The Mayhew Issue 33

The Mayhew Animal Home

The Mayhew Helping animals and their carers since 1886 Issue 33 Summer 2012 ÂŁ1

ew

The Mayh

Help our vital new campaign Snap Happy: Our photo competition returns!

Training the vets of the future Amazing animal recoveries Essential dates for your diary!

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

Contents 24 In memory

5 Pet refuge Could you help a dog in need?

A tribute to pets who are no longer with us

6 News and Events Find out what we have been up to

26 Part of the Team Emily Clark, Grants, Trusts and

and get involved

Partnership Officer

10 Hyde Bark photo feature Can you spot yourself at our pet-tacular?

14 A Mayhew message

help our animals

Get involved in our vital new campaign

16 Happy endings

28 Corporate volunteering Mix business with pleasure and

29 What’s on

Put these dates in your diary

Some of our animals who have had a long road to recovery

18 Vet training Investing in the future of animal welfare 20 Street animals and pressure cookers An interview with our Chief Vet, Ursula Goetz

31 Find me a home Our dogs, cats and rabbits available for adoption

33 Letters Updates from former residents

34 5 minutes with‌ Actor James Thornton

22 Snap Happy!

Our Mayhew photo competition returns!

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The Mayhew Animal Home

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fostering or adoption enquiries:

Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ Tel: 020 8969 0178 Fax: 020 8964 3221 Email: info@mayhewanimalhome.org www.mayhewanimalhome.org

Dogs: lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org dogfostering@mayhewanimalhome.org Cats and Rabbits: matthew@mayhewanimalhome.org

events:

Trustees: Adam Halsey, Chair, James Hogan Vice Chair, Joan Dixon, Judy Purves, Joy Spanner Fiona Ash, John Matthews, Svetlana Ignatieva

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

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Photographers: Bonnie Baker, Gary Black, Yvonne White Contributors: Sarah Dickinson, Charlotte Galvin, Caroline Yates, Amy Blyth and Paul Herring Design: Grade Design, www.gradedesign.com Print: DC Direct The Mayhew magazine is printed using sustainable materials including vegetable inks and recycled paper. please recycle after reading

Welcome Welcome to the second edition of 2012 and to all new adopters and supporters who have joined us this year! We’ve had a fantastic few months so far with amazing events and funds raised for reconstruction plans.

Find out more in this packed summer edition.

Our Neutering campaign is not simply about We are delighted to bring delivering a message of awareness but to also let you lots of exciting news in this magazine about upcoming activities at “Read how we are investing in future pet The Mayhew. A huge and health and welfare by training veterinary heartfelt thank you to professionals here at our London facility” each and every one of pet owners know about the services we offer at you that helped us raise our very own Community Vet Clinic, on site here the £125,000 needed to at The Mayhew. Turn to page 18 to read how we build our new cattery roof. With the inclusion are investing in future pet health and welfare by of a £20,000 grant from Pets at Home we’ve training veterinary professionals here at our tipped our total and our cats and kittens will be London facility. getting that brand new cover – construction We are only able to continue our work because starts in June! of the invaluable support we receive all year We were also thrilled with the turnout of a round from our compassionate friends, like you. wealth of waggy-tailed hounds and their charityThere are other ways you can get involved with supporting owners at our fantastic Hyde Bark our charity too, so why not read about our event in April. It was the biggest dog event we Corporate Volunteering scheme on page 28, or have held to date and was an outstanding enter our Snap Happy photo competition on success, thanks to all the people who came to page 22 – we can never get enough of seeing your support us on the day. Turn to page 10 to look own animals caught on camera! at some fabulous photographs from the day and As always, we love to hear from our supporters, flick to page 34 to spend ‘5 minutes with’ actor so whether you have news of an adopted animal, James Thornton who was one of our marvellous thoughts about our work or enquiries about our judges at the Diamond Dogs’ Dog Show. community schemes, then don’t hesitate to get in The Mayhew has always been committed to touch. We hope you enjoy this edition and don’t helping both animals and their carers, as well as forget to visit our website regularly for lots of pioneering community initiatives to keep pets updated news. Thank you. healthy and happy. We have launched a vital campaign this month to spread the message that neutering is the hallmark of responsible pet ownership. With this magazine you will have received one of our bookmarks featuring our campaign message. If you feel you could help us let more pet owners know about this essential Sarah Dickinson campaign, by distributing our bookmarks, then Media and Communications Manager please turn to page 12 to find out more. sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org

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Refuge in a time of crisis One of the more vital and most rewarding schemes run by our Animal Welfare team at The Mayhew is our Pet Refuge programme, which has been providing invaluable help to both pet owners and their animals for more than seven years.

Please help us continue this support into the future by considering foster care.

There can be times in peoples’ lives when circumstances mean they need to deal with an emergency or ill health, but have no-one to turn to for help in caring for a beloved pet who may be one of the few constants in their lives, sometimes their only mainstay, whilst they get back on their feet.

In cases of severe property damage, hospitalisation, domestic violence or rehabilitation, The Mayhew can offer some pet owners a lifeline, by having their dog or cat as a candidate for our Pet Refuge foster care programme.

Due to the high demand for this service, our Animal Welfare Officers are keen to hear from anyone who would consider taking a Pet Refuge dog and/or cat into their home on a temporary basis until the owner is in a position to look after them once again. This can be a period of anything from a few weeks to a maximum of three months.

The Mayhew would like to hear from people who have experience with dogs and/or cats and ideally are at home for most of the day. Zoe Edwards, one of The Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers, has managed the scheme since joining the

organisation. “The support and help our programmes give to people and their animals is phenomenal.

I could never have imagined that without a scheme like ours, some pet owners would have nowhere else to turn. The majority of the people we help would have been forced to give up a beloved pet because the circumstances in their life have meant they were unable to care for them over a period of time.

UK rescue centres are fit to bursting with unwanted animals and they struggle to take in more animals for rehoming when they already have an owner who adores them.”

We particularly need foster carers who feel they could offer a dog refuge under these circumstances and our Welfare Officers are especially keen to hear from anyone who has experience with larger breeds.

“Our scheme can only continue with the help of our amazingly committed foster carers. Our kennels are full of unwanted and abandoned dogs, so we cannot house the Pet Refuge cases at The Mayhew. The dogs benefit greatly from being in a calm, safe environment, where they can feel relaxed, while they are away from the home they know. I can’t begin to describe the gratitude of the people we help, who can be devastated in believing they may have to part with their companion animal. The Mayhew gives them the support they need to prevent this happening.

If you would like to make a very real difference to the lives of both people and animals in need, then you couldn’t do it any better way than by fostering one of our Pet Refuge dogs.’ Zoe explains.

