This week has been a tough one for our South Lincolnshire team. Thirteen Shih Tzus have come into our care in an emergency situation. Social Services called the centre asking us to rescue a number of dogs as their owner had become exceptionally unwell; they needed help urgently and would soon be going into care. As you can imagine, a truly heart-breaking call to receive. Emotions aside, did we have the resources to rescue so many dogs at once?
Across the country, rescue centres’ resources are being stretched to absolute breaking point. The cost-of-living crisis lies heavily on our sector. With a huge surge in dog ownership during the pandemic, operational costs rising enormously, and a tragic and exponential rise in families needing our help due to financial hardship, we are struggling. But no dog deserves to be left in this state, they needed us and we had to help.
When we arrived at the home, the situation was far worse than we had feared. We were unbelievably sad for all the dogs and their owner, it was clear that they had been too unwell to care for the dogs for quite some time.
The dogs were petrified; desperately trying to hide wherever they could to avoid us. We were there to help them, but how could they know. The rescue was chaotic and distressing for all involved, but we eventually rescued all thirteen dogs. All were covered in faeces and urine, with exceptionally poor coat condition, and needing urgent medical attention.
Their ages range from just 8 weeks old to 6yrs. Twelve girls and one boy puppy, with the older dogs clearly having had multiple litters. To say their medical needs are varied is an understatement. Some will require extensive treatment, and for some, it is too soon to tell what the outcomes will be. The most concerning potential diagnoses involve their wombs but it is also apparent that there are skin and eye issues that need treatment. At the very least, they will all need to be neutered and given the basic medical care they have missed, such as vaccinations & flea and worming treatment. Emotionally, it is clear that human touch is overwhelming for most of the girls, and none had encountered a collar or lead before coming into our care, the simple pleasure of a walk outside was alien to them.
Nutmeg, Willow, Ivy, Juniper, Sage, Boo, Olive, Cookie, Chestnut, Bon Bon, Candy, Floss and Marshmallow are all safe now but they have a long road ahead of them. We will be there with them every step of the way.
Their veterinary treatment and likely lengthy journey to happiness will be costly, thousands of pounds that are hard to come by. They will need a vast amount of our care and support in order to get them ready for a new home and a better life. Can you help us get there?
If you are in a position to support us, please consider donating, so we don’t ever need to hesitate when dogs like Nutmeg, Willow, Ivy, Juniper, Sage, Boo, Olive, Cookie, Chestnut, Bon Bon, Candy, Floss and Marshmallow so desperately need us. We will of course keep you all updated on their progress.
To donate £3, text SHIHTZU to 70331
To donate £5, text SHIHTZU to 70970
To donate £10, text SHIHTZU to 70191
Or donate via our website > Emergency Appeal for Thirteen Shih Tzu's (jerrygreendogs.org.uk)
We do not post this plight to shame their previous owners, but to raise awareness that we are here to help. There are countless reasons why an owner may not be able to keep on top of their dog’s welfare, the majority of which are not malicious or through a lack of love, but please, please, do not hesitate to ask for help if you need it. We will be here. We will not judge you. We will help.
We would appreciate if the comments remained free from remarks that may be seen as judging the dogs’ owner, as this will only serve to make people more hesitant to come forward when they are struggling, the opposite of what we want to achieve.
***PLEASE NOTE: The thirteen dogs are currently living in smaller groups across all centres in order to meet the highest standards of welfare for them individually. WE ARE NOT YET ACCEPTING REHOMING ENQUIRIES FOR THE SHIH TZU’S AND THERFORE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS ON THIS POST REQUESTING FURTHER INFORMATION ***
* Fundraising, payments and donations will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme (Charity No: 1149800), operating as DONATE. Texts will be charged at your standard network rate. For Terms & Conditions, see https://buff.ly/3ANEFCX
* Any surplus funds raised will go towards the care of all of our Jerry Green dogs.