The Mayhew Issue 28

The Mayhew

£1 where sold

The magazine of The Mayhew Animal Home

Issue 28 • Winter 2010

A big ‘thank you’ to all our supporters!

Feelgood visits from homeless hounds Snap Happy competition winners!

An invitation to adventure

Helping cats in crisis Helping animals and their carers since 1886™ Cover final.indd 1

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Our Mission P2-3.indd 2

We believe that animals, as living creatures, are entitled to legal protection, moral and ethical consideration and have a value beyond economic measure At The Mayhew we • Take in and care for unwanted and abused animals and re-home them with responsible, caring owners

• Ensure that no healthy animal in our care is ever put to sleep

• Prevent unwanted animals through our neutering and outreach programmes

• Promote respect and compassion for animals through our activities, campaigns and education programmes

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The Mayhew Issue 28 • Winter 2010

12

5

Adoption campaign success

6 8

News round-up

10

Fundraising: Summer round-up

Adventures in Morocco for The Mayhew

15 16 19 20

Book review

22

Photo competition winners

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Canine quiz

31 33 34

Part of the team

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What’s On – upcoming Mayhew events

Find me a home

Win prizes!

Feelgood visits from homeless hounds

The Mayhew Animal Home and Humane Education Centre

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Climbing mountains

Cats in crisis

Bunny House Appeal

PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING

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

Your letters 5 minutes with Anna Richardson

For fundraising enquiries tel: 020 8968 2446 fax: 020 8969 3902 email: pr@mayhewanimalhome.org Photographers: Matt Patience, Rebecca Hadell, Lyndsay Scott, Ashley, Dominic Fautley Contributors: Sarah Dickinson, Fran Llewellin, Tracey Addison, Caroline Yates, Pen Farthing, Paul Herring Design: Fiona Jerome / fiona@deepermedia.co.uk / 020 7385 7499 Print: Intygra PPL

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Welcome

T

he Mayhew has been desperately struggling these last few months, picking up the pieces after owners have let their unneutered cats breed.

Our kitten cabins are full to bursting with unwanted litters. Every week our Animal Welfare Officers have been called out to rescue litters in trouble and people have been arriving with boxes and bags full of unwanted tiny kittens. Only in the week of writing this welcome, our staff found two taped up boxes outside the Home within hours of each other, both with terrified cats trapped inside. You

can read more about some of the cats we have helped on page 16.

It isn’t only cats and dogs that The Mayhew cares for at our rescue centre, but rabbits too. Rabbits are incredibly complex animals and need specialist care and housing. We have planned an excellent new facility for our rabbit accommodation and you can see all the plans for this exciting new project on page 10.

Other news you can catch up on in this edition are the results from our Snap Happy competition (p22), an insight into full-time dog fostering (p26) and find an invitation from Royal Marine Pen Farthing – author of One Dog at a Time – to join us and him on a trek in Morocco to raise funds for The Mayhew (p12).

The next Mayhew magazine delivered to supporters will be in 2011 and will be a special edition celebrating The Mayhew’s 125th anniversary! The Home has been on the same site since 1886 and all through next year we will be planning loads of fantastic events, fundraisers and much more, so keep an eye out for news in our publications and on our website!

I hope the enclosed Christmas Catalogue gives you lots of festive food for thought for your presents. In it you can pick up goodies for loved ones, human and animal alike! I also hope you can make it to our fantastic Christmas events – find the details on page 35.

I hope to see you all there!

Sarah Dickinson

Media and Communications Officer

TELL US YOUR MAYHEW MEMORIES! Next year is The Mayhew’s 125th anniversary! We are all very excited and would love to hear from anyone who has Mayhew memories from years gone by. Perhaps you lived near the Home, or had a cat or dog from here as a child? Please let us know your stories as we are keen to share the history in future magazines and on our website.

Email sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org or write to Sarah Dickinson – address on contents page.

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The Mayhew

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Thank You! A

Thanks to the help of our many supporters our Adopt Me, Love Me campaign was a resounding success. Below you can read what happened next n enormous thank you to all our magnificent supporters who helped us spread the word of animal adoption by distributing our Adopt me, Love me bookmarks. As a result of your help, we have been able to distribute 40 thousand all over the UK! This fabulous support does not just share the work of The Mayhew but also the vital importance of adopting from a rescue centre, instead of visiting a breeder. Thank you all!

Due to demand we needed to reprint – so if you have noticed that your local library is running a bit low – please do feel free to request a top up from us! The adoption message is always one we need to get out there.

Our campaign was a huge success at spreading the adoption message and when our staff and volunteers handed out our Adopt me Love me Oyster card wallets, they found themselves to be extremely popular in train stations across London!

We also placed the large adoption posters of rescue dog, Dolly, and rescue cat, Tink, across London rail stations and they looked fantastic! The eye catching eight foot high message of animal adoption certainly caught the attention of passing travellers and we received many enquiries about the animals in our care. The footfall of passengers across many of the stations was over 1 million people per week so that’s a fair few potential adopters!

And it wasn’t only members of the public who wanted to support our campaign.

Compassionate famous friends of The Mayhew came forward to share the ethos of adoption including Ricky Gervais, Sadie Frost, Jodie Prenger, Joanna Page and Jane Fallon.

Thank you once again for your support in sharing the message to help the thousands of animals that end up in rescue centres each year – we hope to continue to bring you good news about the rise in adoptions!

The Mayhew

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NEWS round up Since the last edition, The Mayhew has been as busy as ever, ensuring that our voice is heard by as many people as we can possibly reach in order to promote the highest animal welfare standards and responsible pet ownership

BBC’s Animal 24:7 on location with our AWOs! As part of The Mayhew’s Community Animal Care programmes, our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) run a homeless support initiative for owners and their pets. We work with several homeless organisations including St Mungos, Broadway and Crisis at Christmas giving health advice and provide worming and flea treatments. We also donate food packages and book in vaccination and

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neutering appointments at our Community Veterinary Clinic.