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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News round up Read about what we have been up to over the last couple of months, including details of our scheme to enrich the lives of people in residential care centres.

Grant for clinical care As a charity solely reliant on public funds to continue our work, we greatly benefit from grants from charitable trusts, which enable us to expand our community schemes or renovate our facilities.

As you can imagine, as a busy 24:7 rescue centre, our facilities experience a certain amount of wear and tear! With the numbers of abandoned animals arriving at our rescue centre increasing, the team in our Community Vet Clinic are kept busy in a non-stop procession of neutering procedures, vaccination clinics, pre- and post-operative care for our in-house animals and emergency treatments for abused and abandoned pets.

Thanks to a generous grant of £10,000 from The Kennel Club Charitable Trust we will be able to refurbish and expand our dog ward, which means we will have more space in the pre-operative care wards to create a larger area in which to admit and neuter more animals.

Programme to help enrich the lives of elderly Londoners The very ethos of The Mayhew is to be there ‘to help both animals and their carers’ and in fulfilling this charitable mission The Mayhew provides several community outreach programmes. One of our initiatives is our regular weekly and fortnightly visits to residential care centres with some of our animals. Our volunteers take along Mayhew animals to spend time with care home residents who are living with dementia, recovering from strokes or are in elderly care .

The Mayhew is thrilled that The City Bridge Trust has awarded us a grant to enable us to expand this worthwhile project over the next three years, ensuring that Mayhew animals will be able to visit many more care centres across 6

The Mayhew

London and enrich the lives of many more elderly Londoners. Our animals absolutely love it too as they certainly get a lot of fuss and attention!

Speaking to Sky about compulsory microchipping In response to the news in April regarding government plans to introduce compulsory microchipping for all new-born puppies, The Mayhew’s Head of Animal Welfare spoke to Sky News about the real effect of microchipping on rescue centre work. The Mayhew admits numerous strays on a monthly basis and without a microchip there is very little way of being able to reunite them with their owner. We welcome the plan for compulsory microchipping but feel strongly that the government is still not tackling the real root causes of irresponsible pet ownership.

The Mayhew believes that, on its own, compulsory microchipping will not address the issues of abandonment, neglect or indiscriminate breeding practices. This will continue to be a problem until an ownership registration package is implemented, which would include microchipping, neutering, vaccination and regular health and welfare checks for animals.

Charitable organisations who offer free and low-cost neutering services should be provided with government assistance and much more stringent regulations on breeding will need to be introduced.

A thank you to the Lord Mayor of Westminster Over the last year, The Mayhew has benefitted immensely from the support of The Lord Mayor of Westminster, councillor Susie Burbridge.

She generously arranged to host a Gala Evening at the Haymarket Theatre Royal in London last November and was instrumental in securing Hyde Park as the venue for our fabulous Hyde Bark event (see more on page 10). We would like to extend our thanks to the Lord Mayor, who, during her time in office, has compassionately chosen to highlight the plight of London’s abused and abandoned animals. www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Events round up Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar We always find it a pleasure to be part of events where we are surrounded by other animal charities, working for various causes, so it was great to once again attend the Ealing Animal Welfare Bazaar in March. It was fantastic to be able to meet some of our existing supporters, as well as to sign up some new ones! The day was a great success and we managed to sell lots of

merchandise, thanks to the help of our many wonderful volunteers. We were also able to meet a real live turkey at the Bazaar, who by the end of the day had become something of a celebrity and even laid some eggs. But what made the day extra special was that we managed to raise over £400 – the most we have ever made at this funfilled annual event!

Kensal Flea From vintage clothing to a boutique bakery, the Kensal Flea had it all. So we were delighted when the organisers of this fabulous market decided to split the takings on the door between The Mayhew and another charity – a total of more than £700 was raised, half of which went directly to us!

We were in attendance on the day and it was a great opportunity to spread the word about the Home among the local community and to sell

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some of our unique merchandise. The wonderful Mayhew dog Bernard was in tow. He was a great hit with visitors of all ages and was very patient and well-behaved throughout the whole day.

Bernard gained lots of admirers and we hope that by us not only talking about his ordeal, but also about his recovery, we encouraged people to adopt from The Mayhew! We raised £644.93 on the day!

Spring Fair Come rain or shine we were determined to hold a fantastic Spring Fair and rain it did! Despite the downpours visitors descended upon The Mayhew to take part in the day’s activities.

Children were quickly distracted from the drizzle by an Easter-egg hunt, face painting and arts and crafts. They were even able to plant their own seeds and decorate the pot!

Adults, too, were kept entertained by an array of mouth-watering cakes, decorative plants and Mayhew merchandise on sale, with every penny going directly to help the animals in our care.

Of course, the main attraction of the day was visiting our four-legged residents. Lots of visitors took shelter from the rain in our cattery and were cooing with delight over our feline residents. Our special guest on the day, was the Deputy Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Councillor Belinda Donovan, who has a cat which she adopted from The Mayhew. She thoroughly enjoyed her visit to the cattery as well as a tour of our kennels and she even got to cuddle some of our kittens.

Thanks to the fantastic support of lots of volunteers on the day we were able to raise ÂŁ1,168.22!

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Our Pet-tacular in the We had an amazing day out at our Hyde Bark event on April 15th and would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who came and supported us and made our dog day out a grand success.

When we heard that The Lord Mayor of Westminster, in her patronage for The Mayhew, had arranged for us to be able to host an event in London’s Hyde Park we were delighted and tails were a-wagging!

We immediately set about making this an incredible day to remember for Mayhew supporters and for all of the other animal lovers looking for a fantastic day out in aid of homeless animals.

Our Events Officer brainstormed until there was smoke coming out of her ears before the pet-tacular plans finally came to fruition!

The stalls unpacked early in the morning, ready for the 10

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crowd, with delicious organic pet food from Lily’s Kitchen, glamorous leads and accessories from Holly and Lil, a custom canapé bar from Snaffles Cuisine and a doggy ice cream truck from Billy and Margot!

And that was just for starters!

We had our vet team and animal welfare officers in attendance to inform people about our work and a Temptation Alley smack-bang in the centre of the activities managed to tempt many a hungry hound away from their owner. Peckish owners were in no way left out. While their canine chums chowed down, cookies, ice cream and doggy themed cakes and refreshments

were provided by the Golden Afternoon Tea Company on beautiful china plates served inside a pretty tea-tent.

