, it’s You specialise in cat all a matter of personal taste. photographs for us, is there

How to enter

To enter The Mayhew Photo Competition you must include:

• Photo or digital image (digital images by email are preferred, to sarah@ mayhewanimalhome.org) • Payment by cheque (or card details by phone to 0208 968 2446) • Your pets name and age • Your name, address and contact number • Which category/ categories you would like to enter • SAE if you want the photo back

Rules

1. Entry costs £2 for every photo submitted. You can pay by cheque or debit/credit card. 2. You may enter the competition more than once. 3. By entering the competition you are giving The Mayhew permission to use your photo in the magazine, website etc. 4.

Entries must be received by 30th July. 5. Photos must be taken by the entrant. 6. If taking a photo of someone else’s pet, you must have written permission from them to do so. 7. For a photo to be used in our calendar (overall winner) we must have a high-res version of the photo. 8. Photos can be in colour or black and white. 9. Winners will be notified by letter or email. 10. If you would like your photo returned you must include a SAE. 11. The Mayhew cannot be responsible for any photos lost/damaged in transit, so please do not send any irreplaceable photos.

The Mayhew

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Ask the Vets: Adv Radek Konderla

Radek has been at The Mayhew since 2007 after he moved from Poland, where he has a private veterinary practice.

Ursula Goetz

Ursula has been at The Mayhew since January 2009 and has worked on farms, in small veterinary practises and as far afield as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Abdul Jalil Mohammad Zai

Mohammad has been at The Mayhew since 2003 after training as a vet in Afghanistan.

He has been on many trips abroad as a representative of Mayhew International, including return visits to assist the Afghan animal welfare programmes.

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The Mayhew

Melanie, now recovering from mange

I always flea my dog at regular intervals but have noticed recently that he is continuing to itch. My friend mentioned he may be allergic, but I haven’t changed any of my detergents and we have lived in the same house for years. Could it be something else?

I would advise you to make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible. Although it isn’t possible for me to pinpoint the cause, it may be mange and this can escalate in to a very nasty condition. Not all flea treatments treat mange and other mites. However, diagnosed early, it can be treated with weekly medicated baths.

There are two types of mange, Demodectoc and Sarcoptic, also known as scabies. If your dog does have mange, it is probably Demodectoc, which poses no risk of transference to humans – but you need to wear gloves when applying the treatment bath.

Recently, here at The Mayhew, we have had several cases of young puppies suffering from mange which had been left untreated and had therefore escalated.

The dogs had suffered an incredible amount of pain and were totally hairless. They were covered in scabs and scars from itching. You can see the photo above of Melanie, taken several months later, where she is still recovering.

No responsible pet owner would allow this to happen when a simple treatment will clear it up.

Q A

vice from The Mayhew team My 12 year old cat has been diagnosed with diabetes and I am wondering how it is going to affect his quality of life. I was too nervous to ask my vet as I feared the worst, but will he have to be put to sleep?

Sadly, diabetes is a fairly common condition in older cats, though there is no reason why a healthy 12 year old with diabetes can’t have a full life for several years. Feline diabetes can be controlled relatively easily and once in a routine with medication, or diet, then life may only be altered slightly.

Q A

Naturally, without seeing your cat it is impossible to advise for a specific case, but generally insulin injections or a prescription diet will improve a cat’s health.

Diet will need to be monitored so they are fed at consistent times, two to four times a day, and – depending on the diagnosis – insulin injections may need to be given twice a day.

Your cat will have to go for regular check-ups so that blood-sugar levels can be monitored. However, several diabetic cats have arrived at The Mayhew and gone on to be adopted, even with their medical condition. Naturally, you may find

I have read how important it is to have my female dog neutered but I have some concerns.

What are the pros and cons?

I have to say outright that there are no cons!

Neutering is a sure fire way to protect your pet from certain diseases and cancers, not to mention taking the responsible step not to breed your dog.

Thousands of animals languish and die in rescue centres and pounds, yet further supply is constantly created by breeders, as well as owners, who haven’t had their pets neutered.