The crew from the BBCs Animal 24:7, filmed our AWOs on one of their regular visits to St Mungos and Broadway where they provided health checks for several of the dogs.

One of these beautiful dogs, German Shepherd Kya, is well known to our AWOs as owner Harvey has been a resident at the temporary St Mungo’s shelter for some time.

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Mayhew cat shows how to stay safe in the sun!

There certainly were some glorious sunny days this Summer, and in order to remind people that a hot pet is not a happy pet, Mayhew cat Serena appeared on ITV’s This Morning and BBC Breakfast with TV Vet Marc Abraham.

Owners of white cats need to be especially vigilant during heat waves to make sure their sunbathing felines don’t get burnt, so Serena was on hand for Marc to demonstrate how to apply sunblock. As you can see she settled into her TV career very quickly and even managed to catch a bit of beauty sleep on the This Morning sofa before her big appearance!

LAST MINUTE RUBBISH TRUCK RESCUE Sadly, the staff here at The Mayhew are familiar with dumped animals arriving in boxes and bins, but there was a united gasp of horror when one member of the public came to reception with a kitten who had been found by refuge collectors emptying bins into their back of their truck.

Three lucky kittens were given a last minute reprieve, having been chucked away at

only eight weeks old. Two of the kittens were taken in by a neighbour and the remaining boy, named Bin, was brought to us for rehoming.

The local London newspapers were horrified at this tale and after running the story we were inundated with cat-loving readers eager to give Bin his second chance at happiness, and he found his forever home soon after.

Beautiful Bin’s photograph is included in our Mayhew Cat Calendar 2011, available from our Christmas Catalogue, enclosed with this magazine.

CHANNEL 4 PRESENTER BACKS MAYHEW APPEAL FOR NEUTERING AWARENESS The Mayhew is inundated with tiny felines, a problem which could be easily prevented by pet owners neutering their cats.

Anna Richardson, Presenter of The Sex Education Show on Channel 4, recently adopted two kittens from The Mayhew, who had arrived after they were found abandoned at the bottom of someone’s garden.

Anna said: “It is such a sad situation that

The Mayhew struggles to house all these tiny kittens who are arriving in droves at the door of the rescue centre. All these unwanted kittens wouldn’t be fighting for survival if all cat owners took their pets to be neutered. After all you can give condoms to kids but not to kitties.”

Read more details about the cats that have come though our doors in the last few months on page 15

You can follow daily Mayhew news updates like these on Facebook and Twitter !

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EVENTS round up We have had a fantastic couple of months at the Home with our fundraising events.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who has helped us organise them or supported us on the day!

Talent’s Jackie Prescott and her rescue Staffordshire bull terrier Tippy Toes, acrobatics, as well as food and drink from around the world on our International stand. Visitors also got the chance to meet some of our dogs looking for new homes during the everpopular dog shows.

There was lots for children to enjoy too, with face painting, photos with some of our animals, a bouncy castle, crafts and games.

Thank you to everyone who came to this year’s Open Day. We would also like to say a big thank you to Pedigree and Barclays (Scrubs Lane branch) for sponsoring this event – a magnificent £12,800 was raised.

ABOVE: MAYHEW SUPPORTERS AND THEIR DOG ENJOYING THE OPEN DAY RIGHT: THE MAYOR SEES HOW THE MAYHEW VETS HELP TO EDUCATE YOUNG VISITORS

Mayhew open day One of our favourite events here at The Mayhew is our annual Open Day as we get to throw open the doors to the Home, for the public to find out more about The Mayhew and to enjoy the great stalls

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and entertainment.

With glorious weather came over 1,000 visitors to The Mayhew. It was a busy day with gift stalls, tours of our veterinary theatre, a fabulous performance by Britain’s Got

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p

BRITISH 10K RUN On Sunday 11th July 36 of our supporters laced up their running shoes and ran the British 10K Run for The Mayhew. A huge thank you and well done to everyone who took part and to those who came along to cheer on our runners.

Additional thanks to Leean Young, Peter Grant and Jane Fallon who each raised over £1,000 in sponsorship – wow!

In total an amazing £13,700 was raised. This really is a fantastic amount and will help us to continue helping unwanted and mistreated animals.

Next year’s British 10K Run is

on Sunday 10th July – if you’d like to reserve your place please get in touch.

If you’d like to get fit for Xmas turn to page 35 where you can find out how to take part in the

Upcoming Events The Mayhew Christmas Evening Join us at the beautiful St John’s Wood Church on 16th December for an extra special evening of festive entertainment. Enjoy a sparkling reception, readings, music and delicious food and drink. Last year’s event, with readings from our celebrity supporters and a fabulous auction, hosted by Mayhew favourite Anthony Head, was a real treat with lots including a Mary McCartney photographic print, VIP tickets to Harry Hill TV filming, and a Eurostar break! Last year we raised a fantastic £9,100.

Help us smash that total this year by reserving your place today. Call 020 8968 2445 or emailing events@mayhewanimalhome.org!

If you are interested in any of our events or organising your own event in aid of The Mayhew, please contact Fran Llewellin at events@mayhewanimalhome.org or call on 020 8968 2445.

Santa 5K Run which takes place on 5th December in Greenwich Park. Children aged over eight can join in and dogs can take part too – making it a great event for the whole family!

Children’s Halloween Party Sunday 31st Oct 1–4pm The Mayhew Animal Home

Fancy dress competition Creepy crawly cakes and spooky sweets Ghoulish games and activities Meet the animals Face painting Adults: £1.50 Children: £1.00

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Be best mate to a

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any readers of this magazine who have adopted from The Mayhew, will have most likely given a new home to a four-legged friend of the feline or canine variety. However, some will have become a best mate to a bunny, as The Mayhew rescues and re home rabbits too. Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK after cats and dogs, but sadly they also rate very highly in the statistics of discarded and neglected pets.