The highlight of the day, however, was the Diamond Dogs’ Dog Show and preened pooches were lined up ready to enter the rings with our judges: actress Jo Page, actor James Thornton, Marc the vet, Dog behaviourist Robert Alleyne, the ‘Barking Blondes’ JoAnne Good and Anna Webb and Denise Elphick from Pets Pyjamas. There was stiff competition to bag the top spot in categories such as Sweetest Staffie, Best Six Legs and Prettiest female, to name a few!

Fantastic photographers and Mayhew volunteers, Bonnie Baker and Gary Black

Park! documented the judges as they pondered and agonised over which wonderful dog was to win the prize. Another one of our Mayhew top snappers, Yvonne White, had her very own tent set aside for bespoke pet-portraits, which I’m sure you will agree, produced some very handsome shots indeed (see below left).

Other attractions of the day included a ‘Pat and Chat’ with the Metropolitan police dogs and their handlers, amazing agility from Halo Dogs and of

“The highlight of the day, was the Diamond Dogs’ Dog Show... preened pooches were lined up ready to enter the rings with our judges” course, The Mayhew dog parade, where many of our homeless dogs trotted round the ring in the hope they might just catch the eye of someone in the crowd who might want to take them home.

Over 100 walkers set off after lunch on our Jubilead Sponsored Walk raising fantastic funds by taking their paws around the park!

We can’t wait to start planning for next year’s pet-tacular event! It may be in Hyde Park, it may be on Hampstead Heath, it may be somewhere completely different, but one thing is for sure you won’t want to miss out on the fun! Keep an eye on our magazine and on our website for details of all our fantastic upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you there!

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“There was stiff competition to bag the top spot for categories like Sweetest Staffie, Best Six Legs and Prettiest female, to name a few!”

Thank you’s The Events team would like to thank the Green Man and Van removal and delivery company on behalf of The Mayhew for their fantastic help with Hyde Bark. They were helpful and reliable and provided a great service at a reduced rate, while helping the environment at the same time!

Everyone at The Mayhew would like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful team at Pet’s Pyjamas for their fantastic support of The Mayhew.

As a pets lifestyle website, www.petspyjamas.com really

wanted to help us raise funds and awareness for our work in caring for animals and very generously sponsored the event.

Petspyjamas.com is a onestop-shop for anyone animalobsessed as well as a great source of information and advice. They also feature Mayhew dogs that are up for adoption in the ‘Rescue Me’ section of their website.

We are very grateful for the support and efforts of Pets Pyjamas and look forward to working with them again in the future!

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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An important Mayhew message With the pet overpopulation crisis at an all-time high and rising numbers of abandoned and abused strays arriving at rescue charities daily, The Mayhew cannot sit idly by. Find out more about our vital new campaign to promote neutering.

The Mayhew’s charity ethos is to be there to help both animals and their carers. This means a commitment to both individual cases of animals in need and also addressing more complex animal welfare issues as a whole.

One of the biggest problems we currently face as a rescue charity is the pet overpopulation crisis. Numbers of cats and dogs are spiralling out of control as ‘backroom breeders’ produce litter after litter that then get sold online, passed around or often simply dumped when new homes cannot be found in time. Many of these animals end up in rescue centres as a lot of people do not comprehend the commitment they are taking on or the financial impact of caring for a dog, or cat. It is then left to charities, like The Mayhew, to pick up the pieces and provide care for these animals.

The Mayhew has always been an advocate of neutering – the hallmark of responsible pet ownership. We put our money where our mouth is and have been running low-cost neutering programmes for more than 12 years and our unique free bull breed neutering initiative began at our Community Veterinary Clinic in 2006.

However, running these community initiatives simply isn’t enough. Without effective government legislation addressing the stray animal crisis and pet overpopulation, it is left to charities to mop up the overspill and run schemes to address this issue at its root cause.

This May, The Mayhew launched its new neutering campaign message across the boroughs of London through an impactful bus 14

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stop and phonebox poster campaign, combined with a letter delivery to over 125,000 households explaining the work we do and why neutering is the essential choice for responsible pet owners.

Enclosed with this edition, you will find a bookmark which we have produced to promote our campaign through a wide range of distribution methods.

The Mayhew’s CEO explains why a public campaign to raise awareness about neutering is so important: “With kitten season now in full swing and unwanted litters arriving almost everyday at our doors, not to mention the daily calls about pups bought over the internet or from a pet shop and then no longer wanted after a few weeks, I am reminded time and again how important it is to get our message about neutering out there.

I am very proud of The Mayhew’s record in this regard; not only do we ensure that no animal goes to its new home without being neutered, a policy that every responsible rehoming organisation should adopt, but through the services of our onsite Community Veterinary Clinic we offer both free and low-cost neutering appointments for all. The Mayhew is unique in that there is no restriction on who can use our clinic services: you don’t have to live in a particular catchment area, nor do you have to be on a low income – the main issue is that the animal is neutered and The Mayhew wants to make neutering as accessible as possible to all pet owners and lovers.

In 2011 The Mayhew vet team neutered 2009 dogs, cat and rabbits – a fantastic achievement!

More than a third of those operations, 719, were free of charge through our flagship Free Bull Breed Neutering programme and our Trap, Neuter, Return project for London’s feral cat community. Such numbers would not have been achieved without the generosity of our supporters and some grant-making bodies that allow us to continue these vital services.

The Mayhew would dearly like to see the government more obviously advocate and promote neutering to address the very real dog and cat overpopulation crisis in this country, rather than leaving it to animal welfare organisations, already overstretched dealing with the aftermath, to provide such subsidised services. But in the meantime, The Mayhew will continue to put out the core message that neutering is the hallmark of responsible pet ownership and continue the provision of our free and low-cost schemes while resources allow.

This spring we have launched a wonderful new campaign aimed at cats, which seems so timely following a day, recently, when we took in nine kittens from two different litters alone. We are sure, that you, our supporters, will help us spread the word. Presently, there are simply too many animals and not enough responsible owners so the kindest action is to neuter – you will be saving lives and preventing suffering.

Thank you.”

Caroline Yates, Mayhew CEO

If you want to help spread The Mayhew message about neutering and responsible pet ownership, please get in touch and let us know whether you can help us distribute our flyers, posters or bookmarks. Call Charlotte Galvin on 020 8968 2446 or email charlotte@mayhewanimalhome.org. www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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The road to recovery Each and every one of the animals that arrive into our care has a different tale to tell. Sadly, for some of them, that story is one of suffering.

Here are a few updates about some animals who have travelled the road to recovery with us and now have a second chance at happiness.

Ruth When Ruth arrived in July 2011 it was a miracle she was even able to stand, let alone wag her tail and attempt to jump up for hugs and kisses.

