The Mayhew Issue 32

The Mayhew Animal Home

The Mayhew Helping animals and their carers since 1886

Issue 32  Spring 2012 ÂŁ1

On target to build a brand new roof!

Sign up for a charity challenge New Cat Welfare Strategy Healthy tips for pets Get it right for rabbits www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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We believe that animals, as living creatures, are entitled to legal protection, moral and ethical consideration and have a value beyond economic measure.

The Mayhew is pleased to tell supporters of our relationship with Petplan, which is great if you are thinking of getting a new pet insured or changing your existing insurance provider. It is also great for us too, as The Mayhew receives 10% of your premium for the first year and every time you renew the policy.

Did you know 1 in 3 pets may require unexpected veterinary treatment each year?* Whilst advances in veterinary medicine mean vets can do more for your pet, treatment costs can soon mount up. We recommend Petplan insurance to all pet owners to help cover the cost of unexpected vet bills. Why not try before you buy?

For 4 weeks’ free Petplan insurance simply visit petplan.co.uk/4cv and quote our charity reference number 1077588.

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* Source: Petplan

The Mayhew and Petplan Insurance

Contents 20 Helping animals and their carers Our Animal Welfare Team help the

5 You keep us going!

A thank you to special supporters

6 News & Events

homeless

Find out what we have been up to and get involved!

10 Cattery roof construction!

28 What’s on Put these dates in your diary

30 Find me a home

12 Feline welfare Find out about our approach for best practice for cats

14 Top tips for at home health

Our dogs and cats available for adoption

Our vets share their knowledge

32 Tales in aid of tails Books that are helping our animals

16 From Japan to The Mayhew Film Director, Akane, comes to our rescue centre

18 Get it right about keeping rabbits Learn about the beauty of bunnies

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The Mayhew Animal Home Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ Tel: 020 8969 0178 Fax: 020 8964 3221

Email: info@mayhewanimalhome.org www.mayhewanimalhome.org fundraising:

pr@mayhewanimalhome.org events@mayhewanimalhome.org clinic appointments: vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome.org events:

Why we are speaking out

26 Part of the team Michelle Witham, RVN

Find out about the plans for this summer’s renovations

23 Neutering

33 Your letters Updates from former residents

34 In Memory Never forgetting our much-loved pets

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fostering or adoption enquiries: Dogs: lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org dogfostering@mayhewanimalhome.org Cats and Rabbits: matthew@mayhewanimalhome.org

Photographers: Yvonne White, Rebecca Hadell.

Contributors: Sarah Dickinson, Paul Herring, Caroline Yates • Design concept: Grade Design • Design: Deeper Media Ltd • Print: DC Direct

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Trustees: Adam Halsey, James Hogan, Joan Dixon, Judy Purves, Joy Spanner, John Matthews, Fiona Ash, Svetlana Ignatieva The Mayhew magazine is printed using sustainable materials including vegetable inks and recycled paper.

Please recycle after reading.

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Welcome Welcome to the first edition of 2012, a year which also brings us the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. However, we think we’ve got some pretty good plans to rival both those celebrations so why not turn to page 29 to find out more! people know about our homeless dogs, cats and rabbits. We also felt very honoured to be chosen by a group of benevolent London writers for their philanthropic book project. Find out more about this on page 32 and also how to get your hands on a copy of their collection of short stories – published exclusively for The Mayhew.

“If you’ve considered becoming one of our foster carers, then now is the time to find out more!”

Thank you to all our wonderful Mayhew friends, who have generously continued to support us in our fundraising and awareness raising efforts, and to adopters and newcomers who have joined us in recent months. We can only continue to be there for animals in need with your involvement

“We felt very honoured to be chosen by a group of London writers for their philanthropic book project” and there are so many ways you can help us, from adopting one of our animals, to setting up a Direct Debit, to simply sharing the news of our work with your friends and family.

On the very next page you can read about some of the fun ways supporters have helped us celebrate our anniversary and let lots of

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Turn to page 10 to read about the help we will need this summer when we finally get to build our new Cattery roof! Naturally we are very excited to put these plans into action, but we will need to source temporary accommodation for many of our cats and kittens while the building work is carried out. If you’ve been considering becoming one of our cat foster carers, then now is the time to find out more!

We also bring you news about our community projects and some tips from our vets about how to keep your pets healthy and happy with simple at home techniques (page 14).

Meet our new Events Officer on page 6 and get inspired to join Team Mayhew and sign up for one of her challenge events over the coming year.

I hope you enjoy this Spring edition. We always love to hear from you, so if you wish to share any thoughts, animal updates or news from your neck of the woods, then get in touch!

Sarah Dickinson Media and Communications Manager

You keep us going!

We think our Mayhew supporters are quite possibly the nicest people in the world! Each one of you helps us continue our vital work in so many ways, from adoption to donations, to volunteering to fundraising.

Here are a couple of ways Mayhew friends helped us last year.

In December, marketing and design company, With Relish, created Dog Bingo – a project to raise money and awareness for our animals – and launched it at The Chocolate Factory N16’s Winter Open Studios where the team sold specially designed, limited edition lino-prints and postcards and played games of dog bingo and lucky dog dip!

An online ‘Pup-Up Gallery’ was created to sell further prints during the festive season.

Marketing Director of www.withrelish.co.uk, Lucy Donoughue, adopted Pip, a Yorkshire terrier, in November. The lucky boy is much loved and now joins the With Relish team at their studio each day.

Lucy said “The Mayhew carries out fantastic work, not only re-homing but also educating and campaigning.

The love each member of staff, volunteer and foster carer has for what they do is evident and is wonderful to see.

Every animal deserves a happy forever home and The Mayhew deserves every bit of support we can offer, so they can continue their fabulous work.”

Dedicated animal lovers, Cheryl Wilde and

Ginny Williams founded a group called 4 Legged Friends about three years ago, to fundraise for animal charities. Not satisfied with being ‘armchair supporters’ these ladies are committed to getting active to help animals and hold tailored stalls at various community events in order to help their chosen cause. Cheryl said“We try and tailor our stalls to the type of event; at the local Duck Derby we had a duck game and at a flower show we had a lucky flower game. We rope in friends and relatives and spend a lot of time making ducks and flowers, decorating bags and so on for these games!”

