The luck cycle

There often comes depressing moments in rescue. Times when you want to let out a giant held -in -breath and just release yourself from the emotional bindings that we form so quickly when dealing with animals.

 

The sheer innocence and uncompromised  devotion expressed by animals only makes it more depressing when we as rescuers are confronted with animals in difficult situations. This week as we were delivering Chapman to his new home, we came across a very dejected white dog, very skinny and just lying in a pile of dry leaves. Nearby was a small compound where a few workers live. We questioned the workers as to if the dog needed medical attention. One of the workers was so grateful for the assistance and said the dog has been acting strange since the night before.

A trip to the vet later, Charlie the dog survived his ordeal but sadly The cause of his sickness was poisoning.In true Woodrock spirit, we don't point fingers and look for problems but instead try and find solutions and attempt to see the shimmer of the often hard -to- see silver lining. 

So Charlie will be rehabilitated and homed and hopefully also have a happy ending. In the interim, the hopeful, cautiously naive but infinitively optimistic part of me has a theory. I am not a religious person, nor what you would call a conventional believer but I do believe that there is a greater power that levels the playing field. My belief structure is based on the concept of everything happens for a reason but overall the world is not cruel and there is more good then bad. And animals in particular if having to endure a hard life this time around will have only a miraculous second chance somewhere along the line.

Each time I see a township dog that has full teets or a skittish run,I comfort myself in the small reassurance that this dog will "one day" know love like my precious Lavender does. 

We try proactively to be the positive change in the world but in moment when we can't- this small crutch of belief helps me through. So this one's for Charlie who someone placed in our path at exactly the moment luck intended.

Truth be told...can they be rehomed?

Since Woodrock has been in rescue for so many years- there are very few things we have not seen and there are many things we have unfortunately seen too often.

One such thing is the inability for certain dogs to find permanent homes for no tangible reason- they are social, healthy and looking for love. Due to our pro life policy- these precious creatures are not given a time limit and so over the months become part of the furniture. They are not left in a kennel, untouched and unloved no far from-they are incorporated into the dog body of the house or the kennel cottage community. 

They are treated as one of the Woodrock permanents loved as one of our own. Unfortunately this does have its negative side. Certain dogs become far too attached and  do not adjust to being rehomed- completely in contrary belief to the publics' constant question of "don't you get too attached?" At other  times, the canine in question form such a cohesive aspect to the pack becoming the missing puzzle piece to the dynamic of the group that they provide therapeutic company.

These animals then become residents. We love them, but often feel conflicted that they have not been given the opportunity to get the perfect home. At first we network them and advertise them for adoption but then slowly the marketing becomes weaker and eventually dries up  for that particular hound- they have been "adopted" into the system.

At the beginning of June, I decided to do a "current" photo album of all the Woodrock dogs- those up for adoption and some lifers and permanents for marketing purposes. Well we were shocked to discover that 2013 appeared to be the successful adoption year for many of these babies. Chocky, Mackey, Doogle, Dewey and some of retired chaps like Casia and Ounooi found spectacular homes!

It is these moments that keep our heads above water!and it is through our networking community that these forgotten souls have been given a chance providing a space for many other animals in need.

Hopefully we will only find more homes for the lifers and make them permanents no more!

"K 1...2...3... Shimmy shake!,"

There is a very precise skill that every dog rescuer or avid volunteer learns very early on in the rescue process. It's not avoiding dog &@$" in the dark or turning a deaf ear to incessant barking or shrugging off their ill behavioral skills in social environments... It's not even subtly ignoring the inappropriate humping in public or blaming the hair on the furniture on the local neighborhood cat. 

No the skill that animal rescuers in general have to acquire and master very early on is parallel to the karate kid- mr Miyagi- wax on- wax off level of importance. It is the staggered bass tone we associate with Tom cruise in "Mission Impossible".

I am talking about the very crafty skill of closing doors. Yes, generally an easy ,care free task-  in rescue the closing of a door/gate becomes a very intricate, pre planned affair

It involves a number of  precise steps:

Step 1 is  the art of distraction. Usually the throwing of a treat and/or toy to the opposite corner of the room.

Step 2 is the silent handle latch pull

Step 3 is probably the most important- the shimmy aka the art of turning ones body into a paper thin strip and getting up close and personal with door often having a snagged t shirt or scratched elbow as a result!

Step 4 is the humane "shove" whereby if the animal in question has out smarted you, your task is to gently yet definitely push them back into their space.

Finally step 5 involves much heavy breathing, a well deserved sip of water, an apology to the animal in question through the door and occasionally a concerned peek to ensure they are content. Unfortunately this often leads to the process having to start again.

An inexperienced first timer often has to deal with the ill effects of the whole ordeal going awry in which a frenzy of awkward running behind is juxtaposed with a chuffed, smiling, tongue lolling pooch ahead and a team of catchers poised ready to strike in a moderate squat- arm out stance in preparation of the entrapment.

Yes, we live in a compartmentalized chaos but we absolutely love it and wouldn't have it any other way.

"Stop clucking around?!"

My close friend Louise once told me about the phrase that "a chicken always knows". What I understood from this is that, regardless of what you do even in private someone always knows- even if it is only yourself.

I tend to use this phrase quite often but a few weeks ago I spent some time in the Woodrock Animal Rescue Fowl pen and I see particular literal truth in this phrase, I'll tell you why...

