The Result of Daily Pressures

Yes, this is how I pitched up to walk the dogs at Save-a-Pet. It may not be safe to leave me on my own.

Saying Goodbye

Last week was a tough one. I had to say goodbye to one of my oldest, most loyal and sweet dogs, Georgie. She was born almost completely blind and, at 14, was also going deaf. Still, she was a happy soul that loved food and kisses above all else. I came home to find her lying peacefully in her final sleep, and I'm happy that I didn't have to make the decision to put her down. To all of you pet owners that know the pain of losing one of your extra special ones, here's a big goodbye to Georgie.

EXTREME Makeovers

The only reason I can carry on with the volunteer work is for the rewards, which are, to say the least, breath-taking. I've included pictures of the two most recent rescues - Sally and Marley - to give you an idea of the work that I'm doing in conjunction with Save-a-Pet Port Elizabeth. Beware sensitive viewers!!

Marley was found in Mission Road with terrible mange. He was nervous, shy and absolutely ravenous:

THEN, Dr du Plessis showed up at Save-a-Pet. He took one look at Marley and took him home. After weeks of treatment for his mange (which he receives at Save-a-Pet, being brought there in a convertible BMW and looking very comfortable with the idea), this is what Marley (renamed Titan) looks like:

Isn't he just beautiful?!

Then Sally, also a Mission Road special, was actually quite loved by her owners', whose only fault was a total lack of education. I brought her into Save-a-Pet for treatment for her mange and injuries looking like this:

 
Poor thing. They say mange feels like your skin is on fire. Imagine the pain. After extensive treatment and loads of TLC, this is Sally today:

She has been returned to her very grateful owners, who are now better equipped to care for her.

Have a great weekend, we're in for a wet one in Port Elizabeth!

Giving up my Day Job

Well, I wish it was time to give up my day job already because there is just so much to do  in the township. The animals in Mission Road, the area I concentrate on, are a motley crew of...basically..medium-sized brown dogs. After generations of interbreeding, they all start to look the same. But, they all share another characteristic - soft eyes that seem to appeal to you (well, definitely to me) for help. Some are loved, fat and healthy, but many are covered in mange, thin, and living with injuries from years ago that have never been attended to. This breaks my heart and, when I retire, I will certainly be spending far more of my time in Mission Road - feeding, bathing and sterilising. I am, however, concerned about funding. At the moment, I work overtime to afford the treatment of these animals. When I retire, though, I just won't have that luxury.

Mission: Get Oprah to read my blog and donate.

This is one of the dogs that was so badly injured by a car that he had to be euthenased. When I told the owner (the gentleman in the picture) that his dog wouldn't make it, his body shook as he wept into his calloused hands. It all gets to be a little much sometimes.

Impressed by Eco-Pressed

Eco-Pressed is featuring a portfolio of featured bloggers, all of whom want to use their blogs for the improvement of the world we share. I love this idea and plan to support them as best I can. It's taken a long time for the earth to get into the shape it's in, and it's going to take us a while to rehabilitate it. The sooner we start, the better. I do hope Southern Comfort is eco-friendly.  

Ssscary Stuff!

I have always been far more afraid of humans than animals. So, when I caught a really sizeable Puff Adder in my garden, I proudly showed off the photos (which I've since lost) to my daughter. Reeling in horror (a little dramatically, I'd say), she Googled Puff Adder bites. After seeing this:

...and this:

I must say, I'm cured. So, what do I do to keep Puff Adders away? Once caught, I put him in a bucket and drove him about 2km from my house. This is obviously not optimal (the price of petrol is ridiculous these days), so I need to keep them off my property without hurting them or endangering my other animals. Any suggestions? Feel free to email me directly on ameliaduplessis{at}yahoo{dot}co{dot}uk. 

Some of the Inmates

Day one of my blogging career, four followers, two cups of coffee. This is as a good a time as any to meet just some of my animals. I'll introduce them slowly, as 18 cats and 5 dogs can be a little overwhelming (try sharing a single bed with them). 


This is Gabby. Found in the township with a badly broken leg just a few days before this picture was taken. She is now a TERRORIST. She still walks with a slight limp, but you can only see it when she moves slowly enough for you to keep focus, which is rare.  

Tessa is a very cuddly girl. She was tiny and skinny when we found her, but has rounded out very well!

Known simply as Black Cat (being innovative with names gets difficult after a certain number of pets). She is a fatty. Although she doesn't eat much more than the others, she also moves as little and as slowly as possible. Unless the electric blanket is on, then she leaps like any self-respecting panther would to get onto my bed.  

Ah, my Rocky (aka Rockstar). This old man was "repossessed" by yours truly after someone decided that they didn't want him anymore. He has more guts than he knows what to do with, so he's often defending the cats against groups of three or four much bigger dogs (from the neighbouring farms). His heart is just as big; a real gentleman. Doesn't this picture just make you want to curl up next to him?

This is Patches, the resident foster mom. She's about 16 years old and takes it upon herself to care for any stray, homeless or abused kitten that comes into the house. But even a mom needs a mom, and she loves her cuddles. 

It is freezing cold in PE today. I'm off to crawl under the covers with at least 8 warm, furry bodies. 

Meet Tequila Sheilagh

Here I am:





As you can see, I love being photographed. For the purposes of this blog, you will only get to know the back of my head. 


I am not a Crazy Farm Lady yet, as I'm still working as a microbiological analyst in a pharmaceutical lab. However, I'm due to retire next year and am going to have to come up with some ingenious ways to make money at my ripe old age. And you, dear reader, are being invited to join me on the journey. 


I live on a smallholding just outside Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It really is beautiful, and I'll be sure to post some pics to impress you very soon. My home is humble, I must admit, but it's all I need and makes me happy every time I rumble along the dirt road and into my driveway. A little log cabin nestled underneath the trees - paradise. 


I share my home with 18 cats and 5 dogs, all of whom are more spoilt than my only human child, Amelia. The vast majority of them are rescues (excluding Amelia). Which brings me to my past time - visiting informal settlements and sterilising, feeding and treating their sick animals. How this has not made a manslayer out of me, I'm not quite sure. To see what the human race is capable of doing to animals is sickening. Much of the work I do for the animals is funded by my own savings. It is not cheap either. This worries me as, when I retire, I will probably have to stop (or at least decrease) my efforts. 


So, the POA, which I'm hoping my readers will be able to help me with (whether in the form of advice, tips, warnings, books or...you know...HARD CASH), is to get into organic farming. I have plenty of room and a strong back - the world is my oyster! If Roseanne can do it, why can't I? 


Thanks for reading my very first entry. I look forward to keeping you posted with the efforts of a 60-something year old tequila-loving crazy farm lady.