Neutering is a simple, quick and low risk operation and is performed on every animal adopted from the Home.

Q A

Angel, one of our diabetic cats

it difficult at first to administer injections, but with practice you will become competent and cats can be surprisingly accommodating!

The chances of developing diabetes will increase if they are overweight, so dietary management is a vital part of responsible pet ownership.

Un-neutered animals face potentially life threatening diseases such as cancer of the reproductive organs, and severe infections such as pyometra. They are also prone to wander further afield in search of a mate. The Mayhew neuters from 12 weeks for dogs and 8-9 weeks for cats, assessing each animal before the neutering procedure. We will not proceed with an early-age neuter if we believe the procedure to be detrimental to the animal’s wellbeing and future development.

Some dogs may run around less once neutered so you simply need to encourage exercise and monitor their food intake.

Education Promoting The Mayhew recognizes that education is a vital tool, not only for preventing unwanted animals We promote respect and compassion for animals throughout all sections of our community and

Anna explains to the Brownies how important it is to ask permission from a dog owner to approach their dog

Educational visits

Each of our four Animal Welfare Officers works on one or more of The Mayhew’s community initiatives and Anna Underwood is responsible for Education. This comprises presentations, both onand off-site, informing students and visiting groups about the importance of responsible pet ownership. Anna visits schools and colleges to discuss animal welfare issues and also hosts tours and talks at the Home to explain how animals end up with us and what could

22

The Mayhew

be done to prevent that through further education.

Groups of students aged seven to 11 are welcomed to the Home. The visits usually last between an hour and an hour and a half and involve a short tour and interactive talk about responsible pet ownership and safety around animals, especially dogs. There is usually a short quiz at the end and a Mayhew Educational Pack is given to each student.

These educational packs give children interesting information about just what an animal needs to

be healthy and happy and how they will need to provide that in order to be a responsible pet owner.

There are also factsheets explaining how to approach a dog and read its body language to understand whether it may be happy, nervous, scared or afraid. At the Home Anna is able to show children how they

g respect and compassion

but also for widening the understanding of what levels of care an animal actually needs. beyond through our educational programmes should approach a dog in a safe manner using one of The Mayhew dogs. To demonstrate the procedure for asking permission to touch a strange dog, she shows how to use a hand beneath their chin and gently work round to their body, rather than looming straight for a dog’s head, which can startle and scare him.

School assemblies

In an assembly arranged at The Donnington School in Brent for a fundraising day for The Mayhew, Anna introduced the children to Toby, an ex-Mayhew dog, and was able to talk to the children about what animals need and answer any questions they had.

We also try and accommodate community groups such as afterschool clubs, Rotary organisations, Girl Guides and Brownies. To find out more about organising an educational visit or tour to the Home please call Anna on 0208 968 2352. You can also request copies of the factsheets from the Educational pack.

Underwood: “Heading up the educational programmes at The Mayhew is something I am particularly passionate about, as I believe it is crucially important to work equally as hard on these initiatives as on looking after the animals in our care; cruelty prevention is the key. By educating future generations about how to care for an animal and its welfare needs, means hopefully we are able to dramatically reduce cases of cruelty and neglect. Many children will be future pet owners so an early introduction to what a responsible pet owner should do is of great importance. Equally, many may have had no contact with an animal in their lives and reducing fears or phobias through reassuring educational packages can change perceptions and how people then behave towards animals they meet.”

Anna

One of the Brownies gets ready to stroke ex-Mayhew dog Bobby after learning how to approach him safely

The Mayhew

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Animal classics Whether it’s cats or dogs you favour, if you love animals you’ll love these reviews.

Plus win some goodies from Lily’s Kitchen

Under the Paw: Confessions of a Cat Man

Tom Cox, Simon & Schuster “Everyone knows about Mad Cat Woman. She is the childless lady who lets her cat obsession take over her life. The phenomenon of Mad Cat Man is less widely reported, but I admit it: my name is Tom and I am crazy about cats.”

For years, Tom Cox might have seemed like a regular, hard-living sort of bloke – a lover of late nights, rock music and beer – but he had a dark furry secret. Tom was a cat lover.

