More reasons to foster... Ruby

Another great reason for fostering:
If you are travelling or working abroad for months on end and can't have a permanent animal but still want the company of one once you are at home!

This is Ian and Ruby's story which illustrates another great reason why to foster. Ruby is a female, neutered English Sheepdog:

"I contacted Paw Pourri after deciding I would like to foster a dog. I have a big garden and lots of time while I am home here in Ireland. When I went to meet Ruby for the first time, out from the van jumped this wonderful, friendly, shaggy, tail wagging bundle of life and love. From that moment on I knew Ruby was a special dog.

Ruby is a very obedient dog, loving and always up for anything. She is happy on and off the lead. She will fetch until she drops and is completely addicted to water: She just loves to swim. 

She never runs after other dogs and is friendly to everyone she meets. Everybody we meet comments on how good she is. 

Guess who loves to ride in the passenger seat with her head stuck out the window watching the world go by? :-)

She lets me know when she wants to go to the toilet by either bringing me a ball or pulling at my hand and pointing at the door. It is quite remarkable just how well trained she is. 

Ruby loves cats! Loves them in a way dogs do. She will chase them until she can't find them, so it is her only flaw but what can I say - she is a dog.

It has been a pleasure. We have had such a great time, and I really made a friend, and I know she feels the same way. We would go on long walks and sit by the fire listening to music. Yes, she is a music fan.

Ruby is a perfect family dog and would relish in the affection a family would give her. For the outdoors person, she is also prefect. Except for cats, she is great with all other animals and will say hi to all the cattle, horses, other dogs and donkeys we have come across on our adventures. 

I am an outdoor person. I spend a lot of my time going surfing and walking. Ruby has been the perfect company. I will be sad to say goodbye and will hope every day she finds the home she deserves."

Ian is working on superyachts and might be gone sailing for many months at a time.

For him, it would not be feasible to have a full-time dog, or any animal really. But he still wants to enjoy the companionship of a dog, and the joy that a dog bring to his life.

But more importantly, he wants to help those who had been abandoned and have not found a forever home yet. 

So he pledged to help in any way he can - starting by fostering his first dog, Ruby. His motivation was to give her a holiday from her routine at the Paw Pourri animal shelter. 

Another very important reason for Ian was that Ruby was to learn that not all humans are bad. He wanted to teach her that trusting humans would work. 

If you want to become a fosterer, call us on 087 9460061 or send us a message on Facebook. We will then have a chat with you about the best options, and take it from there!

What is the point of fostering? - Meet Rusty

Walking with Rusty

Now here is one valid reason why fostering is a wise idea.  Fostering a dog or a cat is a handy way to find out if it is for you. You can take on an animal for a while and see if it is a suitable choice, and if not, you can give the animal back.

Fostering an animal - mostly dogs, but also cats - can be a life-changing and enriching experience. It can also be an eye-opener. Let me explain that in a little more detail. 

When I fostered Rusty, an older Springer Spaniel with some hound thrown into the mix, I didn't really know what to expect. I had never had a dog before, my only experience of a dog in the house was more based on hearsay than anything else. When I was a baby, my parents had a very loyal German shepherd that my father already had before he got married. That German shepherd guarded my pram when I was sleeping outside the house (no problem in those days!). So that was more or less the extent of my experience with dogs.

I consider myself a cat person, and my cat would wisely nod if he could read this. When I decided to foster a dog, my motivation was threefold: to help out Paw Pourri, finding a permanent home for the dog, and at least, give the dog a nice holiday. Those were my reasons for fostering but little did I know what would happen.

Rusty learning stuff about archaeology

Deliberately, I opted for an older dog, one that would not find a new home easily. Most people want young animals, animal babies if possible, and they want purebreds. Maybe they want them more as accessories than pets. I don't know, but I would always go for the "underdogs" and "undercats".

First, I had to get used to walking the dog before and after work no matter what. As I noticed that he was much livelier and happier when he could explore new walks, I often took him to the beach or the shore, or somewhere where he could just run around without any constraints. That of course took up quite a bit of time, but I got more exercise, and the dog got much fitter, too!

I took him to outings where there were people, to meetings and to any kind of gatherings of people who would tolerate a dog in their midst - for the simple reason that I wanted to expose him to as many people as possible. I was hoping that somebody would fall in love with his kind and happy temperament and offer him a permanent home. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Not on my watch anyway. (Don't worry, there is a happy end to the story!)