Her skeletal frame brought gasps of horror from every member of staff. Her hip bones and shoulder blades protruded at sharp angles, each rib perfectly outlined, her skin stretched taut over her bones.

Her head seemed grotesquely out of proportion to the tiny body now carried behind it.

Weighing in at just 13kg, Ruth was literally half her normal body weight, which should be 25-30kg.

Thankfully, blood tests carried out by our vets confirmed no lasting organ

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damage and this surprisingly buoyant girl recovered very well and has been with us for the last ten months as we have been waiting for the prosecution case against her owner to go to court.

Finally, on Friday May 11th, the court delivered its sentence to her previous owner; a 12 month period of community service, a £1200 fine and a three year ban on owning another dog.

Carly Webber, the Animal Welfare Officer involved in Ruth’s court case, said: “We are delighted that justice has been served for Ruth. Too many animal abuse cases don’t make it through the courts but the treatment of this poor girl was too horrific to ignore.

This poor dog literally came back from the brink of death and now, thankfully, has a second chance to have a happy life instead of one of perpetual misery. This kind of animal abuse goes on behind so many closed doors and is indicative of many problems in our current society and the ease as to which people can obtain an animal. I hope never to see an animal in her condition again.”

Four year old, Boxer cross, Ruth is now looking for a forever home and will make a wonderful companion as she is a sweet and loyal girl. Anyone interested in giving her that safe, forever home she so very much deserves should contact lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org

Black Magic When one of our AWOs brought in a severely underweight cat on February 11th, her list of injuries appeared to tell a terrifying tale.

Covered from head to toe in mud, with a thick belt tied tightly around her neck, she had friction burns on her paws and legs suggesting someone had dragged her across the ground then violently flung her aside and left her for dead.

We can’t be sure how long she spent suffering alone and outside in the cold, but the tips of her ears had started to die and fall off – she was a pitiful sight to behold.

This two year old puss was still

surprisingly affectionate, despite her traumatic experience, and thankfully, in no time at all she was leaving The Mayhew for her new forever family, who recently sent us an update on her progress, which delighted us all: “Black Magic (now Magic) has settled in very well. She soon got into every nook and cranny of the house – not shy in spite of all her hardships. She wasn’t impressed with the bed we had set out for her but has found her own nests where she wants them – a corner of the sofa and a bed. There’s a six-year old girl who lives with us at the weekends and I really think that Magic looks forward to her arrival – she’s better at playing than we

are. The next step is to get her interested in the garden. She likes to look, and has put a paw out from time to time when the door is open but remains a house cat for now.

When the sun shines though, I’m sure we’ll be able to tempt her. We’re all very happy to have her – she’s nudging her way under my arm as I’m typing so I’d better go before she hops onto the keyboard.”

Cynthia

Doris Do you remember this little lady from our appeal at the beginning of the year?

Doris was found by a nurse in a confused state in a hospital car park.

Nurse Jackie explains: “As I left work after my night shift, I saw a black and white, terribly thin cat who seemed to be bumping into cars and trees. The cat seemed disorientated, possibly blind, and ambulances and cars were flying past. She had no collar on but as I tried to lift her up she was still purring and seemed happy. My Dad and I took her in a box to The Mayhew and I was sure she was almost dead or dying. I felt happy I had done the right thing but thought her fate was inevitable.

However after becoming a Facebook friend of The Mayhew I saw a piece about abandoned animals and could not believe my eyes that after four months the little cat I had found was still alive!”

Eight year old Doris went from strength to strength after recovering in our vet clinic and it wasn’t long before a kind family took her on permanent foster.

“Since Doris arrived in our house she has become an avid murder mystery fan. She enjoys nothing more than sitting on the sofa watching bad daytime TV, sleeping and occasionally jumping down for a nice plate of Tuna. Doris came to live with us after a very rocky life and is no ordinary animal. She is full of live and love and enjoys lots

of hugs. Giving a new home to an elderly pussycat was one of the best things we have done. I would recommend it to anyone.”

Sarah and Menear

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Investing in the future At The Mayhew we are committed to maintaining and implementing the best animal welfare practices and standards at our rescue centre and in our veterinary clinic. In conjunction with the College of Animal Welfare we are able to train vet nurse students in-house and put them on a path to a career caring for animals.

Charlotte Haslegrave has been training at The Mayhew for over two years now, after approaching our charity in order to complete a six month placement block required for her Vet Nursing degree. ‘I had already carried out a placement at a private veterinary practice as part of my degree but after I spent the first six months at The Mayhew, I knew I would want to do the rest of my training at their vet clinic instead of anywhere else.’ When Charlotte completes the course in a year’s time, she will be a fully qualified veterinary nurse. ‘So many people assume that everyone who wants to be a vet nurse must have originally had aspirations to be a vet, but that is simply not true. The two roles are incredibly different and as a vet nurse you are able to spend quality time with animals and care for them on their road to recovery.’ She explains. ‘There is such a high turnover of animals that come to The Mayhew that I am really gaining a lot of experience.

It is very different to work at a private practice where many animals come and go so quickly.

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Here I am able to spend much more time with the cats and dogs and it is wonderful when you can see the amazing recovery of some of the welfare cases that arrive and know you have been a part of setting them onto a path to a happier life.’

Charlotte works closely with the team in our Community Vet Clinic and as she nears the end of her degree she is a hands-on vital part of the procedures that take place. ‘Now that I have the experience in aspects like inserting catheters and monitoring anaesthetic I am able to help with the many procedures that The Mayhew vets carry out. I am always supervised and assisted in carrying out tasks, but it is so rewarding to be able to be that involved and I very much hope to continue working at The Mayhew when I complete my degree.’

The end may soon be in sight for Charlotte and she can look forward to a day in the not-so distant future when she will be a fully qualified vet nurse.

of animal welfare

For Calum Marshall his journey has only recently begun after volunteering at The Mayhew set him on the nursing path. ‘I didn’t really know too much about the vet nursing side of animal care, but I knew that I very much wanted to be able to work in a role where I could care for animals closely, as opposed to simply a clinical role.

I’d been volunteering at The Mayhew for over a year when I considered applying for a job to join the Nightstaff team. It was suggested to me that the vet nurse apprenticeship with the College of Animal Welfare could be perfect for me because of my wish to be involved in hands-on care and my keen interest in learning more academically.’

Calum began his training as an apprentice Vet Nurse in January this year and spends four days in The Mayhew’s clinic and one day a week at college. Already off to a flying start Calum has been getting to grips with the post-operative care of the animals, checking

their health and keeping them calm and relaxed in the dog and cat wards. ‘I just enjoy being able to spend time with animals more than anything. We have a Mayhew rescue dog at home that we adopted six years ago after she was terribly neglected over a period of eight months recently, I fostered 10 feral kittens from The Mayhew.