Always had been, in fact. For a while, he kept his passion in check, but there was only so long he could postpone his true dream, especially after he met Dee, his moggy-loving soul mate. In 2001, Tom left London and his job as a rock critic behind, and he and Dee, replete with Dee’s cat Janet and three new kittens, moved to a remote part of Norfolk, a county where they knew not one living human soul.

In Under The Paw, Tom records the chaos of owning seven of the most charismatic, idiotic and duplicitous cats in the country. How exactly does a person go from living a fancy-free young metropolitan life to suddenly thinking it is normal to be on 24-hour call for multiple sets of whiskers?

Tom addresses this and much more, encountering death, depression, flying fur and the first human sentence spoken by a feline along the way.

Bolt

John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Walt Disney Pictures Bolt, a small, white dog, lives the life of a superstar in eastern USA. He and his human friend act together in a film where they fight off evil soldiers using Bolt’s animated super-powers. But Bolt doesn’t know that it is only a film and that all his super-powers are actually animated stage effects.

So when he sees his friend leaving in a car for a new screening location, he thinks that she has been captured by evil forces. Without a second thought, Bolt dashes to rescue her but to no avail. Without his super-powers, the car is just too fast for him to catch. Bolt, heartbroken and completely shaken, does not give up so easily and decides to find his companion whatever it takes.

The best part of the film is near the end. A dangerous scene is about to be filmed when the new Bolt (the original was thought to be dead) knocks over a flame torch and sets fire to the whole set. The real Bolt, who has realised he has been replaced by another dog, spots smoke coming from the building. It doesn’t take long for Bolt and his new friends to find out that his companion is inside. In the blink of an eye Bolt runs off, desperately trying to save her. This heart-warming movie about friendship, care and a dog’s utter devotion is guaranteed to entertain anyone who watches it.

Nikita Kvasniov – aged 11 Win Organic Cat Food To win cat food goodies from organic pet food company Lily’s Kitchen, answer the following question: “When was The Mayhew established?”

Email your answer to sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org

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The Mayhew

v

Kids Stuff Spot the difference

Find 6 differences between these photos

Crazy about canines

Can you find all the words in the grid below?

Help The Mayhew Fancy doing your bit to help the animals at The Mayhew?

Now the long summer holidays are stretching ahead, why not take some time to help out some of our cats and dogs?

• Organise a mini-fundraiser with your friends, maybe organise a cake sale or a sponsored silence!

• If you have any animal-loving friends, family or neighbours why not ask them if they would be interested in doing a sponsored run, or swim? You could help them collect sponsorship • If you live near to the Home, why not pop in and collect some of our magazines and leave them at your local library, doctors or youth club when you next visit?

Wag

Collar

Walk

Woof

Fetch

Dog

Sit

Pooch

• If you are part of a London Brownie or Girl Guide group, why not ask them if you can arrange a tour of The Mayhew and see the work we do here?

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Spot The Difference answers: 1) Toy in cat’s mouth has eye missing. 2) Toy has yellow leg instead of green. 3) Flower top left is bright pink. 4) Cat has whisker missing. 5) Tree branch bottom right is missing.

6) Leaves top right are missing.

Find me a home Featured on this page are just a few of our present residents. All of them have been with us for quite some time and desperately need a home of their own. They each have their own delightful quirks and may need more understanding than others

Shamrock Shamrock Shamrock is a one-and-a-half year old male

Biscuit Biscuit is a twelve month old German Shepherd and Bullmastiff cross and is a very enthusiastic and devoted boy. He loves cuddles and a good brush, especially on his belly.

Unfortunately, Biscuit has not had the best start of life and as a result hasn’t been correctly socialised with strangers and other dogs.

Although he will sometimes bark at strangers, he quickly forms strong bonds with people who take the time to get to know him and he has shown himself to be a loyal, polite, calm, trustworthy, obedient and soppy companion.

Biscuit’s nervousness around strangers, together with his dislike of other dogs means he has to wear a muzzle and a long line when out.