Rusty with his new fosterer - happy!

What did happen though was that after I posted a request for a new foster home for Rusty, a lovely foster family took him in who had read the post. He was very happy there, and he calmed their two terriers down a lot with him demeanour.

And then the totally unexpected happened! All of a sudden, weeks after posting on Facebook, there were two families interested in taking him in for good. One of them met him, and immediately fell in love with him. So now Rusty is living with his forever adopted parents, having the happiest time of his life with them. (Rusty had been abandoned just like that by his family when he was about 10).

But that was not all that happened. When the post on Facebook appeared asking for fosterers, we had a few inquiries of people who had never made contact before. They will now be fostering as well. And spread the word among their friends. A colleague of mine is now fostering a lovely dog. A family with two girls took on a foster puppy when they read about it.

And this is how the magic is being spread...

I have never wanted to have a full-time dog, and this foster experience - albeit a great one - confirmed that I am a cat person. Fostering a dog or a cat is a handy way to find out if it is for you. You can take on an animal for a while and see if it is a suitable choice, and if not, you can give the animal back. There is nothing worse than buying (not the best option anyway!) an animal and then finding out that it was the wrong thing to do. Paw Pourri is dealing with the fallout of such bad choices only too often.

If you want to become a fosterer, call us on 087 9460061 or send us a message on Facebook. We will then have a chat with you about the best options, and take it from there!

Rusty and his foster adventures

I'm not quite sure where I got that idea of fostering a dog came from - maybe from friends of mine who did the same though they had already taken in a rescue dog and had some cats of their own. And why a dog? I'm a cat person!

Within a few weeks of having the initial idea of fostering a dog I made contact with Paw Pourri in Ennis as it was the closest shelter to where I live. We arranged for Rusty, an older springer spaniel boy, to be handed over at the Paw Pourri shop in Ennis. It was a Saturday which was perfect because the dog and myself would have a long weekend to get to know each other.

Marie gave me food, Rusty's bed, shampoo, poo bags and a lead and more stuff for him, and I had already bought a lot of treats. We were good to go!

When we arrived at home, I took him for a walk so that he could get to know the area and myself a bit better. Then I washed him, and let him settle in. My cat was a bit worried because Rusty was so much bigger than him, but Rusty totally ignored him. It was as if he didn't even see the cat. He also ignored any barking, aggressive terriers a few days later when we went for a walk on the shore. He is the most gentle, loving dog you could imagine.

An older dog like Rusty is ideal for somebody like me who is working all day and can't go for hour-long walks in the morning and again in the evening. He doesn't need that much exercise anymore, and is quite happy to sleep. Or follow me around in the house and garden.

I was surprised how good he was walking on the lead - and off it! He had obviously been well trained, and he is so easy to get on with outside.

There is much to be said to take on an older animal, be it a dog or a cat, or any animal really. It is very rewarding when you think how much joy you bring to their lives by giving them a bit of attention and give them a good - foster or furrever - home.

And to answer my question in the beginning - why would I as a cat person want to foster a dog? Very simply because it is easier for me to give the dog back or to the new adopting humans. That does by no means mean that I don't like dogs. It is just that little bit easier... 


If you want to become a fosterer, call us on 087 9460061 or send us a message on Facebook. We will then have a chat with you about the best options, and take it from there!

Welcome to the new look  Paw Pourri blog,
check back soon as our new blogger takes the reins :)

Paw Pourri Charity Shop

Paw Pourri Animal Rescue have secured a lovely little charity shop which will open for business in the next few days. In order to keep the shop stocked and pretty, we are looking for donations of all good quality second hand clothing, unwanted gifts, books, small items of furniture etc. So please please keep us in mind when you are doing your next household clear out! A huge amount of work has gone into the shop to get it ready for business. Volunteers have put in lots of work and its amazing what can be achieved when people come together with a shared passion. Some pictures of our progress below.

 Huge thanks to the very talented (and extremely handsome) Eddie for doing all the carpentry in the shop and kitting it out with shelves and storage. Also for making the loveliest counter place in the whole of Ennis. ;)

Muchas Gracias to Aud for donating her time painting the floor and her money to pay for my parking ;)

Much love to Tara - our very own interior designer who selected the colours and style to make our shop stand out from the rest.