Explaining why she chose our dogs, cats and rabbits to benefit, Cheryl added “The Mayhew is one of my personal choices and I particularly like the range of initiatives carried out; animal rescue and rehoming; work with homeless people and their pets; and sending vets abroad where the need is so very great.”

Hats off to these wonderful ladies and their friends, who make a very real difference in helping our charity.

If you wish to hold a fundraising event, or tell us about an event you have held, please email Lisa Houlihan at events@mayhewanimalhome.org or call 020 8968 2445

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News round up Read about what we have been up to in the last couple of months, including how some of our volunteers were recognised by the Lord Mayor of London!

Mayhew hounds in bid to be the canine face of the Canal and River Trust could be no better choice for the Canal and River Trust than a homeless hound who enjoys a jaunt along the river. We are grateful to our committed volunteers who take our dogs for walks along the towpaths, giving them great exercise and the stimulating environment of a river walk. Our dogs absolutely adore being out in the fresh air and the picturesque spot for this photo shoot couldn’t show off the beauty of the inner-city waterways any better.”

All photos were taken by wonderful volunteer photographer, Yvonne White, and can be viewed on The Mayhew’s Flickr page.

Several of our dogs took part in a very picturesque photo shoot in a bid to impress judges choosing a ‘canal loving canine’ for the launch of the new Canal and River Trust.

The British Waterways, which is responsible for 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales, will be taken over by the Canal and River Trust in April 2012.

In order to promote this the Trust was looking for a poster pooch to front their national campaign. Mayhew volunteers often take the dogs on long walks along the nearby stretch of Regent’s Canal, so we entered portraits of our homeless hounds taken in the beautiful backdrop of Little Venice.

Mayhew CEO, Caroline Yates, said: “There 6

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Work life Commuters and travellers in and out of London got to read all about the daily life of our Deputy Head of Kennels, Maria Markey, in the glamorous publication, Stylist magazine.

The lifestyle mag gives readers the latest hot new clothing and cosmetics recommendations but proves you don’t need to run a spa to do a job worthy of note! Our Maria’s article was hugely popular, drawing thousands of people’s attention to all our dogs who need new homes and giving readers an insight into exactly how much hard work it is to look after a kennel full of rescue dogs!

Recognising our Volunteer Stars Understanding just how vital volunteers are to the work of London charities, the Greater London Authority launched a scheme to recognise the essential help of these Volunteer Stars. Two of our invaluable supporters, Kathy Hooper and Susannah Britcher, received certificates in recognition of their help for our animals from The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Kathy Hooper has been a volunteer with us for two and a half years, giving up her time each week to take some of our animals on visits to residential care homes and shelters across London. These visits are among the most gratifying community programmes we run and we literally could not reach as many people and give them this interaction with our dogs, cats and rabbits without Kathy’s support. Susannah is one of our most dedicated foster carers, taking many dogs into her home. The one-to-one care, love and affection these animals receive in her home means we can get a real understanding of their characters and needs. It helps us a phenomenal amount in finding them their perfect happy ever-afters.

Thank you ladies, we are glad that The Mayor recognises your help as well!

Pedigree Adoption Drive 2011 We joined forces with the Pedigree Adoption Drive once again this year as one of their advocacy partners and were busy promoting the fundraising initiative to help both the dogs at The Mayhew, and those at centres up and down the country. Stories of our animals were featured in the Mirror, Full House and Closer magazine and we received a cheque for £1,000, which will go towards enriching our kennel environments and other rehabilitation works.

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Events Moroccan Mountain Trek Six fantastic supporters joined our CEO last September to scale the heights of Jebel Toubkal in The Atlas mountain region of Morocco.

The climb took the team four days as they powered to a height of 4,167 metres! This dedicated fundraising feat raised a phenomenal £5,558.56, which was distributed equally between the work of our charity here in London and our projects abroad as Mayhew International.

Royal Parks Half Marathon

Hats off to the eight, sporty supporters who limbered up in October to take part in the Royal Parks Half Marathon raising a very impressive total of nearly two thousand pounds between them as they completed miles for money!

If you are inspired by their achievements for our animals, then turn to page 29 for details on how to sign up for this year’s event on October 7th.

Halloween Party

We loved holding our spooky spectacular once more last October and welcomed animal lovers in their droves to come and join in the afternoon’s activities! The games, face-painting fun and creepy crawly confectionary helped raise a marvellous £909.72 toward the fundraising target for our new Cattery roof.

Our black cats must have brought us lots of luck on the day to raise this terrific total!

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Paws and Claws Run

It’s not every day you’ll see a convoy of merry motorcyclists pulling up to The Mayhew laden with treats and gifts. But every year, without fail, the generous supporters from the Busy Bee Motorcycle Club leave The Ace Café in Wembley to ride to our rescue centre to distribute treats and toys. As you can imagine our dogs, cats and rabbits love the arrival of this charity convoy and they also brought us £261.33 in donations to boot! Thanks Busy Bees!

Keep an eye out for this face…

Lisa Houlihan joined our team at the end of 2011 to run our Mayhew events. She’s looking forward to meeting you all over the upcoming months, so do say hello! If you have any events queries in the meantime you can contact her on 020 8968 2445 or email events@mayhewanimalhome.org

Christmas Fair

Nothing gets us in finer festive spirit than our annual Christmas Fair at Lauderdale House in Highgate. Hundreds of you turned up once more to browse through the great gifts we had on offer and to sample some of our delicious mince pies. This is always a wonderful afternoon to catch up with supporters and friends; many of the canine variety! A fabulous £3,517.62 was raised by our compassionate Christmas shoppers. Thanks to all and we hope to see you later in the year, when the season is upon us once more! www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Cattery roof constru When we first set the target of £125,000 to build a new roof for our Cattery, we couldn’t be sure we’d reach that goal. Thanks to your generosity we are now only months away from construction and our new Cattery cover.

Readers of our magazine will have followed the journey of our plans from the beginning of 2011 to the building plans we reviewed whilst crossing all our paws we could find the funds to renovate our facilities.

To recap, our Cattery roof is in a state of disrepair and the current materials means that the temperatures inside the cattery get very cold in the winter weather, but can be stifling in the summer. Our cats have snug pods that they can curl up in when the temperature drops, but our staff, students and volunteers certainly do not!