We are currently raising money with our ‘Buy a brick for the bunnies!’ appeal to develop a new rabbit area in the garden at The Mayhew to give our residents the space and facilities they need to recover and stabilise within our care.

AMAZING ANIMALS Rabbits are amazing animals with complex needs that must be met if they are to be kept

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o a bunny healthy and happy.

Rehoming them can be much harder than our cat and dog residents as many people are simply not aware of the specialist care they require. That is why it is of the upmost importance that we provide facilities that can accommodate them in the best possible way for the length of time they are often with us at the Home.

This new area will also help us educate the general public on how this sensitive and intelligent animal should be cared for – poor housing and lack of outside space is one of the main reasons for ill health in rabbits.

CRIMBO’S STORY Crimbo is a Netherland Dwarf who arrived at The Mayhew Animal Home and spent nine months waiting for someone to take him home and love him. He was diagnosed with pasteurella, also known as ‘snuffles’ and this may have been instrumental in him being overlooked as he needs special care.

FANTASTIC NEW FACILITY

There will be a wonderful large enclosed area with separate roomy cubicles each with sheltered sleeping areas and an outside run with natural sunlight and a separate area for bonding. It will be built from scratch with the best materials to keep it warm in winter and cool in the summer and enable best hygiene practices – not to mention furnished with lots of tunnels, toys and a turfed area to keep those bunnies stimulated during their stay at The Mayhew!

“Adopting little Crimbo from The Mayhew Animal Home was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Crimbo is my first ever bunny and we’ve had a delightful journey of discovery getting to know each other and becoming friends.

Crimbo has been bonded with a very sweet but rather shy doe called Bunty, who is utterly devoted to him and washes his ears for him every day, which sends him into a state of rapture. Both buns enjoy settling down to watch TV but have questionable tastes in entertainment; Crimbo is fascinated by talent shows and golf tournaments, whereas Bunty prefers Waybuloo and Eastenders.

There are more joys than I could ever imagine in caring for and learning about rabbits, and Crimbo and Bunty are two adorable little treasures that brighten my world every day, and I love them both to bits.” – Adopter Deb O’Connor

HOW TO HELP This whole project is going to cost us £10,000 to achieve and so far we have raised £5,792.68 so we just need an extra £4,207.32 to make this vital project happen. You could help us make this happen by buying a brick for our bunnies! For just £20 you will be a part of this vital project and have your name on the wall of thanks in the rabbit area. You will also have your name in print in The Mayhew magazine, once the area has been completed, as part of a feature with pictures of the fantastic new facility!

The Mayhew

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Morocco for T As part of our 125th celebrations The Mayhew is working with Pen Farthing to organise a trek to Morocco on setting off on 18th September 2011. You can take part in aid of Mayhew International or The Mayhew Animal Home and create memories that will last a lifetime. Pen Farthing talks us through similar treks he has undertaken in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains...

W

hen was the last time you did something truly enjoyable that actually took effort to achieve and was for a fantastic cause? When was the last time you visited somewhere off the beaten track that at times hasn’t changed in hundreds of years?

Well trekking to the top of Jebel Toubkel in the high Moroccan Atlas Mountains could be just the ticket.

It is no stroll in the park but is achievable for most people of average fitness and a desire to take in the awesome views from the summit!

Upon arrival in Morocco a quick visit to the Medina market will transport you back to the Marrakesh of yesteryear. The smells of exotic spices and the mesmerising tones of the snake charmer will fascinate and draw you in amongst the hundreds of vendors selling everything and anything.

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r The Mayhew PHOTOS FROM PEN FARTHING’S LAST TRIP TO MOROCCO – NEXT YEAR YOU COULD BE DRUMMING

BY THE CAMP FIRE, POSING ON THE PEAK AND ENJOYING BROWSING THE LOCAL BAZAARS

and his trusted local guide Abdullah (who A short two hour journey by road will speaks great English but you are welcome to transport you to the northern edge of the chat in French with him!), they will take great mighty Atlas Mountains and away from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. Here cars and care of you from the moment you arrive in the hotel in Marrakech. Whether travelling trucks are almost a distant memory as mules take on the ancient and very important role of on your own or coming along with a friend carrying the supplies needed for the mountain all will be made welcome – especially when the evening drums come out and Pen starts village of Imlil. A walk among the many to demonstrate orchards and fields “With no mobile reception and his dancing skills carved into the side of the mountain will definitely no email all memories of our on the side of the transport you back hectic western world will be forgotten mountain!

The trek is all in time. as you walk and relax amongst some about getting to With no mobile fantastic wild scenery” the top, making reception (most of the time) and definitely no email all memories some great new like-minded friends and experiencing a country that is still attempting of our hectic western world will be forgotten to catch up with the rest of the western world. as you walk and relax amongst some fantastic Not only are you helping the Mayhew with wild scenery. their vital work but also the Moroccan people Ably guided by International Mountain Leader and former Royal Marine ‘Pen’ Farthing by supporting local tourism.

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The accommodation ranges from a fairly plush hotel with two people to a room to a mountain hut where we will all sleep on one big mattress in the true spirit of adventure!

The food is plentiful and locally produced and caters for all tastes (although vegans will need to discuss their requirements, which we will do our best to cater for, upon arrival as Moroccans don’t fully understand what that means!).

There will be three long days of walking but only with light day sacks – all food and heavy baggage will be carried by our mules.