Volunteers Needed for Bag Pack 30th July

Paw Pourri volunteers are kindly donating their time to pack peoples shopping bags on Saturday 30th July in Tesco, Ennis. We will be there all day from 10am to 6pm to raise much needed funds for food and vet bills. We still need a few more bodies though so if you have an hour or two to spare to do some bag packing email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com

Sam: A Most Awesome Dog

Sam is looking for a new home through no fault of his own as his owners are moving. He is a healthy energetic 3 year old mixed breed who loves to play fetch. As you can see from his picture he is an extremely good looking dog. He has a lovely temperment and gets on well with other dogs. He will fit in perfectly to a home with other dogs, older kids and no cats! Sam will be neutered and vaccinated before rehoming and a homecheck will be carried out. Please call 087 9460061 or email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com if you can offer this rockin' dog a home.

Volunteer Meeting

Paw Pourri Animal Rescue Volunteer Meeting will take place on Monday 13th June @ 7pm in The Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis. Anyone interested in volunteering with animal rescue can come along to see what we do, discuss upcoming fundraising events, share ideas and meet other volunteers and animal lovers. For more info contact pawpourrirescue@gmail.com
SEE YOU THERE!

Rudy Tuesday

Rudy Tuesday is only a year old and has not had a happy life. He is in so much need of lots of love and care to prove to him that humans can actually be nice. When we rescued him last Tuesday he had obvious wounds on his head and back and was also very underweight. He is extremely gentle and so submissive. Thankfully his new life has now begun with wonderful foster care and he will be ready for his new home very soon.
Dogs rescued like Rudy Tuesday need veterinary care or check ups, food, new collar and lead, bed or blanket. Please help us to continue our work and donate any of these items or money to buy them. You can donate here. Alternatively if you have space in your home and heart for a lovely dog like Rudy Tuesday please call 087 9460061 or email

Food Appeal

With all the new kittens coming in and the constant rescue dogs that we take in, foster, vaccinate, neuter and FEED we are ALWAYS running low on food to feed all our furry friends. Please consider picking up a tin of dog or cat food or some kibble in your weekly shop. Please ask your friends and family members to do the same. A small amount every week will help us keep our rescued animals ALIVE. The animals will reap the benefits of your genorosity. Paw Pourri volunteers can pick up food from various locations, please contact us on pawpourri@gmail.com or call 0863302038 or donate online here 

Bella - Updated Picture

Female, black nose, white and black coat. Curious, adventurous, playful. Loud purrs, affectionate. Gets cuter every day. 4 weeks old and nearly ready for her new home. If you can offer Bella a forever home then please contact 0879460061 or email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com

Charlie - Updated Picture

Male, white and black spotted. Easy-going disposition, very affectionate. Gives kisses and likes to snuggle around your neck. Getting stronger every day thanks to the TLC from his foster mammy. He is starting to play and use the litter tray so coming on leaps and bounds for such a tiny creature. If you would like to give Charlie a good home for life please contact 0879460061 or email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com

Tuffy

Male, white face and paws, grey/black body. Gorgeous soft coat.
Sweet and lovable and anything but tough! Loves to be held and snuggled.Calm and gentle. Great lap kitten! Tuffy was one of 3 kittens who survived after their Mammy died. He is only 3 weeks old but thanks to plenty of TLC from his foster family he is getting better and better every day. He will be ready for his new home in the next few weeks. If you would like to be Tuffy's new Mammy or Daddy please call 0879460061 or email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com

Sol has found a home!!!!! ***YAY FOR SOL***

Paw Pourri's latest rescue appears to be a beautiful white German Shepherd. He is only a baby, approx 11 weeks old. If you can help us in caring for this little beauty until he's fit and healthy please donate online here http://www.pawpourri.net/FundraisingPages/WishList.htm#Donate

Checkers *HAS FOUND A HOME*

Checkers has found his forever home - Yay for Checkers!!
Checkers is a gorgeous black and white male, about 4 weeks old currently in foster care. He is using a litter box with help, and
eating kitten milk/food well. He is extremely affectionate and playful and coping very well in a home with noise and children.
He is interacting with all family/humans well
and seeks their attention.
He is in excellent health.  May end up being long-haired
as he has many whispy hairs in fur.
Checkers will make an excellent addition to a home with warm laps and lots of cuddles. Loud purring! For more info about Checkers please contact Paw Pourri on 087 9460061 or email pawpourrirescue@gmail.com

5km Dog Walk

This will be a great Day for our four legged friends and the rest of the family.
This is a sponsored walk in aid of Paw Pourri Animal Rescue and Clare Animal Welfare both of whom are in need of help.