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We also have a wonderful kitten garden here at the Home that, although currently securely enclosed, doesn’t have a roof to protect our smallest felines from the wind and rain.

Our adventurous kittens love to go out in all weathers and this brand new awning will mean they can race around with the wind up their tails, but keep dry from any drizzle.

To date (Jan 2012) we have raised just over £100,000, which is a phenemonenal amount and all down to our ever-generous and compassionate supporters.

It’s always hardest to climb that last bit of the mountain,

so Pets at Home have come along to give us a push! The chain of pet stores run a charity grant scheme called ‘Support Adoption for Pets’ and have promised that they will award us a grant of £20,000 – should we raise the remaining £105,000 ourselves.

This is a vital sum for our building project and we thank Pets at Home from all our cats and kittens for using their means to help our animals in need.

We so close to our target and the much needed face-lift for our facilities. Our builders are booked and construction is planned to start in May!

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But where will all the cats go?

Good point! There will be a large number of cats needing to go into foster care for some, or all of the construction period. We already have an excellent network of foster carers for our felines in need, but will need more help during the building work.

How could I help?

If you feel you consider fostering one of our cats or kittens, then you need to ask yourself the following questions: • Could I commit to a minimum of 2-3 months? • If I have other pets in the home, how will they react?

I think I might be able to help?

Then, please get in touch with our Cat Welfare Co-ordinator, Joanna, who can give you lots of information about the Fostering application process and what our needs will be over the summer months.

Fostering is a wonderful way of helping the animals in our care and this is a time where we are hoping to hear from as many people as possible in order to make this construction period the most relaxing for all our residents so that when they return they can enjoy the benefits of the new build.

To contact Joanna and find out more about fostering, please email joanna@mayhewanimalhome.org, or call 020 8968 2352

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Spotlight on...

Cat Welfare Co-Ordinator, Joanna Puzzo Our reception desk is regularly inundated with calls about stray cats, found cats, feral kitten litters and cats who are no longer wanted. We have the facilities for over 100 cats onsite, but the demand is far higher and our Animal Welfare team are kept busy responding to emergency calls about cats and carrying out their invaluable Trap, Neuter and Return programme.

In order to address the spiralling need for animal welfare specialists to be able to assist the public and the feline population of London, The Mayhew has ensured that within our Animal Welfare team cat welfare is given a priority. Here is more about Jo and her role as our new feline ambassador: “Over the last year and a half I’ve taken real pleasure in finding loving homes for our feline residents and getting updates about how they’ve settled into their new homes as the Cat Adoption Officer.

In my new role as Cat Welfare Coordinator, I will be working more closely with the cats on our cattery to carry out behavioural assessments and to closely monitor their health and wellbeing. I will also be out in the field more in order to promote our work with feral colonies and our low-cost neutering scheme. It is so important to spread the word about responsible pet

ownership and this always should include neutering your pet, so I’m especially looking forward to getting out there and promoting our community clinic services. We’ll also be doing a big push for foster carers as we’ll need as many as we

can get this year when we start work on the new cattery roof. I’m very much looking forward to my new position and continuing to improve the lives of homeless cats and kittens until they find their forever homes.”

The lucky Mayhew cats who get to live with Jo! Sketch is a two year old female, who was rescued from a hoarding household with over 35 other cats. She was the last one to be adopted and was at The Mayhew for almost a year as she was a very nervous girl. Now she has settled in with Jo at home, she is calm and well-adjusted and just loves a tummy rub.

Clementine is a six month old tabby female who was found abandoned at four weeks old in someone’s back garden. She was barely recognisable, being a scrawny, bundle of bones. Jo took her home and the rest is history!

Puffin is a four month old female who arrived as a very under-socialised feral kitten. Jo brought her home to build her confidence in a home environment and with other cats.

Puffin and Clem struck up an unseparable bond and so one more joined the Puzzo household!

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Top tips for home heal We all know that the cost of a pet can easily mount up, especially where vet bills are concerned. But it is important to value your pet’s health all year round, so here are two top tips to keep your furry friends in tip-top shape.

Teeth

One of the most common problems that causes an owner pick up the phone to their local veterinary surgery is dental discomfort. It goes without saying that if your pet is in pain or off their food then advice from your registered vet should be sought immediately. However, keeping your dog or cat’s teeth in a good condition regularly will ward off potential future problems and possibly the need for expense dental cleaning, or treatment.

Many people feel nervous about cleaning their cat, or dog’s teeth, but it is an easy routine that can be aided by the wide variety of specialist pet toothpaste now on the market. Make an appointment with our Nurse’s Clinic, or your own vet so they can show you how to best approach it with your own animal, then you can continue at home. Pop into your local vets or pet suppliers to choose from the wide range of pet toothbrushes and pastes that they have.

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With cats often a finger brush can work very well, as you can softly stroke the side of their mouth – a very enjoyable spot for felines - and then gently slide the finger brush in and around their mouth with some very tasty paste added in! The motion of their tongue cleaning the paste around their teeth and gums is also beneficial and cleans off the tarter build-up that can lead to gingivitis which can lead to more serious conditions.

The range of chicken or meat flavoured pastes are also a great incentive for a dog to view ‘teethcleaning-time’ as a fun reward. With toothpaste on the brush, gently pull back the mouth to reveal the gums and teeth and work the brush gently inside the mouth. It is worth starting off slowly with a very short brush to allow pets to get used to this new sensation. The paste itself is a cleaning agent and while your dog or cat works it round their mouth it will clean the teeth.

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Nails

Most dogs and cats will wear their nails down and keep them nicely in shape through regular exercise, but they may need an extra pedicure from time to time and many owners feel nervous about clipping nails themselves.

Older and arthritic pets will certainly need a little assistance in keeping claws neatly trimmed so a good approach is to visit our Mayhew nurses for a starter session in nail health. Or pop to your own vets for an instruction session.

Pet nail clippers can be bought from your own vets, or pet supply stores so you can find what

best suits the shape and size for your cat or dog.

For a pet with clear nails you will need to gently hold your pet’s paw and apply soft pressure to the pad to fully extend the claw. Look for the pink tissue that can be seen within the nail (the quick) and only trim the extension beyond this.