He enjoys nothing more than playing fetch with a good old tennis ball, as well as chewing on a rope toy. Extremely affectionate; he loves to cuddle into you or lie across your lap. Biscuit has learnt new commands such as ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘come’ and ‘leave’ and is continuing to learn more. He is very obedient and will definitely enjoy attending training classes with his new guardians.

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The Mayhew

Shamrock is a one-and-a-half year old male who arrived at The Mayhew after local residents who arrived at The Mayhew after local residents reported a three-legged stray in their area reported a three-legged stray in their area needing permanent care and attention. needing permanent care and attention.

He is a friendly and very engaging puss with an He is a friendly and very engaging puss with an irresistible face and striking green eyes. A cat that irresistible face and striking green eyes. A cat that certainly loves a fuss, he will roll around showing certainly loves a fuss, he will roll around showing his pleasure at being the centre of attention. his pleasure at being the centre of attention.

Shamrock is currently living in a temporary Shamrock is currently living in a temporary foster home and is really enjoying himself as foster home and is really enjoying himself as they have been keeping him well entertained. He they have been keeping him well entertained. He is an extremely active cat who loves to play and is an extremely active cat who loves to play and certainly doesn’t let his disability hold him back. certainly doesn’t let his disability hold him back.

We would love to see Shamrock in a permanent We would love to see Shamrock in a permanent home with a lively household that can give home with a lively household that can give

Kitty

Bear

Bear is a fifteen month old, male Kangal who came to The Mayhew after his rescue from Afghanistan as a pup. He had been intended for use in dog fighting which is why his ears and tail have been cruelly amputated. He spent six month in quarantine before arriving with us.

One of the most loveable dogs you’re likely to meet, Bear is very affectionate and loves cuddles!

He does need further socialisation around other dogs as he can be a little too much for some and for this reason he needs to wear a halti and muzzle him all the attention he deserves and lots of play time! when on lead. He is a playful, confident and happy Because he can be a bit boisterous at times when excited, dog and loves carrying a toy around in his mouth. he wouldn’t be ideally suited to living with young Bear enjoys it when people play with him children, though can live quite happily with If you but will happily play on his own too. other felines. are interes ted in Toilet trained and very well behaved, adoptin any of g the an he is calm indoors. Bear needs imals feature d on th an experienced guardian who has is or any Pretty Kitty is a sweet and other a page, owned large guarding breeds nimal a The M t ayhew affectionate 13-year-old , pleas call ou before. His ideal situation would r main e female who was brought to The switchb be a rural or semi rural, all adult oard numbe Mayhew after a member of her r o n home with a secure garden 020 89 family became allergic to her.

69 017 surrounded by at least a six foot fence.

8 Craving human attention, she enjoys nothing more than spending her time with someone and having a nice relaxing nap on a lap.

A very well-behaved and undemanding puss, her only real requirement is for plenty of love and affection. Kitty’s perfect owner would be a kindred spirit; someone who lives a laid-back life but remains young at heart. Her favourite toy is a simple feather and she can chase it around her cabin just as well as any younger feline!

Kitty doesn’t enjoy the company of cats and has also been diagnosed with hyperthyroid and although well in herself, her new owner will need to continue with the medication she is currently receiving.

The Mayhew

27

Find me a home Hero

Mr Bojangles

Mr Bojangles is a ginger OAP who has found himself at The Mayhew Hero is a twelve-month-old male after being rescued from life as a stray.

Staffie crossbreed, dumped outside At the grand age of 16 the years are beginning to show but there’s The Mayhew injured and emaciated. still plenty of life in the old boy yet! He is a gentle and loving feline His teeth had been worn down and and like most cats his age he he had wounds covering his poor likes the easy life, relaxing bruised body. However it didn’t take back in a nice warm spot him too long at The Mayhew to realise and sleeping contentedly. not all humans are cruel. Now a lively, Bojangles is also very grateful friendly and playful dog, he enjoys for a nice loving fuss after greeting familiar people by mumbling surviving for so long on at them and wagging his tail. Hero his lonesome. He needs a does dislike other dogs, so will need a likeminded owner with a quiet muzzle and long line on walks in the and laidback household and park. a garden to laze in on a sunny Presently in a foster home afternoon. where he has settled really Bo is in pretty good shape If you are well, Hero is g n ti considering his street life, d in adop intereste responding to ls a im although he is currently on n ea any of th , e training. He is toilet g a a diet for his kidneys which on this p featured t a l trained and very a im n a new owner will need to er a or any oth ase le good at night. We p , w e h continue.