The walking will be mostly uphill but with prior training and practise of walking a good

“Pen has completed this trek three times now and loves nothing more than watching the sun disappear behind the jagged ridges of the Atlas before heading inside to the warmth of a mountain hut” five miles a day for the preceding month all will be achievable. And just because a former Royal Marine is leading the trek does not mean we are running to the top... Pen is getting on a bit now and enjoys walking and talking these days!

We cannot guarantee that everybody will make the summit, altitude sickness can affect everybody no matter how fit you think you are but rest assured your leader for the trip will be on hand to watch over you and will have the final say in whether you go up or go down. But either way you will be safe.

Pen has completed this trek three times now and loves nothing more than watching the sun disappear behind the jagged ridges of the Atlas before heading inside to the warmth of the mountain hut to chat with the group over a glass of Berber whiskey – aka sugared mint tea!

For more information contact Fran at events@mayhewanimalhome.org

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Book review NO PLACE LIKE HOME: A new beginning with the dogs of Afghanistan Pen Farthing (Random House, £12.99) When I agreed to read and review the book No Place Like Home

by Pen Farthing I wasn’t sure I could be objective, as I knew the story of Pen and his efforts to rescue dogs from Afghanistan.

How wrong could I have been!

I felt like I was being told the story in person. It was a very easy read, but a box of tissues was necessary. My actual knowledge of this remarkable deed was to say the least, limited.

The hard work of Pen and his wife Lisa is admirable. No stone was left unturned in giving hope to the individuals who saved these animals in a hostile, war torn country. The joy when I read that “Fubar” is happily living in the Netherlands to the sadness of Panda being euthanized for health reasons, his continual efforts to integrate Nowzad into his family and new environment, and his obvious loyalty to him.

The book has no frills and is not for the faint hearted. It is straight talking; this is what makes this readable, knowing, what you are reading is fact. It is a compelling read; you get drawn into the work Pen Farthing has taken on, and want to see every step in the lives of these vulnerable animals that have been given a second chance three and a half thousand miles away. Reading about those that do not make it is hard, and at times you feel you can’t read on, then the next page will lift your spirit, knowing that Pen Farthing, his wife Lisa and ever expanding canine family will continue to work tirelessly in their endeavour to help the dogs of Afghanistan. I only hope he continues his su ccess story. Great read, I fully recommend it.

Jean Andrews, Student Development Manager You can order No Place Like Home from the Mayhew Christmas Catalogue

EMPTY PRINTER & MOBILE PHONE APPEAL Since the commencement of the above recycling schemes we have raised £4,164 for The Mayhew Animal Home – so a huge ‘thank you’ to all supporters who have taken part.

The schemes continue and keep up the good work by sending your empty cartridges and mobile phones to EAH Recycling in the enclosed freepost envelope – every cartridge and mobile phone is much appreciated as receives a generous donation for each one.

PLEASE NOTE WE CANNOT RECYCLE EPSON, LASER OR TONER CARTRIDGES.

For extra envelopes please call EAH Recycling on 01473 658161

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9 lives may not be e n D

uring the summer months, The Mayhew was forced to admit ‘emergency-only’ cases on to our Cattery as the pressure of kitten season hit the Home.

If you keep a close eye on our Mayhew website, e-news or our social networking pages, then you will have read how the Home has been suffering over the last couple of months due to a dramatic influx of cats and kittens found dumped or rescued as injured strays by our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs).

Kitten season affects all rescue centres as they deal with the very real problem of

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cat owners not neutering their pets. Unneutered domestic male cats will go out and breed with the local feral and stray cat populations. Our AWOs are then called out to rescue the struggling mother cats and litters discovered in people’s gardens. Many owners of female cats do not consider neutering their pet, but as soon as she becomes pregnant or gives birth they come to The Mayhew, unwilling to look after the cat and her tiny litter. There are over 2.5 million stray cats in the UK at any one time and numbers will continue to rise if owners do not neuter their pets.

In a three week period in July we took in over 50 cats and kittens and our AWOs and members of the public have been rescuing litters of kittens discarded and left vulnerable out on the streets. In our news round-up pages you can read about a little kitten, Bin, rescued with his two siblings after being found in the back of a rubbish truck. Sadly, his story is not a unique one and many kittens are found in a very poor condition, suffering with malnutrition or sickness.

During one day in August, we took in 18 cats; 13 were kittens and seven of these were under seven days old. After a week at the Home, one of the mothers

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e nough suffered a severe ruptured mammary gland and had to be admitted to our Cat Ward for treatment. This meant that all of her six kittens needed to be hand reared, fed every two hours round the clock to give them the healthiest start in life.

Further recent additions to our cattery came from a hoarding case our AWOs were dealing with. We received an appeal for help from social services. An owner had let his cats breed unchecked and when The Mayhew were called in there were 34 unneutered cats of varying ages living in a cramped two-bed flat. We took in 17 of them immediately and 16

Sabrina (above) and Diamond were both found within a couple of hours of each other on one summer day, taped up in cardboard boxes, they had been left just round the corner from The Mayhew.

They were lucky that staff members found them on their way into work; a cardboard box is certainly no protection from the dangers that could befall them on a busy London street.

Cissy arrived at The Mayhew after a member of the public found her cowering under a car with horrific injuries to her front right leg.

The bone was protruding through the skin and the leg had become severely infected: Cissy must have been struggling around in immense pain for some time. Our vet team had no other option but to amputate the leg, but thankfully Cissy recovered extremely well and was up and about in no time, adapting astonishingly well to life as a tri-ped. This sweet natured, friendly and very purry girl is now looking for a new home. You can read about her on our Find me a home page Another cat who very much needed those nine lives is little Evie, who was rushed into emergency treatment in our vet clinic after she had been discovered in a garden severely poisoned.

With horrendous chemical burns all over her back and legs, she had also burnt her tongue and mouth after licking at the corrosive substance and was salivating terribly as had internal swelling and injury. With treatment of antibiotics, anti-inflamatories, pain relief and specialist food she is bouncing back well and likes to hop out of her cabin for a little toddle round cat ward and a cuddle from staff.