Clip between the quick and the tip of the claw.

For dogs with dark black nails discuss with your vet or our Nurses the best technique for you to ensure you don’t cut into the quick – which can’t be seen – as this can cause pain and bleeding.

A very big thank you...

To the generous team at Veterinary Instrumentation Ltd who donated over £4,000 worth of equipment to our veterinary clinic, including general, ophthalmic and dental tools.

“Veterinary Instrumentation will always support charity endeavors when we can. We very much admire the work that The Mayhew carries

out, both at home and abroad and we are always keen to hear of any interesting or unusual cases that your team may deal with. The technical support team at VI is comprised of vets and vet nurses, so we know the challenges involved with working with animals!”

– Rachael Singleton, RVN. Veterinary Instrumentation Ltd

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6,000m to The Mayhew When Japanese film director Akane Yamada contacted us with a proposal to spend time at The Mayhew filming a documentary about best animal welfare practice, we were delighted to welcome her to our rescue and rehoming centre.

Japanese film maker, Akane Yamada has already received critical acclaim in her country for many documentaries but felt that her career of producing subjective viewpoints was not satisfying enough. Wanting to produce a documentary fuelled by her personal passion, Akane began

“Pets are something that humans created and we tend to forget that and our responsibilities to them.” thinking about a plan to direct a feature length film exploring global animal welfare issues and how Japan’s culture and protocols fare against other structures around the world.

Already aware of the UK’s reputation for high animal welfare standards, Akane contacted The Mayhew’s CEO, Caroline Yates, to request that she base the core narrative of her exploration in spending time observing and working at our rescue and rehoming facility. Speaking with Akane at the end of her visit, she explained what led her to our charity and her reflections on her time spent at the Home. “It was always my intention to document a UK charity and explore the operation as a whole. There are very few rescue centres in Japan and certainly they don’t operate in the same way as in England. I knew that by filming at The Mayhew I would not only be able to demonstrate the day to day care and facility upkeep of the centre, but also the veterinary care and the management as a whole too.”

Akane spent several weeks shadowing our kennel staff and working alongside them getting to know the routines and the individual animals in our care. “Pets are something that humans created

“I have invested a great deal of time and passion into this project after becoming inspired to act in response to the abandoned pets seen in the fallout from the Fukushima disaster.

Many people local to the disaster began collecting the lost animals and I was inspired by the compassion I witnessed.” and we tend to forget that and our responsibilities to them. Facilities like The Mayhew actually help animals as much as people. I went along to one of the visits run by the Home to residential care homes and the people were just delighted to spend time with the animals.”

Akane plans to finalise the film in Japan and screen the film in cinemas to raise awareness of the 16

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issues most pertinent to global animal welfare.

“I would very much like this documentary to portray the good model The Mayhew is as a facility. I have invested a great deal of time and passion into this project after becoming inspired to act in response to the abandoned pets seen in the fall out from the Fukushima disaster. Many people local to the disaster began collecting the lost animals and I was inspired by the compassion I witnessed.”

Akane isn’t only an acclaimed film director, however. She has already published seven fiction novels to great reception in Japan. After spotting the short story collaboration, Never Wicked, in The Mayhew’s reception, she was enthused to bring this fundraising model back to Japan.

“It isn’t just the animal welfare awareness I wish to share with audiences in Japan, but the wonderful commitment to fundraising that I saw in the UK. The book Never Wicked was written for The Mayhew

by a group of generous authors and I wish to do the same for Japanese animals when I return to my country. Additionally, one of the most wonderful sights we filmed at the Home was the arrival of all the motorcyclists from the Ace Cafe when they came to distribute presents and goods to the homeless animals for Christmas. I hope, and am sure these sights on the screen will inspire others to follow their lead in Japan.”

We were delighted that Akane chose The Mayhew to document and use as a model for high animal welfare standards and we will continue to strive to maintain the highest standards for our animals’ year on year.

In this magazine mailing, you will also receive the Mayhew International supplement, where you can read more about the work we carry out globally to help companion animals all over the world. facebook.com/mayhewinternational www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Get it right about kee Rabbits are wonderful creatures and can make the perfect companion animal. Their remarkable personalities make them truly unique.

Find out how you can keep your bunny friends happy and healthy.

Do you know it was the Victorians who initially came up with the concept of a hutch – simply for a place to put their rabbits before the pot. Yet, rabbits are complex, wonderful animals that can bond as deeply as a dog, and if free to run would complete around five miles a day.

However, their needs are many, making them an unsuitable pet for some, but an ideal companion for others.

So, what do you need to consider before you welcome a bunny in to your own burrow?

of neglect seen in rabbits is when they are simply left in a small hutch at the bottom of the garden for their whole life, with barely the room to turn around.

A rabbit can cover up to seven feet in just three hops, and would cover an area the size of 30 football pitches in the wild, so they certainly need their space! A minimum recommended hutch size is 6’ x 2’ x 2’ and a secure run of 8’ x 4’ These are just recommendations though and where any rabbit is concerned bigger certainly is better!

Rabbits really should have ‘Room of their Own’ Most rabbit can happily live as either indoor, or outdoor pets, but in either circumstances they need a house to call their own.

One of the most common cases

A balanced diet The myth of a lettuce chomping rabbit could certainly not be further from the truth and, in fact, there are only a few types of lettuce that can be eaten by bunnies and they should not eat

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the Iceburg variety.

Moreover, the Bugs Bunny caricature of a carrot nibbling rabbit is also a dangerous myth as a rabbit’s dietary requirements need to be very carefully monitored and should consist of 70% hay, 20% greens and fresh vegetables and 10% pellets.

A rabbit’s eating habits can give you an automatic insight into their health and overall wellbeing. A rabbit should never stop eating as it is essential that they maintain constant grazing for their teeth and intestinal tract.

Many people assume that hay provides bedding for their pet, but in fact it is a staple part of their diet.

If your rabbit stops eating then it may be a sign of overgrown teeth or hairballs and veterinary treatment must be sought.

ping rabbits

Do they want to be my friend?

A soft, floppy-eared bunny can almost be irresistible to pick up, but any owner with a resident rabbit must remember that they are ground-dwelling animals and to be suddenly swept into the air can be a terrifying experience.