The most amazing thing about fostering ferals is that moment when they confidently jump up on to your lap for a cuddle – my mum always calls me at work if that happens! By becoming a vet nurse I will be able to care for and reassure all the animals in need when they are scared, nervous or just needing a bit of TLC.’ Gillian Rich, The Mayhew Head Vet Nurse, is a clinical coach for both Charlotte and Calum as they train at our Mayhew Community Vet Clinic. ‘Mentoring and training the students is without a doubt the most enjoyable part of my role.

Although the entire vet team here at The Mayhew train and work closely with the students, it is my responsibility to oversee the work they are doing for their courses. It is always exciting to see the students come to our clinic and progress with their training, on the road to being a qualified vet nurse. I relish working with all of them and feel delighted that such caring and capable people will be caring for animals for many years into the future.’

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Street animals and pressure cookers – tales of a vet abroad How does a vet cope with no running water, electricity or equipment?

The Mayhew’s Chief vet, Ursula Goetz MRCVS, talks about the challenges of helping animals abroad Before Ursula joined The Mayhew she balanced time working as a vet in the UK with carrying out voluntary work for animal charities in places like Thailand and Indonesia – she even set up a new clinic on an island in Malaysia, which is still going strong six years later. The clinic caters for the large amount of ex-pats who have pets and live on the island and also helps to vaccinate and neuter the local street cats and wild dogs that live in the surrounding jungle.

“While I was in Malaysia a tourist came and asked if she could take a look at the work I was doing,” says Ursula. “The woman started telling me about this amazing place in London called The Mayhew, and how I must go and visit it – so I did – and from then on I kept an eye on the website until a position came up for Chief Veterinary Surgeon. One of the main reasons I got the job is because I was already doing what The Mayhew stood for at the practice in Malaysia.”

“My focus has always been on working with animals and running vet clinics abroad,” says The Mayhew’s Chief Veterinary Surgeon Ursula, who, through Mayhew International helps street animals in Nepal and Peru. “I love getting to see new cultures as well as doing the charity work. After University I went out to Africa for six months to do some voluntary work as a rescue vet helping cheetahs, leopards and lions – which I loved.”

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“The woman started telling me about this amazing place in London called The Mayhew, and how I must go and visit it – so I did” Ursula now alternates her time between The Mayhew in London and travelling abroad with Mayhew International. One of the key focuses of the international work is vaccinating and neutering street animals; this is the best way to ensure the animals live longer and happier lives without having to reproduce, defend their

territory and compete. “You have to neuter at least 75% of the population to make a difference and it’s an ongoing task,” Ursula explains.

However, the International work involves far more than just neutering: “I go to countries to teach vet students at the University how to handle and operate on animals. I then try to encourage them to help local animal charities – hopefully this establishes a link which continues once we’ve left – it’s important to re-visit countries to make sure this link continues.”

“You have to neuter at least 75% of the population to make a difference and it’s an ongoing task” Ursula comes up against all kinds of challenges when working abroad; often there will be no running water, electricity or access to surgical instruments and drugs, which makes operating extremely difficult. “A lot of animals die from infection, so one of my priorities is to make the work as clean as possible with the resources they have – that might just mean scrubbing up in a bucket of water. We have to bring a lot of equipment over with us; when I go to Peru in May I’m bringing a £119 pressure cooker to sterilise the equipment!”

“Another problem is that you’re working with limited time – the types of anaesthetics they use abroad are different from the anaesthetics we have here – they only last for about half an hour before the animals wake up, so you’re working under pressure.”

In the UK, vets don’t usually vaccinate animals

on the same day as they have surgery because it’s a lot for the immune system to cope with.

However, when working with street animals in Peru and Nepal, everything has to be done in one go, as they might not get another chance: “We vaccinate against rabies, de-worm, de-flea and neuter all in one day,” says Ursula.

Ursula often works 12–14 hours a day when abroad with Mayhew International, helping the animals, but also teaching. “People just knock on the door and say, ‘Please can you teach us’, and that’s amazing – so when I come back from abroad I’m absolutely exhausted, but high as a kite! The most important thing is to teach people, and if we can increase the number of vets abroad who choose to work with charities, then that will make a massive difference to the lives of animals in the long run.”

Written by Mayhew volunteer, Amy Blyth

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Snap Happy returns!

Our fantastic photo competition is back and we are eagerly anticipating the excellent array of pet portraits that are always submitted for this competition.

Do you enjoy stalking your cat while they’re sleeping, camera at the ready to document the dozy dreamer? Or perhaps you like angling for an action shot of your pooch in the park? If so, then The Mayhew’s Snap Happy is the photo competition for you!

Enter as many of the categories with as many images as you wish and see if the combination of your keen eye and your photogenic pet can secure you the top spot! Winners will each receive a goody bag packed with treats for those on four legs and two and we will publish 1st, 2nd and 3rd place photos from each category in our Autumn/Winter magazine. The competition will be judged by esteemed professional photographers, fab Mayhew volunteers Yvonne White and Gary Black and our CEO, Caroline Yates. And of course, we will be keeping an eye out for any stunning shots to use in our Mayhew calendar 2013, so keep the seasons in mind!

How to enter In order to enter your photograph into our competition, send it in an envelope to: Snap Happy, The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ. Please enclose a letter listing your name, address and contact number, your pet’s name and age, a note of which categories you would like to enter and a cheque for each photo submitted, made payable to The Mayhew Animal Home (see ‘Rules’ opposite for costs).

If you would like your photographs returned, then please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Digital images can be sent by email to charlotte@mayhewanimalhome.org (don’t forget to enclose the details above) and payments can be made by card over the phone on 020 8968 2446 22

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Categories Golden oldies Photos of beloved pets in their twilight years Water babies Portraits of those who can’t resist a dip!

Best smile Photos of animals with a grin you can’t resist Lights, Camera, Action The title speaks for itself!

Comedy classics Does your pet have a penchance for peformance?

Sleeping beauty Get documenting those dreamers!

Caught in the act A snap of those doing something they shouldn’t Camouflage Photos of pets who like to go incognito Rules 1 Entry costs £2 for every photo submitted.

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 our magazine, website, Facebook etc.

4 Entries must be received by July 23rd 2012.

5 Photos must be taken by the entrant.

6 Photos can be in colour or black and white.

7 Winners will be notified by letter, phone or email.

8 If you would like the photograph returned you must provide a SAE. 9 The Mayhew cannot be responsible for any photos lost/damaged in transit, so please do not send any irreplaceable photographs.