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BARSIK’S STORY Diminutive Barsik arrived at the Home suffering from a chronic bout of flu at only five weeks old. It was a touch and go few weeks. This tough little fighter battled on and grew to be a sprightly mischievous kitten who won over an adopter in no time.

An action portrait of this feisty feline can be found on sale as one of our Mayhew Christmas cards in this year’s Catalogue, and he’s also one of the stars of our Mayhew Calendar.

have already been rehomed and have been taking in the rest as the space allows.

Animal ownership can quickly become a problematic case of hoarding, when owners do not have their pets neutered.

A female cat will naturally be in season from January to September and can therefore produce several litters during this time. When animals living in close quarters are interbred in this way, it is often visibly obvious that they have come from the same genetic pool as they can often have genetic abnormalities causing stunted growth and other deficiencies.

Assistance with cases of animal hoarding is one of The Mayhew’s Community Animal

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Care projects and our AWOs are regularly called upon by members of the public or social welfare bodies to help when situations of pet ownership have spiralled out of control.

One severe case we brought you news of last year in our magazine was 33 cats and two dogs living in a tiny one-bed, third floor flat.

Some of the cats had lived in that restricted and cramped environment for over 10 years so needed a lot of TLC, understanding and medical care when they arrived at the Home.

The Mayhew also became the focus of shocking headlines in 2003 when we

were called to a flat in London to rescue an estimated 150 cats all living in the one location. The health of both couple and the cats living in the property had naturally become severely compromised. The difficulty is that it is not only the welfare of the cats that needs addressing in these cases. Yet again we see evidence that animal welfare issues are inextricably linked to ones of social welfare.

Without a change in owner attitude towards neutering of all household pets we will continue to see these cases.

The Mayhew offers low-cost neutering on site and is part of the C4 scheme offering free neutering appointments.

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Pick up some

PRIZES Just answer the following questions and be in with a chance of picking up some of the great prizes we have to offer our fabulous supporters! All answers can be found in the pages of this magazine

MAYHEW MOUSE MAT POO-BAG HOLDER! Functional, stylish, you’ll be the envy of your dog-walking chums as you show off your neat new poo-bag holder courtesy of The Mayhew!

Each holder comes with 20 bags and a handy little clip to affix to you or your hound! To win one of three handy holders please tell us: “Which TV presenter recently adopted two of our little kittens?”

No, this is not a lovely cosy blanket for a rodent, but rather a fantastic computer pad to brighten up your desk as you type away for work or pleasure. We have two of these to give away. One with an image of an ex-Mayhew kennel resident and with a former Mayhew cattery resident on it. To be in with a chance of resting your electronic mouse on one of these bespoke mats, just answer the following question: “What is the date and location of our Mayhew Christmas Fair?”

HOMEOPET ANXIETY TFLN STRESS BUSTER! Many dogs and cats can struggle with the stress of celebration seasons like Fireworks night and Christmas visitors. This stress busting homeopathic solution is 100% natural and effective for both cats and dogs. To win one of 25 packs please answer the following: “For which animal is The Mayhew building a new facility onsite at our rescue centre?”

Send answers to: Email sarah@mayhewanimalhome.org or write to Sarah Dickinson, The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London NW10 6BJ

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A VALUED VISIT FOR HEART AND MIND

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t is widely noted now that and kennels visit several residential homes every interaction with animals, residents as they can. The arrival of the Mayhew visitors month. Residents at homes and especially domestic for stroke survivors, dementia is eagerly anticipated, as pets, can have a proven care and homeless centres get we all know just how much beneficial effect on your a waggy tail will brighten to spend time with some of health. Sitting with a warm, anyone’s day! our sociable Staffies, laidback friendly feline on your lap can It isn’t just the residents Labradors and cats who are lower your blood pressure at the centre who enjoy the and interacting with a cheerful just mad for a cuddle! visits, but our canine can lift “It is great for the dogs to socialise with new animals love your spirits. We people in a new environment. They really love it! It is mainly all know this at The Mayhew as the trip in the car and getting lots of attention dogs who go along, but we get to spend and affection from the residents.” when we have time with – Mayhew kennel manager, Dan Stibbs extremely wonderful dogs confident and curious cats Once a week, or once and cats on a daily basis, but they go along for the ride and it isn’t just us at the Home that every two weeks, committed are in affection heaven getting Mayhew volunteers arrive receive the benefits of some cuddles galore! at the Home to take one of furry therapy.

Our rescue home in North the dogs, or sometimes cats, As part of The Mayhew’s West London is built on a to visit the centres we work Community Animal Care fairly small site, which is why with. They spend around a programmes, some of the our aim is to expand our residents on our cattery block hour visiting as many of the

MAYHEW ANIMALS OUT AND ABOUT!

• Weekly visits to The Meadows in Muswell Hill, an elderly people’s care home • Fortnightly visits to The Woodlands in Stanmore, dementia residential care home • Fortnightly visits to Westmead Elderly Residential Care, • Fortnightly visits to St Mungo’s in Kilburn, hostel for the homeless • Fortnightly visits Kingsgate Carers Centre and Stroke Survivors Group in Kilburn

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community programmes with initiatives such as these feelgood visits. Many residents at the care homes may have owned animals in the past and enjoy sharing memories of former pets and learning all about the different animals we have at The Mayhew.

Often for the dementia patients it is a chance to engage with people and animals in a totally different environment to their daily live and staff at many of the centres comment just how much excitement and

expectation there is for the regular visits.

As Val Hammond, our volunteer co-ordinator, put it: “Our dedicated team of volunteers make regular visits to several venues. They do a fantastic job and give residents the opportunity to stroke and cuddle an animal, many of whom have had to give up their own pet when moving into residential care.