The majority of rabbits are very sociable company and like nothing more to approach you for an inquisitive cuddle.

Bonding with a rabbit can take time. But with understanding and by allowing them to come to you on their own terms, it can develop into one of the closest bonds any owner can have with an animal.

Keeping them healthy and happy Doing your research is essential for anyone thinking of welcoming a pet of any kind into their life. Rabbits are no different, so time should be taken to consider whether you can provide them with the habitation space they need and the diet essential for their health. Rabbits are also incredibly social creatures with their own kind and nine times out of 10 rabbits are really only suited to live in pairs. They can become very lonely if living as a sole bunny and this can naturally affect their health.

Bonding two rabbits together is a procedure which must be done carefully and only with neutered pairs. Always consult a rescue specialist for advice if you are introducing two rabbits to one another for the first time.

What’s a ‘binky’?

If your rabbits are performing ‘binkies’ then that is a true testament to a happy bun!

A binky is when rabbits, literally, jump for joy. They jump into their air, often kicking up their heels and twisting their heads.

It is one of the most wonderful sights in the world.

For more information about researching rabbits, a great resource is The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund. You can also contact The Mayhew for a copy of our Rabbit Care Guide and visit our website for more information mayhewanimalhome.org/rabbits

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Helping animals and th Since The Mayhew was established over 125 years ago the ethos has remained the same: to be there for both animals in need and their owners.

We have a dedicated Animal Welfare Team to carry out community initiatives to benefit both and here is a spotlight on two of those projects.

Trap, Neuter and Return for Feral Cats (TNR) Many Londoners may be familiar with the sight of a couple of cats in their local area, whose homes they are not quite sure of, but many may be astonished to learn that there are thousands of feral cats living in our capital, in colonies all over the city.

Naturally, these cats have no desire to live as domestic pets and interact with us in our own daily lives. However, as is the nature of a built up city, they are often living far closer to us than we could imagine and in colonies of fifty or more.

Of feral nature, these cats are equipped to 20

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look after themselves and find food sources and shelter – but to a certain extent. Many kittens that are born into feral litters are literally in a lottery of survival as there are many perils to face these newborns. The larger any colony grows, the higher the competition for food and therefore kittens can be at threat from other feline members of their colony, or may perish after an accident befalls their mother, lack of enough nourishment or natural elements which mean their growing bodies are unable to maintain the strength to survive a cold snap.

heir carers Whilst we are able to vaccinate our cats against certain prevalent feline diseases, feral colonies must rely on their own immune system and cat flu and leukaemia can spread prolifically.

Another disease which can’t be vaccinated against is FIV and one which needs to be contained within feral communities. FIV is contracted by cats through fighting and mating – an occurrence within unneutered feline colonies.

Through neutering these colonies we can prevent needless tragic and painful suffering for vulnerable litters and dramatically stem the spread of FIV.

“Many Londoners may be astonished to learn that there are thousands of feral cats living in our capital, in colonies all over the city” In 2011, our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) trapped, neutered and returned 145 cats from colonies local to The Mayhew. These colonies can be based anywhere from disused factories, railway outhouses to disused wasteland.

The automatic and manual traps are large crates which close, either by the use of pulleys from our AWOS or by one of the cats triggering the release mechanism on entry to the crate.

These cats are then brought back to The Mayhew’s Vet Clinic and our vet team will neuter the cats, test for FIV and also ‘ear-tip’ the ferals.

Ear tipping is a small section of the left ear which is removed at the tip meaning that if any other animal welfare teams are carrying out TNR projects and observe the same cat, they will know they have already been neutered.

Our TNR initiative will continue throughout 2012 and we hope to benefit more feral felines.

Our AWO team work in specific boroughs in local proximity to The Mayhew If you feel you may have observed a feral colony in your area and may be in one of the applicable boroughs.

Please inform us on 020 8969 0178.

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Homeless Community Support that also welcome residents of a canine variety.

Over the Christmas period The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare team visited one of the emergency shelters accompanied by TV Vet, Marc Abraham, who is a familiar face on ITV’s This Morning. It is wonderful that the Crisis shelter offers refuge for both owners and their animals and we are always pleased to be able to visit the shelter and provide any animal welfare and advice. The majority of homeless people with dogs simply adore their pets and look after them incredibly well, but it is one of our community initiatives to ensure that The Mayhew can always be an avenue of help for them, should the need arise.

For over seven years, our Animal Welfare team has been working with charities in London to provide support to homeless people and their dogs. Our AWOs visit St Mungo’s shelter and Broadway drop-in centres in our capital and provide advice and free flea and worming treatments. They will also book vaccination and neutering appointments at our Community Vet Clinic at no cost to the owner. On several occasions our Animal Welfare Officers have also provided Pet Refuge to owners who may have had an extended hospital stay. This has meant that their dog has stayed with one of our dedicated Mayhew foster carers in their home until the original owner is back on his/her feet and they can be reunited.

In the bitter weather in Britain’s winter months, many homeless people living with dogs will stay out on the streets, rather than enter a shelter without their beloved companion. St Mungo’s and Broadway are two of the excellent homeless charities offering shelter all year round to owners with pets and CRISIS opens much needed emergency cold weather shelters at Christmas

If you work for a homeless charity or shelter that allows animals to reside with the residents and would like to discuss our initiative, please get in touch with our Animal Welfare Team on 020 8968 2352

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The Mayhew

Neutering There is an overpopulation of companion animals in the UK which is reaching crisis point. The Mayhew advocates neutering as the most humane method of addressing this issue. Neutering is one of the hall marks of responsible pet ownership.

Throughout 2012, The Mayhew will be taking our message to the public and reaching out to as many people as we can to raise awareness about why neutering is the only route for a responsible owner.

Keep an eye out over the following months for our campaigning action!

What is neutering?

Neutering is the name for a veterinary procedure which offers animals a permanent solution for birth control.

It may also be known as spaying, castrating, desexing, fixing or sterilizing.

What are the benefits of neutering?

Neutering is one of the most responsible and kindest actions you can provide for your pet, family and the community.

eliminating the risk of certain cancers and other diseases.

Your pet is also less likely to develop unwanted behaviours such as the need to escape, roam, spray or fight with other dogs or cats.