The May chboard it are looking for an w s in a call our m n experienced, all adult number o home who have owned 9 0178 020 896 bull breeds and will Hello, I’m Tyson. continue with his training I’m a 10-year-old and socialisation. male and I’m here because

Tyson

my owner was made homeless. I’m feeling really down at the moment since leaving my home.

Like the famous Mike Tyson, I’m BIG. I’m very fond of a chin-rub and once I’m more relaxed enjoy a gentle stroke of the ears too. I may take a while to settle down, but when I do you’ll find I’m loyal and loving. I’m very territorial, so I need to have a garden that I can call my own.

I’ve suffered from cystitis in the past and I’m best kept on a wet-food diet to avoid problems in the future.

I’m looking for a loving, fully-committed lifetime home.

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The Mayhew

Part of the team Take a look behind the scenes at the staff who work at The Home Kate Stanley and Tracy Rowlinson Animal Care Assistants at The Mayhew Cattery Kate and Tracy both began volunteering at The Mayhew on the same day in September 2003.

Kate: “I worked as a florist before coming to The Mayhew and this was the best job move I could ever have made. I have always loved and enjoyed the company of cats and now I get to care for them on a daily basis. The best part of my day is when all the cleaning and feeding is finished and I am able to socialise with the cats. This is just so important, especially for the feral kittens or cats who are scared or nervous. Cats are particularly sensitive to change and can find cattery life very stressful at the beginning, especially if they are older.

Naturally, there are times when you get sad seeing the arrival of so many unwanted cats, but

meeting potential adopters and finding them a perfect home is a fantastic feeling.”

Tracy: “I knew when my children grew older I would want to find work with animals and The Mayhew provided that perfect opportunity. Although on the NVQ course we had to work with all animals at the home, my real affinity is with the cats. I love caring for the ones in need and helping them overcome their fears. I do have a bit of a soft spot for the oldies, or the ones with conditions which might make them harder to re home. I have two cats from The Mayhew, one of whom, Charlie, is now 20 years old and still going strong! Every day here is different and that is a fantastic element to the job. It’s sad when an animal arrives in pain, but when you’ve helped nurse them back to health there isn’t a better feeling.”

“I do have a bit of a soft spot for the oldies!” – Tracy Dan Stibbs Head of Kennels

Having worked at The Mayhew for over seven years, Dan has shown his real passion and commitment to animals after giving up a successful career to retrain from the beginning as a member of the Animal Care Team.

“Before coming to the Home, I ran my own health club, but promised myself I would eventually work for what I felt most passionate about: animals. I began by volunteering, and then took my NVQ in Animal Care, working on both the kennels and cattery before taking a permanent job in kennels. I won’t say it isn’t hard work, it certainly is, but the rewards – like seeing a dog who has arrived in a terrible state grow stronger and get a second chance at a happy life outweighs the amount of cleaning you have to do!

I would certainly recommend the job to anyone who wants to work with animals, but make sure you volunteer!

Changing career to work with animals is a dramatic step and is hard, physical, and sometimes dirty work. I certainly knew it was right for me though, as I took a 50% pay cut to work at The Mayhew!”

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A life on the Register

A Life on the Register

Mason is a striking, handsome dog who will greet you with a wagging tail, eager to please and always on the lookout for other canine playmates for a game of tag or chase.

Many people however will sadly miss his soppy nature and his warm, friendly eyes as they will be focussing on the muzzle he is wearing and preoccupied with the fact his owner is keeping him on a lead, unable to let him free for a race around the park with other canine chums.