The volunteers get so much pleasure from seeing the residents relax as they enjoy cuddling the Mayhew animal on their lap!”

“Over the past few years the fortnightly visits by the volunteers and pets from The Mayhew Animal Home have become an event that the service users at Kingsgate resource centre always look forward to with great anticipation. The Mayhew pets and volunteers always put a big smile on people’s faces and make the Friday afternoons on which they visit us very special. It’s wonderful to see people’s eyes light up when a friendly dog wags its tail as they stroke its head or when they hold a purring little kitten in their arms. I would like to use this opportunity to say thank you very much to The Mayhew Animal Home for bringing us so much joy and happiness!”

– Liana Richter, Kingsgate Carers Centre The Mayhew

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Snap happy!

Winners of The Mayhew’s Annual Photo Competition

In our Summer edition 2010 we ask for entries to our annual Snap Happy photo competition and once again we were flooded with marvellous entries, that gave our three judges a tough time when it came to picking the winners.

We hope you love the winning images as much as we do, and of course we couldn’t resist including several more of our favourites from the selection!

Kelsa Smith’s picture of Mo had our judges laughing out loud at his antics inside the cereal box. As many cat owners will know, you can buy them the most expensive cat toys known to man, but they’ll still prefer a cardboard box or a loo roll to bat about!

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The Judges

Never forgotten winner

Rebecca Hadell, Photographer “I love the Golden Years winner – the sculpting sidelight, the muted colours and the eye contact make this is very dignified portrait.”

Caroline Yates, CEO, The Mayhew: “I look forward to judging the competition because of the amazing range of different beautiful pictures, but dread it because it is so hard to choose just one winner!”

Ursula Goetz, Mayhew Chief Vet: “There were so many beautiful pets and I was torn between many of them through the selection process.”

It was impossible for our judges to take their eyes of this stunning close up portrait of this beautiful cat who will never be forgotten by owner Celia Haddon.

“William was the most beautiful cat I have ever been owned by and it is wonderful to feel that he can be remembered in your magazine.” – Celia This super photo of Pheobe in the snow melted our judges’ hearts, as although this hound is up to her knees in it, the warm sun bathes her with light and she looks extremely satisfied with the world. Thank you to Mrs C Shakespeare for sending it in to us.

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Christmas Cracker Winner

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Lights, camera action winner James Cabooter took this buoyant photo on Hampstead Heath of his spaniel, Filou. As most dog owners will know it is pretty tough to snap a hound in action and we just loved this photo of her flying over the fields.

This photo of Kelsa Smith’s boys, Barley and Mo, was so touching our judges were united in choosing it as the overall winner in this category.

These two cats look so comfortable in each other’s arms – literally – that it made us want to snuggle up and join them!

Highly commended

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Best of friends winner

Richard Bush’s emotive photograph of his Staffie, Taz, seems to look straight into our souls! This striking portrait seems to show a dog utterly content with the world and the wisdom of his years.

Golden years winner

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: CAROLINE ON A PREVIOUS TREK; SOME OF THE ANIMALS CAROLINE IS CLIMBING TO HELP; MT KILIMANJARO

MOTIVATION TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN

On the 14th–25th of October this year, The Mayhew’s CEO, Caroline Yates will be taking part in her third trek to raise funds for The Mayhew Animal Home and Mayhew International. Here is a personal message about why she is motivated to climb another mountain

W

ell, I couldn’t resist – this will be my third trek in aid of The Mayhew Animal Home and Mayhew International. The work of all the staff, students and volunteers at The Mayhew is so inspiring, that I wanted to go that extra mile and raise more funds so we can help even more animals and their carers. There is still so much to do here in

the UK, but The Mayhew also now lends a helping hand to animals, local activists and organisations across the globe. The demands for improving animal welfare standards are ever present and the more The Mayhew will be able to do, either here in London or Mayhew International abroad, will be thanks to your generosity of spirit. I have set myself a big target but I hope with your help I can do it. Thank you.

ABOUT THE CLIMB • Caroline will be climbing 5 895 m above sea level.

• It will take seven days for the trek climbing up and down the mountain.

• To train, Caroline has been doing a LOT of dog walking, training in Alto Adige, Italy and doing 20 mile Civil War Battles walks in central England.

You can sponsor Caroline at www.justgiving.com/Millymee

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1) Dogs have an average of 319 bones in their bodies. 2) Yes they can – light-coloured dogs are especially susceptible. 3) 12 to 18 years. 4) 7 to 12 years.

The larger the breed, the shorter the lifespan. 5) Normal body temperature for a dog ranges between 100.5 degrees F to 101.5 degrees F. Normal human temperature is 98.6 degrees F. 6) Normal heart rate from 80 to 120 beats per minute (depending on the breed/size of the dog). Human heart rate is approx 60 to 80 beats per minute. A dog’s heart beats twice as fast as a human heart. 7) Dogs can only make 10 vocal sounds – a cat that make about 100 sounds. 8) Bluey, an Australian Cattle who worked for nearly twenty years and die age 29 years 5 months. 9) Dogs have over 200 million scent receptors in their nasal folds compared to our 5 million. 10) Dogs trust their sense of sight the least. 11) Dogs do see in colour – but mostly in shades of grey. They cannot distinguish between red, orange, yellow or green. They can see some shades of blue but blues are often seen as greys. 12) Humans have six times as many taste buds as dogs. Most of a dog’s taste buds are located only on the tip of the tongue. Dogs can detect sweet, sour, bitter and salty tastes. A dog smells rather than tastes.

How many bones do dogs have in their body?

2 3

Can dogs get sunburned?

4

What is the lifespan of a large breed dog?

5

What is the normal temperature of a dog?

6

How fast does a dog’s heart beat? How does that compare to a human’s?