Healthy pets Neutering can improve your pet’s health by reducing or

Happy families Neutering usually reduces urine marking, sexual aggression, mounting and other troublesome behaviours.

You also won’t have to deal with the inconvenience or mess of a pet in heat (or a male reacting to a female being in heat). You’ll also be saving the time, money and

“In any one year over 100,000 dogs will become homeless and there are an estimated 2.5 million stray cats in the UK at any one time – please don’t add to the problem”

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time. Even with the best fencing or training there is no guarantee that your dog won’t escape or that a female in heat won’t ‘break in’ to meet up with your pet. Cats, of course, are difficult to contain if outside and they are quite quick at escaping the house when they want to be!

“All Mayhew animals are neutered prior to adoption – something we believe every responsible rehoming organisation should do”

hard work involved in raising a litter of puppies or kittens.

Healthy communities Neutered pets are less likely to engage in behaviours that could cause problems with neighbours and residents in your local area. Another huge benefit of neutering is pet population control – in any one year over 100,000 dogs 24

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will become homeless and there are an estimated 2.5 million stray cats in the UK at any one time – please don’t add to the problem.

When should I get my pet neutered?

As soon as your pet is old enough, get him or her neutered! Pet pregnancy ‘accidents’ happen all the

How soon after the neutering procedure will my pet be ‘back to normal’?

Most people are surprised at how quickly their pets recover from surgery (certainly much sooner than their human counterparts!) Most pets are up and alert shortly after surgery and for neutered patients, most are back to their “normal” self by the next day.

You may need to restrict activity in those pets who are very active and control excessive licking of the surgical site for a few days afterwards.

You may also need to take your pet back to the vet for a checkup or to have their stitches removed – this varies from vet to vet so please check when you book.

So don’t delay – get your pet neutered today! Take advantage of The Mayhew’s free and low-cost services.

Myths and Facts about neutering MYTH: My pet will become fat and lazy.

FACT: Females may have a tendency to put on weight after being neutered but this can be easily managed by reduced their food intake.

MYTH: It is better to let my pet either mate or have one litter first.

FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite.

In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first Season are typically healthier. Reproduction is a biological event in cats and dogs – they do not yearn for a family in the way humans do.

MYTH: My pet is too young now – I’ll leave it until he/ she’s a bit older.

FACT: Cats and dogs can be neutered from a very young age. At The Mayhew we neuter cats from around eight or nine weeks and dogs from 12 weeks.

The younger the animal, the quicker the operation and the faster the recovery.

MYTH: I’ll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.

FACT: You may find homes for your pet’s puppies and kittens, but you can only control what decisions you make with your own pet, not the decisions other people make with theirs.

Your pet’s puppies and kittens, or their puppies or kittens, could end up living on the streets, being runover, injured or put down.

change a pet’s basic personality.

They don’t suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.

FACT: Your pet’s puppies or kittens are highly unlikely to be a carbon copy of your pet. Even professional breeders cannot guarantee this. There are so many animals in shelters waiting for homes that are just as cute, smart, sweet and loving as your pet.

MYTH: I can’t afford to have my pet spayed or neutered.

FACT: The Mayhew Animal Home and other rescue centres and organisations in the UK run low cost neutering programmes. The Mayhew also offers a free Bull Breed neutering service and we are part of the C4 scheme for free cat neutering in London.

Check your area for low cost centres. Alternatively, adopt an animal from a rescue centre, as the pets are often neutered prior to adoption.

MYTH: Neutering may affect my dog’s emotional identity.

FACT: Pets don’t have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective in the home.

FACT: It is a dog’s natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog’s personality is formed more by genetics and environment rather than sex hormones.

If you would like to get your pet neutered at The Mayhew Animal Home’s onsite veterinary clinic please call us on 020 8 968 2447 or email vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome.org

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Part of the team Registered Vet Nurse, Michelle Witham

easily answer where her passions lay: Animals and Teaching. “When I left my previous career, I sat down with a family member and we made a list of all the things I desperately wanted from a job. I wanted to work in a team and alongside people that work hard. I also wanted to work with animals, perhaps have the opportunity to teach and also retain the enjoyment I had of working with clients that I had in my PA role.” Michelle began volunteering at The Mayhew and when an opportunity to train as a Vet Nurse at our onsite clinic arose, so she jumped at the chance.

“The beauty of the job is its holistic approach to caring for the animals”

Even though she had established a successful career as a PA, Michelle knew that when she felt a strong urge that is was ‘now or never’ to change her life direction, fate led her to The Mayhew and on to a career in vet nursing.

One of the most common complaints when people discuss their work is that they don’t find it enough of a challenge, or something they actually feel passionate about. Michelle couldn’t ignore these concerns in her previous office role and knew that if she didn’t make a change to find fulfilment she would ultimately regret it. “It is over five years ago now and I’m so glad I listened to myself when I did. The feeling that it was ‘now or never’ and I had to make a change was really strong and I knew if I didn’t seize the opportunity, I’d never find what I was looking for, and now I have!”

Michelle didn’t know that she wanted to be a Vet Nurse when she sought out change, but could 26

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“I thought to myself ‘I love this place and I could definitely stay and work here and do well in the clinic’.

I qualified as a Vet Nurse in February 2011 after four years hard work, but it was worth it! I had a great mentor in the Clinic and because of that I would really love to now move forward and train other nurses on the course.

So that I can progress to be the best teacher I can, I am learning more everyday in the clinic, from diagnostics, to surgery and completed my first suture prep for an eye surgery only last week.”

The Mayhew Vet Clinic is accredited training centre with the College of Animal Welfare and Michelle hopes to continue her career at The Mayhew welcoming others who are passionate about vet nursing on to the course. “Vet nursing is a wonderful career. Certainly, you have to be prepared to work very hard. It isn’t glamorous and you are looking after animals when they are hurt, scared and vulnerable.

But the beauty of the job is its holistic approach to caring for the animals as you are not just fixing their illness, but you are caring for them in all of their needs. Reassuring them when they are scared, understanding how to relieve their anxiety and helping them on their way to a new life.”

The Mayhew is certainly grateful that Michelle is so committed to our animals and their recovery.

Thanks for being part of the team!

• • • •

Cattery volunteer Kennel volunteer Rabbit volunteer Home Visitor

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What’s on Take down your calendar, open up your diary and make a note of the fantastic ways you can get involved with The Mayhew!