Registration is €5 for this you get:
-Sponsorship card (Each participant must fund raise a minimum of €5)
-1 Day Free Doggy Day Care
-Free Obedience Class(in preparation for the walk)

The person or family who raise the most funds will receive 1 Months worth of Care in Doggy Day Care. Other Prizes may be announced.

On the day we will have Face Painting, Bouncy Castle, a whopping great BBQ and doggy Competitions(Waggiest Tail, Droopiest tongue, Best Dressed Dog, and 30 second Bark off)
.:: Please Call or Email to register your details ::.
Date: Sunday 3rd of July 2011
Contact Doggy Day Care:
065 6703581 : 0863095536 : info@doggy.ie 

Fundraising

All of us at Paw Pourri have been busy fundraising the last few weeks to raise enough money to pay our bills and bring us one tiny baby step closer to our dream of one day opening a sanctuary. Many thanks to everyone who supported us at Tesco Ennis on 23rd April for our Easter Hamper Raffle, also the church gate collections in Cooraclare, Cree and Doonbeg the same weekend. And just last Sunday 1st May we were at the Newmarket-on-Fergus Agricultural show. All in all, not only did we manage to raise some cash but also recruited some new volunteers and also some fosterers for our heavily pregnant cats. Again a huge thank you to everyone. Every single donation goes straight to the care of our animals.

Quote by Jeffrey Mousssaieff Masson

'We owe it to ourselves, to the animals whom we have domesticated and thereby enslaved, and to future generations to alter our views and our behavior, recognizing that we will never able to go to sleep at night when our neighbour, human or animal, is suffering untold misery, unless we have done everything within our power to alleviate that suffering. The price for such a peaceful sleep is not steep; the cost for ignoring it could be catastrophic. Let us be wise, just, and compassionate. Nothing less will do'

Brothers of Charity - New Shop

The Brothers of Charity Ennis are opening a new shop in Ennistymon this Saturday the 2nd April called Upstairs Downstairs. They have kindly offered to donate one third of all proceeds to Paw Pourri Animal Rescue. Please come along and show your support, and you will also be able to pick up some info on all the amazing tiresome work that Paw Pourri does. This is fantastic news for the animals of Co. Clare and we wish The Brothers of Charity every success in the opening of their new store.

Lia

Lia is a beautiful Llewellyn Setter rescued in Kilbaha, Co. Clare, three weeks ago.  When found, Lia was very underweight, and was extremely unwell.  She was carrying a litter of dead puppies.  The Vet operated on Lia at midnight and he was unsure whether she would survive the night.  But, very, very happily, she did.

Lia is about five years old, is house trained and is very good with very young children.  She also gets along very well with other dogs. Lia seems to be fine with cats (and not chasing them!).  On being introduced to cats on a particular day, Lia did not react at all. But further 'tests' have yet to be carried out!

Lia is a most gentle dog and is very good on the lead.  However, she really does love a good run, but she always returns.  Lia would do very well with long walks and runs and to have the safety of an enclosed garden.

The family who rescued Lia really love her and would love to keep her.  However, with two small children, two large dogs and a small house, this is not possible.  But her foster family really want to find her the very best home. 

Dog Found

Handsome male greyhound/lurcher mix (we think) was found last Wed 23rd in East Clare. He had spent a number of days sleeping at the side of a busy country road. Paw Pourri volunteers spent the whole night trying to catch him using every type of treat/meat/food coaxing imaginable. We even used a little puppy to lure him over!! After 11pm he headed off into the night and as we only had a little flash light we lost him and had to call it a night. One of the girls on the search was heading to work the following morning at 5am and drove past his spot and found him curled up asleep sleeping. He must have waited til we all gave up before he went back to his spot. She pulled over to give him a blanket and water and as expected he scampered off. But what she didn't expect was when she sat back into her car - she got the shock of her life - the dog was curled up in the passenger seat!!!!! He is now in the safe hands of Paw Pourri Animal Rescue. He is an extemely gentle and sweet dog. Hopefully his owners are out there somewhere??? Please contact Paw Pourri on 087 9460061.