 As many of you know, Stella and Nicholas are pescaterians and have a particular fondness for domestic animals apart from dogs and cats- thus donkeys ( note earlier posts) and fowls such as chickens,geese, ducks and pigeons! The belief is that animals who are acclimated to human contact tend to be abused if they serve a purpose. 

We have all heard of battery chicken farms, debeaking and force feeding of ducks. Horror stories deluxe but as you all know in the rescue world you have to take each situation one at a time because to think of swimming an ocean will stop an individual from getting their hair wet.So currently Woodrock have a  large variety of birds totaling at approximately 30. We do not let the chickens have chicks so we get fresh eggs daily- lucky us!

They are plump with the most beautiful shiny feathers. Their little bodies possess large personalities but most importantly they are extremely aware of what is happening around them. Their curiosity ensures that they always know what is happening in the rest of the chicken pen and it really is true that birds of a feather flock together because although occupying the same habitat the fowls separate according to specific type.

There are clicks- pardon the pun! And their daily routine is very entertaining especially when the ducks and geese prepare for their morning bath in "Miss Molly" an unused old rowing boat.The flock of fowls wait patiently and take turns to bathe. They occasionally get upset if the bird in front takes to long and you can almost see a look of "stop clucking around!!" Emerge from their parted beaks.

It seems every animal at Woodrock has a larger then life personality- we are blessed to appreciate the beauty in these unassuming little lives.

The answer to all your questions...

So as you all know I have a very soft spot for Woodrock's blog followers so I have decided to use this forum in order to give you guys a first sneak peak at our surprise that we are launching on Monday!Woodrock Animal Rescue is funded primarily from Woodrock Kennels. Over the last two months we have been very excitedly working on a new corporate Identity and branding to link and define the Woodrock brand. So here it is….. 

Our designer the extremely talented Mariska Botha kept all of our ideas and briefings in mind when developing this identity but she has truly given it a remarkably sophisticated and desirable aesthetic using her own artistic flair.

To give a breakdown- Woodrock believe in Actions not words and for going into battle with a raised flag for all animals. Nicholas, the patriarch of Woodrock is represented through the bow representing the bearer of gifts and Stella the matriarch through the stars.

I would love to hear what everyone has to say about our new look and feel- we are very excited and always grateful for your support and feedback!!

Can I have a side of personality with that wag.

I'm sure many of you animal lovers out there anthropomorphize your pets and give them human emotions but my greatest anthropomorphic trait to impose upon Woodrock dogs and particularly my child Lavender is to speculate as to what type of voice they would have in human form.

Through observation, these are my findings so far...

Jenny, Stella's ginger shadow is a bolshy, charismatic troublemaker who is vocal and mischievious but then cowers away- fearful  innocence quivering in her tail at the sight of confrontation. She doesn't mean to be nasty, so we find it endearing and rather entertaining- added to this is the fact that she is very strangely proportioned looking like a Daschund trapped in a Labrador's body. I have a firm belief that if she were human Jenny would have a deep masculine female shotput athlete's voice. The slightly simple minded bravado juxtaposed with a wide mouth that spits as she talks.

Zaza, an elderly Girl who is in retirement at Woodrock would definitely be a foreigner. Someone of Mediterranean descent with a large bosom and drawn on mole. She has a very Julia Child toned melodic voice that she flaunts and intersperses with "daaaaarling".

Chummy, a real mutt mix would have a hyperactive 10 year old Afrikaans boy's voice. He would possibly have a lisp and definitely pick his nose as he spoke to you whilst ripping a thumb hole in his school jersey sleeve.

Cadbury, our blind chocolate box boy would be a nervous type British speaker. He would ditzy around and be very concerned with his walking cane and pocket watch. His true nature would really be revealed when he is confronted with his passion for squeak toys and a manic rambler appears.

Oumie one of our old girls would have the voice of an elderly farm wife. She would forget to put her top teeth in but still attempt to suck on a toffee.

Finally, Lavender would have a raspy Nursery school child's voice. She would pout and scrunch her forehead and ask me "why" when I tell her she can't eat the old chicken bones she finds in the brush when we are on our daily walk.

Our babies make my days at Woodrock so entertaining!

I would love to hear about what you think your dogs would sound like as humans or any other quirky traits they possess.

Until next week!

L

The frustration of being proud

This blog post may be taken in a negative light but I think it is essential to clarify a few things about Woodrock Animal Rescue. We have recently had an interview with a member of the media which portrayed Woodrock in a particularly misrepresented light.

Woodrock Animal Rescue are different because they are Nicholas and Estelle Meldau, two individuals who were brought up amongst much poverty and in charitable homing systems. They are proud above all else and find it very difficult to ask for support. I, L Meldau am there child and I have witnessed the hardship first hand that they experience on a day to day basis, so it is rather frustrating when people don't think they need financial support because they are able to financially support it without external help.

These proud people put every single cent they earn into their rescue. They work like any other person in full time jobs but go out of their way to help every animal they can as well as a a number of people which I will tell you about in another post.

Anyway the point of this blog is that Woodrock do need help. We are not these wealthy  sometime animal lovers that can have animals dumped on us as a permanent solution. We pride ourselves on the fact that our dogs don't have a time limit in which they have to find a home or be put down but all the more reason why we need sponsorship. We have been in the industry for a very long time and are not in it for the money but for the animals. Our adoption fees are reasonable and we do much rescue without the marketing rampage of many other centers.

Rant over