Ealing Bazaar Hanwell Methodist Church, 3 March 2012, 10.30am-4pm This year is the 34th year of this animal event – amazing! The Mayhew will have a stall where you can grab some fantastic gifts and hear lots about our work and the animals in our care.

FREE admission.

Spring Fair 2012 29 April 2012, 12 noon-4pm Come and join us here at The Mayhew for a fun filled family afternoon out. Celebrate all thing Spring and help our cats, dogs and rabbits!

Taking place in our beautiful garden we will have face painting, fancy dress, free range egg painting, Easter egg hunt, spring themed games and lots of stalls, crafts and fun, fun, fun! Help us raise funds for our unwanted animals and have an amazing family day out!

Hyde Park Petacular 15 April 2012 Watch this space! Details are being finalised for this PETacular held in London’s Hyde Park.

Come on down to what promises to be a fantastic day for all the family. We have lots of exciting stalls, activities and fun things planned, including The Mayhew’s sponsored dog walk and dog show.

Get in touch now for details on how to register for our sponsored dog walk (5k or 2k) or how to enter your pooch into our dog show! Save the date for a purrrfect day out, you’d be barking mad to miss it!

To make sure you are kept in the loop, make sure you keep an eye on our website and Facebook page and sign up for our e-newsletters.

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The Mayhew

The ‘Sign-Up’ section Superhero Run 13 May Regents Park Join over 1000 people running for charity in The London Superhero Run. No previous experience is required and with a bit of training, the distance should easily be within anyone’s capabilities. The spirit of the event is ‘taking part’ not ‘winning’ so you can run, jog or walk – you decide! 5K or 10k and a free costume for every participant. Be our Superhero and contact us today!

Nightrider Challenge 9-10 June 2012 A London charity bike ride with a difference... it’s at night! Take part in a moonlit 100km ride across London, taking in the sights like Tower Bridge, a deserted City of London, Canary Wharf, London Zoo, Piccadilly Circus, British Museum, London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square. Join hundreds of other charity cyclists and put your pedal power into action raising money for The Mayhew!

Royal Parks Half Marathon 7 October 2012

British 10K 8 July 2012

Lace up your running shoes and join us for The Royal Park’s Half Marathon! Taking place on 7th October 2012 runners will have the opportunity to run in some of London’s most prestigious and iconic parks all in aid of raising funds for our cats, dogs and rabbits. Money raised by the Team Mayhew runners will go towards our work helping unwanted and abused animals as well as to helping them find new homes.

Take part in the world’s greatest 10km route and one truly magnificent historic 2012 event in Diamond Jubilee and Olympic year. A popular, annual running event that takes participants past Tower Bridge, The Houses of Parliament and more of our capital’s famous monuments.

Here’s your chance to get fit and raise funds for our cats, dogs and rabbits. Money raised by the Team Mayhew runners will go towards our work helping unwanted and abused animals as well as to helping them find new homes.

For more information and to sign up for these charity challenges, contact Lisa Houlihan on 020 8968 2445 or email events@mayhewanimalhome.org

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

Blair

Reggie

Ronnie

Hello! I’m a bunny with a real nose for investigation and I do relish a scout around. I love spending time with my human friends, so perhaps we could pair up and do some investigating together?

I’m the kind of chap who loves to keep busy and make new friends with people. I’d try my very hardest to make you pleased and proud of me and I’ve always got a cuddle to give.

Are you looking for a sweet friendly boy eager to get on with all the people he meets? Then look no further – here I am!

I’d love to join your family as your only pet as I certainly have enough love to share around!

Carly

Kizzy

Sasha

I’m only a little lady so sometimes I get a bit nervous around strangers, though I have made lots of friends here at The Mayhew and they call me a real snugglebug!

If you’re looking for a amiable, affectionate buddy then I’m definitely your guy! Some say I am quite the exceptional puss as I do love my human friends and having a long loving cuddle.

Hello, I’m a young girl just desperate to find a home with lots of cuddles on tap and someone to share my enthusiasm of a good run about and a game of fetch!

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Adopting an animal from The Mayhew If you would like to enquire about adopting any of these animals, or one of our other dogs, cats or rabbits, please call 020 8969 0178. You can also email matthew@mayhewanimalhome.org about rabbits and cats and lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org about dogs.

Tashi

Toby

Daisy

Are you a fan of the laid-back life? I simply adore relaxing in my winter years and nothing would make me purr louder than to find a loving friend to curl up on and snooze away in comfort.

I’m a sensible boy looking to share my life in a calm home with an equally laid back family who have giddy moments too and appreciate my love of a teddy bear.

Hello, I have so much love to give and have been waiting for a home for over six months.

I would adore to come home and curl up with you.

Maisey

Dillon and Lily

Hello, are you like me and love a good bounce around and some fun and games? I’d love to share my life with you and for you to help me get over my nerves when I sometimes meet new people.

Hello! We’ve been at The Mayhew since we were very small and are so keen to share our love and affection in a home to call our own.

We had such fun in a foster

home recently, where we were able to race around, explore and get more confident. We also got lots of cuddles! We know we’d just love finding out feet with you. www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Charity creations As a charity solely reliant on donations, we are always exceptionally grateful to anyone who raises money to help us continue our vital work.

We were therefore delighted to hear about two exciting and benevolent projects by authors who wanted to benefit our animals.

A group of London-based writers have used their talent to make a real difference by writing short stories to raise awareness and funds for The Mayhew!

Never Wicked is a collection created in aid of our rescue centre, with a minimum of 50% of sales going to help us with our fundraising goals.

“This is a new model for creative fundraising,” says Project Director Angela Songui.“The concept of creating a ‘bespoke’ collection of tales for a particular cause can be adapted by writers groups everywhere. There are doubtless thousands of deserving charities in the UK to choose from, but when undertaking a project like Never Wicked motivation comes by making a choice from the heart. My 32

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heart has always gone out to animals in need and their carers, so The Mayhew fit right into our vision.”

So... what happens when a reluctant feline beauty queen has a major revelation? Or when a mild librarian is tormented by an angry bird? To find out why not enter our competition as we have five copies of Never Wicked to give away. Just tell us: “What is the date for our new event in Hyde Park this year?” (full entry details at the bottom of the page).