Photography Tips for your Pets Professional photographer, Yvonne White, from White Gold images, shares a few top tips for best pet portraits.

1 Get in as close as you can to minimise any background clutter and keep the focus on your pet.

2 Try to avoid photographs in bright sunlight if taking pictures outside. Some cloud cover makes for an easier, more evenly lit photograph and helps your camera choose the best settings.

3 For ‘portrait’ style pictures, try and focus on the eye, it is where the real expression comes from.

4 Get adventurous, try some action pictures of your pets, things like dogs chasing balls, cats playing with toys.

5 If you really need to use flash, use the anti-red eye setting or make sure you have as many lights on as possible to reduce the chance of those big, scary reflective eyes.

Cats and dogs have a special ‘reflective’ layer in their retinas which help them to see better in low light, but can make taking pictures with flash in dark areas even more problematic than with humans. So, if you can, avoid flash and work in already well lit areas.

6 Most importantly, it is meant to be fun, so make sure your pet is ‘in the mood’, if they obviously don’t want to be there, put the camera away and try again later.

Good luck everyone, looking forward to seeing your entries!

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.

Buster – a Mayhew foster dog Dan and I just wanted to thank you for allowing us to meet Buster and letting him into our home. He was an amazing dog and we loved him dearly.

Everyone who met him loved him. He was such a happy loving guy and he brought so much joy into our lives. All he wanted in return was some loving and cuddles, we already miss him so much. The house feels empty without my cuddle monkey beside me, nudging my hand when he wanted more strokes.

I never suspected he had cancer as he was still pretty happy when we left for Vietnam. I truly believed it was just an infection and there would be a happy Buster to 24

The Mayhew

greet me at the door when we got home. It broke my heart to learn he had to be put to sleep.

Had I known it was the last time I was going to see him, I would have hugged him a little longer, squeezed him a little tighter. It weighs heavy on my heart that I could not be there with him in the end but I am very grateful he had everyone who loved him at The Mayhew with him at the end. Thank you all for giving him comfort and being there with him.

I also wanted to thank you for trying to keep him comfortable long enough so that we could say goodbye. But I understand why it could not wait. It shocked and saddened me to learn how quickly his health

deteriorated. I know it was the right decision to put him to sleep at that time as I never would want my buddy to suffer.

Dan and I will never forget Buster. He was the perfect dog and we discussed adopting him ourselves many times. We were pretty lucky to have Buster as a foster for the short time we had him. Once again, we would like to thank you for allowing Buster into our lives. We will miss him more than I can say.

Amber and Dan.

Our Molly It really was love at first sight for us both on that sunny Cyprus morning back in October 2002. I arrived at work early and went straight to the dog pen to begin my mornings work at the rescue shelter, when I spotted Molly running towards me. A beautiful soft bundle of auburn fur with the longest legs ever! She had the softest eyes and the gentlest face. She never left my side that morning so when I left work she came too and flew home with us to England in December 2003. She was simply gorgeous. She really loved to play and was amazingly vocal with our other dog Susie, emitting loud shrieks when play fighting together.

A thorough back massage was her true delight at any time of the day or night and she would sit on her bottom with her legs stretched out in front of her - the peace of relaxation etched on her face. How she made us smile. Molly has left such a huge void in our lives and her presence in our cottage is greatly missed. We loved her so very much - beautiful memories of such happy times in our lives. In January and February this year we welcomed two new little souls into our lives from Cyprus - Poppy and Alfie, as a fitting tribute to little Molly who changed our lives so much.

Alexandra Collins

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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Part of the team Emily Clark, Major Gifts, Partnerships and Trusts Officer who joined The Mayhew in March this year.

From childhood dreams of being a vet to studying conservation, Emily, the newest addition to The Mayhew team, has always had a passion for helping animals. So when a fundraising job at The Mayhew came up, she jumped at the opportunity.

For Emily, growing up in a house full of cats, dogs, rabbits and even giant African land snails, meant that a career working with animals was always on the cards: “When I was younger I wanted to be a vet and I watched Animal Hospital religiously! I actually met the vet from the programme at a book signing. I’ve still got the book with a message in it saying ‘Dear Emily, good luck in your future career as a vet, love from David Grant’ - I always felt like I Iet him down because I didn’t become a vet!”

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The Mayhew

It was during a school work experience placement at a vet practice that Emily realised she wasn’t cut out for the job: “The sight of blood makes me really faint – I knew then that I’d never be able to cope with surgery.” Not one to be deterred, Emily set about finding another way to work with animals and later moved to Exeter to study Conservation, Biology and Ecology at university.

One of the highlights of Emily’s degree was a trip to South Africa where, as well as studying guinea fowl, she got the chance to go great white shark watching: “We were sat on the boat in the boiling sunshine and suddenly, just like in Jaws, this massive great white shark came out of the water – it was so scary, but amazing. That was one of the best things I’ve ever done,” says Emily.

After university Emily managed to land a job at The Grasslands Trust where she found out she had a passion for fundraising work. That job was followed by a position at The Children’s Trust in Surrey – but Emily still felt something was missing: “Although I love children, I really wanted to work for an animal cause – so when I saw the fundraising job ad for The Mayhew, I knew it was perfect. I was so chuffed when I found out I got the job.”

As Major Gifts, Partnerships and Trusts Officer at The Mayhew, Emily has a lot to deal with. As well as approaching corporations and trusts to raise donations, she also deals with money left to the charity in wills or in memory of people who have passed away. “The hardest part is juggling all these different things,” Emily explains, “I’m having to learn fast, but The Mayhew’s got such a good profile already, it’s just a case of building on that. Legacy income is a significant part of The Mayhew’s annual income, it is utterly vital in helping us continue to look after the dogs, cats and rabbits in our care.”

Getting to see The Mayhew’s rescue animals every day is one of Emily’s favourite parts of the job – especially since her own cats Mango, Brunel and Pickle live with her parents in Southampton. “What I’m most looking forward to though is really getting stuck in and seeing donations come in from things that I’ve done and building relationships with trusts and people that support us,” says Emily.

We think you’re doing a great job already Emily – thanks for joining the team!

Interview by Mayhew volunteer, Amy Blyth

Connaught Village Festival Wednesday 20th June 2012

2.30-8pm

Connaught Street, London W2 2AE

Get daily updates about our animals.

Follow The Mayhew on Facebook and Twitter

A great day of fun for your family: · Live music stage · Farmer's market · Tombola · Pimms drinks bar · Promotional stalls · Children's play marquee · Billy and Margot's dog ice treats Support The Mayhew by joining the The Hyde Park Veterinary Centre Dog Show and taking pics in the Lily's Kitchen Dog Photo Booth!