Mason has to wear a muzzle whenever he is out in public, not because he is aggressive or has attacked another animal, but because he has been identified as an illegal breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The only way for his owner to avoid him being put to sleep was for Mason to be listed on the Dangerous Dogs register.

across the UK are finding themselves in the position of having to assess bull breed crosses of unknown parentage to see if they may fit the criteria under the Dangerous Dogs Act. These dogs can only be assessed if they are over 6 months of age, as until then their physical appearance is constantly changing.

Arrangements are made with the Police Dogs Section for an expert to examine a dog.

If a stray dog over 6 months of age is brought into The Mayhew that may be an illegal breed, by law it has to be assessed by the police. If it is deemed to be a pitbull terrier type dog, after seven days, if no owner has come forward, the dog will have to be euthanised, irrespective of temperament. If an owner were to come forward for a stray dog within a seven day period, they would be able to discuss getting their dog registered with the police. Sadly few owners do ever come forward.

History

A registration review

Mason arrived at The Mayhew when he was only two months old in 2008 as an injured and neglected stray.

When no owner came forward to collect him he was put up for adoption. Whilst visiting the Home one Saturday, Sean Andrews and his wife clapped eyes on a doleful, wide-eyed pup and even as a self-confessed cat-lover, Mrs Andrews said it was ‘puppy-love at first sight’ and knew she would make him part of the family.

However, before he could do this, our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) had to explain to him that Mason may grow up to have the physical characteristics of a pitbull terrier type dog.

Whenever The Mayhew has a puppy under 6 months of age that may grow up to resemble an illegal breed, prospective owners are informed of what this may mean for the future. An AWO will explain that when the dog is fully grown they could be stopped by the police and if identified as an illegal breed the owner would then need to get the dog added to the Dangerous Dogs Register. Some owners choose to contact the police to have their dog assessed at 6 months, but as the dog’s legal owners this is their decision to make.

A six month cut-off

As a result of the bull breed overpopulation crisis, rescue centres

Until recent months responsible owners of a pitbull terrier ‘type’ dog would have faced having their much loved pet kennelled for up to six months during the registration process. Kennel life can be incredibly stressful for dogs and can have a huge impact on their mental and physical well-being. A devastating blow for both dog and owner.

The Metropolitan Police have recently introduced the ‘stay at home’ 4B option for registering dogs, after realising the current process was causing undue distress and exhausting police kennelling resources.

At home and playing in the snow on private property, where he doesn’t have to be muzzled, Mason is just a big softie PICS: Andrew Forsyth/RSPCA Photolibrary. One-off usage for The Mayhew Animal Home

the time to chat with people and give them as much information as they want about Mason and the 4B register.

“He is such a soppy dog and the family absolutely adore having him around, we can’t imagine life without him. He has made many other canine friends at his training classes, it is just a shame that he can’t play with them properly as he always has to be on lead and muzzled. People are often surprised when I say that he lives alongside our two cats as well, but he is just fantastic with them – even if they do boss him around a little bit!”

Happily Mason was spared the trauma of kennels thanks to the work of The Mayhew, and was the Metropolitan Police’s first ‘stay at home’ dog.

This now means that dogs are able to remain in the care of their owners and are now only briefly taken into kennels the day before court as part of the registration process.

Championing the underdog

As Mason’s owner Sean knows he is likely to receive a certain amount of attention when he goes out for a walk with his dog – not all of it good. It is understandable for people to jump to the conclusion that he must be muzzled due to aggression, as media coverage of ‘dangerous dogs’ has left many people terrified of all bull breeds.

As a champion of the underdog and the ethos of ‘deed not breed’ Sean takes it upon himself to take

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“I like to joke with people and call myself the Martin Luther King of the pit bull cause, but behind those words is a totally serious commitment to raising awareness of how dogs should be judged individually and not controlled by legislation. Naturally I find it difficult to see any merit in keeping Mason under all these restrictions as he is no way a danger to anyone and is a friendly, obedient dog who desperately wants to play with his doggy pals and run around off lead.

I do it though because it is saving his life. I wonder if many dog owners of other breeds could appreciate what that is like.”