What is the lifespan of a small breed dog?

least? all the dog’s senses, 10 Of which one does he trust

7

How many vocal sounds can a dog make. How does that compare to a cat?

8

How old was the oldest living dog when it died?

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How does a dog's sense of smell compare to ours?

compare to ours?

11 Can dogs see in colour? does a dog's 12 How sense of taste

??

1

How much do you know about our waggy-tailed friends?

Take our quiz to find out (answers at the bottom of the page)

Pooch puzzlers!

?

? ? ?

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

Radcliffe Handsome eight year old male Radclife ‘Raddy’ to his friends is one of the garden cats at the Home hankering for a more domestic life. He’s looking for a quiet adult household with a nice big garden to explore and call his own. He is quite independent so could potentially be homed in a working household where people aren’t always around. As long as he’s got a cat flap for his comings and goings, he’ll be all set!

Cissy Cissy has had a difficult time after a horrific injury meant

our vets had to amputate one of her front legs when she was rushed into our surgery. This gorgeous girl just adores people and will gaze lovingly into your eyes for hours! She can get around very well on her three paws and is looking for a home where she can be the only cat and soak up all the cuddles and attention.

Pigeon No-one can resist this fantastic furrball with his uber laid-back nature and friendly upbeat attitude.

This four year old boy also needs a special home and needs to go to a very ‘green’ environment as he has a medical condition which means his breathing becomes distressed by irritants like cleaning sprays and aerosols. As long as these are kept at bay, you couldn’t wish for a more affectionate companion.

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Romeo This handsome and affectionate Staffy American bulldog cross, is looking for an experienced dog owner to take him through his training to adulthood. Eight month old Romeo can live with other dogs and children over six years old.

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Adam

Levi This adorable eight month old Rottweiler was found abandoned in London but has clearly felt some love as he just adores all people! This handsome big boy will still have some growing to do so he needs an experienced owner of large breeds. He can live with dogs and children over six.

Handsome big tom, Adam, has won the hearts of everyone who walks into cattery and is looking for a very special home. This eight year old cuddle monster is FIV after living for years as a stray. This means a home is needed where he can enjoy enclosed outside access. He could live with another FIV positive cat.

This sweet and gentle five month old Staffy pup is looking for an active home to grow up in and have lots of fun!

She can live with other dogs and children over six years old.

Alanis To enquire about adopting any of these fabulous Mayhew residents, please call 020 8969 0178 or email joanna@mayhewanimalhome.org for cat adoption.

Please email lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org about any of the dogs

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Find me a home Electra

Electra is a one and a half year old sweet natured girl, who can be shy at times but adores a good tummy tickle once she gets to know you. She is looking for owners who have a similar calm nature, but she is sociable with other kitties so could befriend another feline in the home.

Marius

Nicholas

This bouncy, playful chap is a Staffordshire bull terrier Collie crossbreed and is great with other dogs and adores all people. He is intelligent and loves a run about and a good game with his toys. He can live with other dogs and young children used to a bouncy hound and an ideal home would be someone keen to share his love for activity and company.

The Mayhew’s longest stayer is desperate to meet you! This wonderful, friendly, polite boy is looking for an owner who is around for most of the day who can work with him through his separation anxiety. This seven year old sweetheart just adores people of all ages and could live with another dog.

Toby Toby is a lovely five year old male looking for an easy going home to suit his nature. He is a laidback, affectionate boy, who enjoys cuddles on his own terms but adores the company of people. He is a real chatty cat and one who would prefer to be the only pet in the household.

To enquire about adopting any of these fabulous Mayhew residents, please call 020 8969 0178 or email joanna@mayhewanimalhome.org for cat adoption.

Please email lisa@mayhewanimalhome.org about any of the dogs

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Part of the Team

Facilities Co-ordinator

Rona Towns has been working at The Mayhew since 2005. As a rescue centre which has been on the same site for nearly 125 years, there is certainly a lot of facility upkeep needed! The job requires an enormous amount of hands-on hard work, so what made Rona join our team?

Why choose The Mayhew?

Before The Mayhew, I had trained as a display designer and worked on many house interior and renovation projects over the years, so had a few DIY skills under my belt. I was looking for a more meaningful change of direction, so when The Mayhew advertised for a Caretaker/ Driver/Gardener et al, I thought I’d give it a go! My first impression of the Home was that it was like a Tardis – it is so much bigger than I thought possible from the outside. Since then The Mayhew site has undergone many major changes within its limited framework and it has been a very interesting time to work though the building of the new veterinary clinic and reception refurbishments.

What would a typical day for you involve?

Every day is unpredictable and never the same and that’s why I like it. There are annual events and always a tremendous build up to the Open Day in July or preparations involved for special days, such as the recent visit from the Duchess of Cornwall. There are the ongoing repairs to the Cattery and Kennel, painting and decorating projects, gardening and general maintenance through the Home. I also collect donations and help out at events, there is always a very long list of jobs, so I’m appreciative of the support from our dedicated volunteers.

In your time at the Home, what has been your favourite memory?

We had a drought summer a few years back that killed many of our garden conifers and our resident rabbits started digging holes in the lawn, so there was a lot to sort out. Steve, one of our volunteers, helped to dig and chop up the trees and Sylvie – my right-hand facilities woman – and I planted borders with shrubs and created nice seating areas. I love the structure of the garden but there is a lot more I want to do. Joan, one of our trustees, and her husband Ken undertake the never ending task of lawn cutting and maintaining hanging baskets. It is great to work with so many enthusiastic people.

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Animal Friends Insurance What would you do if you were faced with a large vet’s bill? Insure your pet with Animal Friends before it is too late.

Animal Friends’ policies costs from around just 20p a day. We offer full lifetime cover too and we insure new pets at ANY age.