We weren’t just lucky enough to catch the eye of just one group of compassionate creatives, and were over the moon when talented interior designer, Sophie Paterson, contacted us to explain she had chosen our charity to benefit from all the proceeds of her new book, Style and Glamour.

Sophie explained why she wanted our animals to benefit from her beautiful 120 page glamour guide: “The Mayhew is a cause close to my heart being an animal lover, but what particularly appealed to me about them over all the other great animal charities in London is that as a relatively small charity with smaller overheads they are particularly efficient at putting all the funds raised towards helping the animals. As an interior designer I recognise the importance of a

comfortable and homely environment, and the level of comfort enjoyed by the animals at The Mayhew is outstanding – the staff have gone above and beyond to ensure the animals have everything they need to keep them comfortable, safe and content during their stay.”

If you want to get your hands on a copy of this style bible, which includes room-by-room chapters on how to get the very best for each individual area in your home, just answer this question: “Which charity did our Animal Welfare Officers work with when visiting their emergency cold weather shelter?”

How to enter: Please email/ post your answers to sarah@ mayhewanimalhome.org or Sarah Dickinson, The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ.

Your Letters

The Mayhew Animal Home

We absolutely love to hear from you, so if you have anything you would like to share with or ask us, please get in touch by writing to Sarah Dickinson, The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ or emailing sarah@ mayhewanimalhome.org

Dear Mayhew

I adopted Bella in September 2011 because she is a gentle, affectionate cat with a loud purr and wonderful personality. Your Cat Adoption Officer, JoAnna, showed great kindness towards Bella and Anne Harvey, who carried out our home visit, provided excellent support and advice.

Since then, Bella has settled very well into her new home and brightens up every day.

The photographs show her having fun in our garden and looking radiant in the autumn sunshine!

Bella has boundless energy and loves chasing sticks and pieces of ribbon, playing ‘hide

and seek’ and darting up our apple and pear trees – she could have joined the circus!

Her other favourite pastimes are eating bowls of chicken and curling up on my bed. Bella is the most delightful companion.

Her two kittens, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, adore each other and will soon be looking for a loving home together.

Whoever adopts them will be very lucky because they are beautiful and sweet-natured ust like their mum!

Best wishes, Azmina and Family

Dear Mayhew

Just to let you know that Widget is settling in very well, he’s such a lovely little pup everyone has fallen in love with him and wants to take him home! Think I’ll have to keep a very close eye on him otherwise he could be going home in someone else’s pocket!

He’s 98% house trained, just has to learn to let us know when he needs to go out. He’s clean at night and when we’ve been out and have left him, so that’s great.

It feels like we’ve had him forever not just a week! He’s getting on well with our dogs, Micky and Archie, and he’s met lots of doggy friends of all shapes and sizes and is great with them all. He did very well at his first puppy class and the trainer was very impressed seeing as he had only been with us a few days!

Thank you, we love him to bits!

The Ayers Family www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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In memory Animals enrich our lives in so many ways and the memory of a much beloved cat or dog resonates with us for much longer than the time they ever spent with us. We have been sent some very special words in tribute to some pets who will never be forgotten.

Shannon

With our 18-year-old Chloe getting older, we wanted to get younger company to help fouryear-old Liffey become more active and playful. When we looked at The Mayhew website, a photo of three-month-old sisters Niamh and Sinead stood out, and my husband immediately said “We’re getting those two!!” After visiting the Centre, and the home visit carried out, I brought the two little girls back to our house.

We renamed them Shannon and Brosna respectively.

During almost four months they brought huge joy to us.

It was amazing just how close they were, constantly chasing each other, wrestling, washing each other before finally going to sleep ‘with their arms around 34

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each other’ – literally. We also gradually learned to see the differences between them – Brosna being a little more insecure, happy to run outside but coming in every half-hour to check her ‘people’ were still in evidence; while Shannon was far more daring and could remain outside for several hours unless rushing in to the call of “Biccieeees”…

Then one evening, I had a call from the local vets... “Please come in... someone has brought Shannon in”. We rushed up there, only to find it was too late.

For a second we didn’t believe it, as there were no visible injuries; but our little adventurer was gone. We carried her warm little body home, and we said goodbye, as did her sister and

her older ‘step-sisters’. We buried her in our garden, in my husband’s best Manchester United jersey, and planted flowers and bulbs on the spot.

We still miss her terribly.

Thankfully, although Liffey was jealous of Shannon, she seems to have taken Brosna under her wing now, and plays with her, washes her and sleeps curled up with her. So our main fear, that of Brosna being bereft without her sister, is subsiding, as the animals seem to be coping well – probably better than their humans, if truth be told.

I would advise all pet-owners to have their pets micro-chipped, as ours all are – it enabled the vet to call us minutes after Shannon was injured so we got there very quickly. In different circumstances that might have been quickly enough to hold her as she fell into her final sleep.

The O’Reilly Family

Bertie, 1997–2011 I met the handsome little fellow that was to share my life for the next 14 and a-half years in the summer of 1997. A tiny ball of tabby fluff, Bertie couldn’t help but capture my heart and those of everyone he met from the minute we brought him home.

Over the years, although not our only furry baby, you were undoubtedly my special companion, mummy’s darling

‘baby’ Bertie. From London to Newcastle via Oxford; and from marriage to kids and beyond, you brought such pleasure to the entire family. If I had a tough day in the office, or if I was simply feeling below par, you were there for comfort and cuddles, or to cheer me up with your silent but heartfelt meow.

At almost 15, some might say you’d had a decent innings, but

I know that we could have shared a few years more if you hadn’t been taken from us so quickly and in such sorry circumstances. I’m sure the pain will lessen over time, and you can rest easy in the knowledge that your brother and sister, Boo Boo and Lulu, are doing their best to look after us, but you have left a colossal hole in my heart that will not easily be fixed. So many times I catch your shadow in the corner of my eye, or hurry upstairs expecting to find you curled up on my bed, but then I remember and the house feels empty again. My only comfort is that we were able to love you for 14 special years and for that, I will always be grateful. Goodbye and good night; sleep soundly my darling, darling boy.

The Brummitt Family

If you wish to send a letter to us for our In Memory feature, please email sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org

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