Visit our website for more details.

The Mayhew Animal Home events@mayhewanimalhome.org mayhewanimalhome.org/events

020 8968 2445

@themayhew /themayhew

Registered charity no. 1077588

Free Staffie Neutering Support the Mayhew neutering campaig n Text TMA : H £10 to 7 0 2 0070

The Mayhew Animal Home provide free neutering to Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terrier Crossbreeds.

Contact us and book an appointment, ask for a free voucher, or simply get more information today.

BARK Brent Action for Responsible K9s

The Mayhew Animal Home Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London nw10 6bj vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome.org 020 8968 2447 mayhewanimalhome.org Registered charity no. 1077588

L EAD

Local Education and Advisory Dog Scheme

Make business a pleasure It can be hard to find time to help your favourite charity outside of giving a financial donation. However, there are many ways to get involved which are equally invaluable.

Although The Mayhew relies solely on public donations to continue our vital work of rescuing and rehoming animals, we rely equally on the support of volunteer help.

Volunteers who help us care for our animals, raise funds and man events are the very backbone of the day-to-day operation of our charity, but it can be hard, with today’s hectic lifestyles, to find the time to support a charity of your choice.

This is where corporate volunteering comes in!

Many businesses nowadays are keen to send their employees on corporate volunteering days, in order to benefit charities that are in their local communities, or that are close to the hearts of their valued employees.

We love to welcome corporate volunteering groups to our rescue centre, where their help is invaluable to us. We are often approached by a variety of businesses and corporations, who will send us a team for the day to help with a range of hands-on tasks.

A typical day will consist of the corporate volunteers assisting our facilities team with tasks such as garden maintenance, trellis building, fence painting and, depending on the season, even pumpkin carving! Of course it goes without saying that our cats, dogs and rabbits enjoy all the TLC they can get, so every volunteer group spends the afternoon meeting, greeting – and cuddling – many of the homeless animals we have in our care!

And it isn’t only our animals that benefit.

Our volunteering scheme offers a fulfilling experience for anyone who aspires to create a better future for us all.

The charity Clouddog volunteered to join us in April for a day spent fixing up fences and providing TLC for our terriers. Teresa Brosnon, CEO of the community organisation and Mayhew dog foster carer, explains why this opportunity was of benefit to both sides. “As part of a full twelve month educational programme of hands-on activities, Clouddog beneficiaries complete a minimum of two Community Acts™ every year. These consist of volunteering as a team based activity for a school, designated Community or in conjunction with another charity. Students learn the power and value of working in a group. They build direct relationships with their Community; gain first-hand experience of changing the lives of others; realise the greater contribution that a committed group of volunteers can make; change their perceptions of doing something for someone else or a greater cause; and predominantly ignite a habit of volunteering in themselves.”

If you would like to get in touch to arrange a day of Corporate Volunteering at The Mayhew, please contact emily@mayhewanimalhome.org for more information. Maximum group size is 12 and there is a £100 a head required donation.

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Letters Dear Mayhew, As promised here is an update to tell you how much we enjoy Carson and we believe he enjoys his new home too. Pippa the dog trainer is amazed how attached he has become in such a short period of time.

During a training walk with her he even neglected to run after other dogs to follow me – this was very sweet. We met Dave again and his dog Kai and Carson and Kai got on like a house on fire. It was difficult to separate them after the training session. But it is wonderful to see how well they played together. Their fur colour is virtually identical.

Have a great weekend and thanks for everything.

Dr Sabine Lohmann

We absolutely love to hear from you, so if you have anything you would like to share with 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 Po (was Marco) Ryan emailing from Chiswick!

I am making good, incremental strides (that’s what I’m told) and I have even been brave enough to stay in the bathroom upstairs while ‘Mummy’ does her late night routine with the electric toothbrush. After falling in the bath the other night, I have learnt to jump on the side and then I just lounge until she is finished.

The best time is snuggling up at night and only I am allowed on the bed. Finn just snores in his big bed on the floor! Finn is actually a rather nice big bro’ and although he would like to eat my food, isn’t allowed to.

I have mine up on the work top in the kitchen now.

Finn even took the end of one of my toys today and trailed it so I could follow!

Mummy thought that was very sweet and was laughing at us.

She still doesn’t leave me alone with him though.

I would now quite like to go out but I’m still not allowed, even though I been having Bio-Force Emergency Flower Essence to make me less stressed.

Actually I don’t mind having that and it does seem to help.

Mummy says I’m greedy so although I’m still having three

small meals a day, she says I’ll have to be sensible soon.

Edward says he doesn’t want a big, fat lazy cat yet.

So that’s my news and please tell Tracy that although I sort of missed where I was with my little brothers, I think I’m getting to like this new place.

Mummy’s friends have all dropped in to meet me and are very nice and quiet. They all seem to just drink cups of tea.

Please say thank you to everyone for making sure I was safe and sound before I got a new home!

Much Love to All Po Ryan & Co xxx

www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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What’s on Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day out or a get-fit challenge there are plenty of ways to support The Mayhew in the coming months. Keep an eye on our webpage for event updates at www.mayhewanimalhome.org/events

The Connaught Village Festival

Urgent appeal for runners!

British 10K, Sun 8 July 2012 Join 25,000 runners on the world’s greatest running route.

The London 10K is a unique opportunity to get fit and raise funds for The Mayhew, while enjoying some of London’s best views. Big Ben, the London Eye and Trafalgar Square are just some of the landmarks which you will pass on the route of this terrific event. Runners of all abilities are welcome to take part. All money raised by participants will go directly towards helping the cats, dogs and rabbits in our care. With your hard work we can help to rehome 30

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unwanted and neglected animals and improve animal welfare in the local community.

“All money raised will go directly to helping the cats, dogs and rabbits in our care.”

Wed 20 June 2:30pm–8pm Attractions include: live music stage, farmer’s market, children’s play marquee, tombola, Pimms drinks bar, promotional stalls, Billy and Margot’s dog ice treats.

As part of the event Hyde Park Veterinary Centre will be organising a dog show with all proceeds coming to The Mayhew to help our animals.

Dog Show registration opens at 2pm, show 4:30pm–6pm and Hyde Park Veterinary Centre will be giving away 150 canvas shopper bags filled with all things pet related to the 1st 150 who register for the dog show!

There will also be a Lily’s Kitchen dog photo booth – £3 per photo with all proceeds going to The Mayhew!

June is national micro-chipping month!