For more information about the Dangerous Dogs Act 1997 visit the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk

Dangerous Dogs Register There are 4 illegal breed types listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, the most common of which is the Pitbull Terrier ‘type’. Under the Act a dog only has to have the physical characteristics that are similar to the American Pitbull Terrier to be classed as an illegal breed. This means that a dog with no pitbull genetics can be classed as a Pitbull terrier ‘type’ and therefore be illegal if it has a similar appearance to that breed.

The Dangerous Dogs Register allows dogs that have been classed as pitbull terrier ‘types’ to be legalised and to stay with their owner. For a dog to be added to the register the owner must agree to the following: • The dog must be neutered, tattooed and micro-chipped • When in public the dog must be muzzled and on a lead at all times • The dog must be assessed and deemed not to be a danger to the public • The registered owner must have a full police background check • The registered owner must never transfer ownership of the dog for the entirety of the dog’s life and must keep the register fully informed of their address for the rest of the dog’s life.

• The dog must also be covered by 3rd party liability insurance.

What’s On

Please tell all your friends about fund raising events at The Mayhew 19 July

The Mayhew Annual Open Day

6 Sept

London Vegan Festival

27 Sept

Chiswick Dog Show

This is always a great day with gift stalls, a barbecue, fabulous steel band and the chance to look around the Home. There will be plenty to keep children entertained such as face painting, bouncy castle, dog show and the chance to meet some of our four-legged residents. Hope to see you there!

The Mayhew Animal Home, 12–4pm. Entry: adults £2.00, children and senior citizens £1.00, under 5’s free, families (2 adults and 2 children) just £5.00.

A fantastic event for all animal lovers. There will be lots of stalls selling vegan food, animal-friendly cosmetics, ethical fashion as well as lectures and information about animal welfare.

Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8, 11am–8pm.

Entry fee: £2.00, children under 16 free.

There will be lots of fun activities to enjoy including agility displays, face painting, barbecue, refreshments and a Doggy Dash speed event. The Mayhew will be having a stall at this event, so come along and visit us there on the day.

Chiswick House Gardens, Chiswick, London W4, 10.30am start. Entry is free.

Class entries £2.00 each (pre-register for the event at www.chowgroup.co.uk)

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Your Letters We love to hear from you, so write and let us know how former residents are doing. Send your news and tips to: sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org

Paska, neé Marge

To Everyone at The Mayhew, Homer and Marge (now Läski and Paska, and apologies to any Finnish readers, but they do make good cat names) were nine-month old feral cats who had been resident at The Mayhew for six months when we first met them.

They were so sweet that we

couldn’t believe that ours was the first inquiry to adopt them. Having had previous experience of taking on feral cats we are amazed by their progress. Seven weeks in they remain pretty anti-social, unless food is involved, but play with each other and their toys endlessly with a great deal of thundering up and down the stairs.

Homer seems particularly fascinated by the white patch on the end of his tail and spends a great deal of time chasing it. They made their first foray into the back garden after five weeks and Homer had mastered the cat flap a week later, but it took Marge another three days before she finally figured it out.

Dear Lisa and everyone at The Mayhew Thank you so much for our wonderful dog, Bracken, we love him to bits and he is the best dog in the world.

He is really enjoying long walks, even in the rain, because it means he can roll

We would like to thank everyone at The Mayhew for looking after them for so long and giving us the chance to give them a home. It just goes to show that The Mayhew approach really does work.

Sirpa & Neil McIntee

Läski, neé Homer

around then shake himself on us! He may not be the fastest in the park, but he is definitely the most handsome!

So far our cat Martin and Bracken are getting along fine, but there is still work to be done before they will be happy to sit next to each other, which is why we cannot provide you with a picture of them close together just yet.

We have taken him to the country for a night and he was good in the car and loved the long hilly walks and the company of his host spaniel.

He was also well behaved around the livestock.

He has also been really well behaved for us all round and everyone we know loves him too.

We know he is here to stay.

Thank you so much again for him, From the Ingell family Bracken completely at home with his new family