Elaine Fairfax, Founder of Animal Friends Insuranc e

And Animals Friends is the only pet insurer that donates all its net profits to animal welfare charities. The Mayhew also get commission for any policy taken out by a Mayhew supporter. So get your pet covered now – buy online or call for cover.

For immediate cover at some of the best rates in the UK call now on 0844 55 70 300 Or buy online at www.animalfriends.org.uk

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Your Letters

Hi Mayhew Just a few lines keeping you up to date with Max’s (nee Archie’s) progress.

He has settled in so well with the family and remains as good natured as ever – he still has his crazy foot fetish, and we are all living with constantly wet and slimy ankles, he never stops licking!

After a few mishaps with the type of food

that suits him, we have finally settled on dry complete dog food – he has a rather delicate stomach and most everything thing else give him a poorly tum.

The garden is full of his bones and toys and everyday he seems to bring more. We started this exercise with firm ideas of where he would sleep (Kitchen) and would not be allowing him to settle on the furniture, etc… well, that was all in vain as he now sleeps on our bed every night and if we are lucky we occasionally get to sit on our own sofa!

Weekly training classes have brought a marked improvement in him, he now sits on command and just today we raised the courage to let him off the lead in the park with great success.

We would like to extend our thanks to you all for the good work you do with all the animals in your care.

Stephen Sadler and Family

Dear Mayhew, Here are a couple of photos of Ellie and Lucy and as you can see they have settled in fantastically well – we love them to bits! They are full of mischief and find naughty things to do all the time, but then look at you with those lovely big eyes and naturally get away with whatever they have done!

We are thrilled to have such wonderful little cats in our lives.

All the best, Lynne, Malcolm and Family 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

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5 Anna Richardson MINUTES WITH

They’ve brought so much fun and joy into the house, they’re hilarious.

Do you have any feline attributes that you can see in yourself?

Oh yes! I can sleep for Britain; like to roll around in the sun; make a lot of noise when I’m hungry; and love to be kissed and petted.

Are there any newsreaders or presenters you have worked with that you would liken to a particular animal?

I’ve worked quite a lot with the team on This Morning and the presenters definitely have animal attributes. Eamonn Holmes reminds me of a big, chocolate brown labrador who’d cuddle up to you on the sofa; Philip Schofield is like a well-groomed macaw; and the gorgeous Holly Anna Richardson is a journalist, presenter and broadcaster who presented Supersize vs Superskinny. Here at The Mayhew we know and love her for being the adopter of several of our cats; most recently little kittens Dotty and Marmaduke.

When did you first adopt from The Mayhew?

When I first moved to this area 10 years ago I went straight to the Mayhew and adopted a beautiful tabby kitten called Clarence. I adore cats and had two strays already, and Clarence fitted in straight away. I loved him so, so much and was devastated when he died a few months ago. It really is like losing a friend. Once I’d pulled myself together, my partner and I decided to adopt again – we scooted back to The Mayhew with the intention of adopting just one cat. We ended up falling in love with two kittens instead... Marmaduke and Dotty, a gorgeous tabby boy and jet black little girl.

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Willoughby would have to be the softest, most beautiful mini lop-eared rabbit.

In The Sex Education Show you explained the importance of contraception to teenagers.

What advice do you have for pet owners who haven’t considered neutering?

This topic is a real bugbear of mine. Unless you’re breeding your animal for a reason, I think it is incredible selfish and irresponsible not to have your pet neutered. You only need to hear about the boxes of kittens and puppies dumped on the steps of animal charities to understand that. Cost is simply not an excuse these days, pet owners on a low income are catered for by many vets and charities – and if you adopt an animal from a charitable home then its policy to neuter the pet while it’s there.

There simply aren’t enough homes available for unwanted or abused animals, so why add to the burden?

The Mayhew

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What’s on

There are lots of fun ways to get involved and help support the vital work we do. Here are a few events coming up in 2010 that we would love for you to be involved in

Mayhew International Day

Where: College Park Community Centre, 14 Letchford Gardens, London NW10 When: 11am-4pm, Saturday 9th October 2010 How to book: just turn up on the day!

Join us for a fun day of international food, drink and activities from many countries and cultures to celebrate the fantastic work of Mayhew International. Free entrance.

Kilimanjaro Summit Climb

When: 24th October 2010 On 24th October, Mayhew CEO Caroline Yates will be putting herself through her paces and climbing Kilimanjaro in support of The Mayhew and Mayhew International. You can sponsor Caroline by calling 020 8968 2446, or visit http://www.justgiving.com/Millymee

The Mayhew Christmas Fair

Where: Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, London N6 When: 1pm–5pm, 27th November 2010 How to book: just turn up on the day!

The perfect opportunity to pick up Christmas gifts, cards and wrapping paper whilst enjoying a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie. Children get to meet Father Christmas and a Mayhew animal or two. Entry: Adults £1.50; Senior citizens £1.00 and children 50p

Santa Run

Where: Greenwich Park When: 5th December 2010 How to take part: contact events@mayhewanimalhome.org Sign up for the Santa 5K Run and be one of 2,000 Santas running through Greenwich Park this December. This is a really fun event and all abilities are welcome. Dogs are allowed to take part and a Santa costume is provided for you.

The Mayhew Christmas Evening

Where: St John’s Wood Church, NW8 When: 7pm–9.45pm, 16th December 2010 How to book: contact events@mayhewanimalhome.org A fun and festive evening in support of The Mayhew Animal Home at the beautiful St John’s Wood Church. guests will be treated to festive readings, professional music, a delicious buffet and the chance to bid for some great prizes in our auction.

If you are interested in any of our events or organising your own event in aid of The Mayhew, please contact Fran Llewellin at events@mayhewanimalhome.org or call on 020 8969 2445. www.mayhewanimalhome.org/events

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