Friends of Little The Royal Parks Wormwood Scrubs Half Marathon Open Day

Every Thursday in June, from 2pm–3pm we will be offering micro-chipping appointments for only £5! And, anyone booking a neutering appointment in June will be eligible to have their pet micro-chipped for free. Why not pop down to The Mayhew’s Community Veterinary Clinic – getting your pet micro-chipped is pain-free, cheap and will save you lots of heartache should your beloved animal go missing. Contact our Clinic today by phone on 020 8968 2447 or email us at vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome. org to book an appointment.

Little Wormwood Scrubs, Dalgarno Gardens, W10 6AD Sat 30 June 2012, 2pm–6pm The Mayhew will be popping down the road to Little Wormwood Scrubs for a day celebrating everything outdoors. We will be holding a stall to raise awareness and funds for the Home and there is even a dog show in the morning. What more could you want on a sunny summer weekend?!

There is still plenty of time to prepare for this wonderful half marathon! The prestigious route of this run takes in four of London’s Royal Parks – Hyde Park, St James’s Park, The Green Park, Kensington Gardens and a host of landmarks. Help us to raise money for the many animals which pass through our doors as a result of neglect, abuse and abandonment while taking in the spectacular sights of London. Over 12,500 runners will join you on this fundraising fun-filled day.

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

www.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.

Tashi

Florence

Diamond

I’m a sweet-natured, playful girl and I’m looking for a quiet home where I can receive lots of affection and give even more back! I’m on a special diet for my kidneys but I still live life to the full.

Hello -do you like a lovely snooze on the sofa in the evenings? I’d love to curl up with you for a cuddle as I’m a gentle soul that yearns for the quiet life with people who I can lavish with affection.

I was a stray for six years before I came to The Mayhew. Now I can’t wait to finally settle into a loving home. I can be shy but I really blossomed in my foster home. Could you give me the cuddles and affection I long for?

Cola

Tali

Sawyer

I just adore people! I’m a golden oldie girl and would love a retirement home where I can have you all to myself.

I’m doing well on a special diet for my kidneys – now I just need a forever home.

I’m a sweet, sensible girl and would love to share my affection and make lots of new friends. I love my toys and a run in the park but enjoy nothing more than a snuggle if you’ll let me cuddle up to you.

I’m a friendly and affectionate chap! From time to time I need my inhaler to stop me having asthma attacks so I need someone who is around most of the day.

I’d be very happy to repay you with lots of love and affection!

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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.

Maisy

Henry

Coco

I’m a sweet and intelligent girl who is house trained and eager to please. I love cuddles and a belly rub and enjoy playing with other dogs – all I need now is a committed and caring owner to take me to the park!

I may look like the rough and tumble type, but I am just a teddy bear at heart. I can’t wait to find my forever home for some quality cuddle time. I like a good chinwag too, so perhaps we could gossip together?

Are you full of fun and energy like me? I’d love a companion to go on lots of adventures together. I’m an affectionate gal and love a snuggle. With some further training and TLC we could be the perfect match!

Harry

Tyler

Louis

I’m a handsome fella with a waggy tail. I was left on the streets but now I can’t wait to go to my new home where I will promise lots of cuddles.

I’m friendly and playful and I just love to have fun!

I’m very friendly and get on well with dogs (when I’m off my lead). I love to play and I have bags of energy. I’m toilettrained and know the usual commands. Could you give me the home I long for?

I love to meet new dogs and as I’m young I am a bouncy boy who likes to play with my toys.

I can be nervous of new people but with the right training and care we could be a match made in heaven! www.mayhewanimalhome.org

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5 minutes with… actor James Thornton food! She also loves belly flopping into water from a height and always draws a crowd when she does it. She is a natural performer. Recently she jumped into the river Aire and I had to dive in to get her out!

What is your earliest animal memory?

When I was young (about 7 or 8) I used to keep goats and chickens. I remember taking my goat Heidi to shows. We never won anything but I used to love it. She used to nibble my Mum’s washing on the line and was always jumping over the wall into the farmer’s field. I also used to love when our chickens’ eggs hatched and we would have loads of tiny, bright, yellow chicks.

I used to sit and talk to them while they climbed all over my arms and sat on top of my head!

Actor James Thornton is an animal lover and charitable chap, who loves to support rescue centres working to help pets in need. He came along to our Hyde Bark event in April with his wife, actress Jo Page, to judge at our Diamond Dogs’ Dog Show. It was a fantastic day and we loved having Jo and James join us, though they always have trouble picking out the winning hound as they love all dogs so much! We spent five minutes chatting to James about why animals mean so much to him in his life.

You met dogs of all shapes and sizes at Hyde Bark. What type of dog do you think you are most like?

I really like Bedlington terriers and my wife thinks that is because I am like one! Maybe it is because of my curly hair or that I am quite chilled and normally do as I am told!

You have your own dog, Daisy. If you could ask her one question, what would that be?

I would ask her “what it is about water that you love so much?” She is obsessed, swimming and paddling in water comes before sticks and even 34

The Mayhew

If you could be one animal for a day, which would that be?

I would love to be a dolphin. Jo and I took a boat out to see them recently while on holiday. It was one of the most wonderful things I have ever seen. They were jumping in the air and flopping into the sea right in front of us. A bit like our dog Daisy!

Why did you choose to support The Mayhew at Hyde Bark?

I absolutely love dogs and the work that The Mayhew does is incredible. It breaks my heart to see the dogs that need a home and I always want to take them all home with me but it is great to know that The Mayhew was there to help dogs find a stable, loving home. Hyde Bark was such a fantastic event; it is a great way to celebrate dogs having fun and to support a fantastic cause.

I loved seeing all the wonderful breeds and meeting the wonderful owners to share stories with fellow dog lovers.

I can’t wait for next year now because every year it gets bigger and better!

Are you a Friend of The Mayhew?

Become a Friend of The Mayhew today and you’ll enjoy: • Exclusive ‘I am a Friend of The Mayhew’ keyring; • Free entry into our open day in July, and Christmas fair events; • Three editions of our magazine; • Information and updates on our work; • Plus… FREE membership card, which gives you our commitment to take in and care for your dog or cat and find it a suitable new home in the event of your death.

Best of all you’ll know that you are helping us to provide shelter and care for cats, dogs and rabbits and to tackle the companion animal welfare crisis through our educational work.

Call 020 8968 2446 and sign up today!

The British 10K London Run 8th July 2012 Raise money running the world’s greatest 10k route for our cats, dogs and rabbits.

Join over 20,000 people running in this historic 2012 event in Diamond Jubilee and Olympic year.

We need you, so get in touch and join our team!

The Mayhew Animal Home Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, nw10 6bj

events@mayhewanimalhome.org mayhewanimalhome.org/events Registered charity no. 1077588

020 8968 2445