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

Take a stroll in my shoes

Growing up with animal nut parents, I have always been aware that there was a high likelihood of them possibly loving the pets more then their own children.

As the years have passed these suspicions have been reaffirmed with the formal establishment of Woodrock Animal Rescue. I must be grateful because they will never experience the concept of empty nest in fact I think they are all the more pleased to have gained more space for their hounds.

Being slightly older and hopefully slightly wiser, I have learnt to appreciate the tumult of a busy home especially when I visit the rescue centre at weekends. Many people ask me what it is like going to visit my parents at a farm that is dominated by dogs. My answer is generally quite positive and overall I love being there but there are obvious negative elements as well.

I don't mind the barking, it forms almost a constant buzz that you soon become accustomed to and it's generally only around meal and snack times. I don't mind getting pushed around by the larger dogs when they want to get into the kitchen or through the front door and I don't mind having a bevy of eyes follow my every move whilst making breakfast. What I do mind above anything else is that I have to constantly wear shoes!

Now I don't mind wearing shoes in fact I have a rather large selection , but when I visit the rescue I have to be very cautious about what choice of shoe I take. There is never a safe zone to walk. This is mostly due to the elderly dogs that my parents have an incredibly soft spot for. The geriatrics, do tend to be more accident prone. They also have the honor of sleeping in a heated passage downstairs. The very same passage that is outside my room. On any particular night visiting the toilet is a hardcore operation involving much manouevering and tip toeing to achieve relief! In Winter, the weather isn't the only frosty element!

Slippers are generally a decent choice when getting up in the middle of the night plus they are easy to machine wash but the downfall is that urine tends to seep in so I have crossed them off my list. For this reason, I have invested Ina number of waterproof shoes. I have developed a type of sick obsession with buying the cheapest and ugliest shoes available for this purpose so that i dont misplace them and no one else would want to wear them thus they are solely devoted to waste walking.They are awfully ugly but practicality has to be a step ahead so here are some pics of my new hideous shoes- I hope they give you something to laugh about.Oh once last thing- to add insult to injury they also make a squelch sound as I walk!

Oh well this comes with the territory of rescue I suppose. I would love to hear what lengths you have gone to for your animals. Email me at woodrockanimalrescue@gmail.com

Until then
L

Big sister- Little sister- we are all family...

Woodrock has a philosophy that one should live simply so others can simply live.For this reason, we believe in paying it forward whenever possible. Earlier this year Woodrock was approached by a soft spoken professional gentleman. Vincent humbly explained how his partner Jerry and himself had started a rescue shelter in Soweto called SARAC-( Soweto Animal Rescue and Advisory Centre) and appealed to Woodrock to assist them with supplies whenever able.

After an initial meeting and survey of their property Woodrock has kicked into action and raised a number of necessary supplies needed for SARAC including office furniture, dog kennels, fencing and most importantly food. A sort of big sister, little sister relationship has emerged and we are thrilled to be affiliated with such proactive individuals who choose to do their bit regardless of how little they have.

SARAC truly exemplify giving selflessly expecting nothing in return.

Here are a few pictures of our latest kennel delivery to their centre in preparation for Winter. The palpable excitement of the entire community inspires us to continue in rescue even when circumstances are against us.

SARAC ARE NOW ON FACEBOOK.

To help us continue to help them: beneficiary reference SARAC

Woodrock info:

Banking details
Woodrock Dog Rescue
Standard Bank Rivonia
Account number: 425 369 161
Savings account
Branch code: 001255

Facebook: Woodrock animal rescue
Instagram:woodrockanimalrescue
Blog:www.woodrockanimlarescue.blogspot.com
Contact: 0761554439
Email address:
woodrockanimalrescue@gmail.com
Stella@woodrock.co
SMS line : "dog" to 38954 R10
All proceeds go toward our sterilization drive and township feeding schemes.

Woodrock Animal Rescue physical address
Woodrock Animal Rescue, 51 R511 Hennops Rivier Valley
GPS : S 25 ° 50.114 E 27 ° 58.202

Our satellite drop off branch is located at 43 Lincoln Street Woodmead Sandton. These premises are sponsored by Chartered Appointments and they are able to co ordinate and store any donations that are dropped off there.

But...he can sleep in my bed!

In this harsh economic and social climate of South Africa, it is increasingly difficult to make a living. This is more so in rescue because although money is exchanged for services rendered in the real world, a truly charitable worker is one who works expecting nothing in return.

For this reason, I would like to take this opportunity to point out how grateful Woodrock are to have such a wonderful board of staff members. They range in age, gender, background and experience but each Woodrock employee falls under a bigger umbrella of commonality- that of empathy.

As a Woodrock employee, there are no structured "off" hours. At any point during the day, night or weekend, these tireless exployees are on call to assist with an animal related emergency or rescue.
They are kind and patient souls who go above and beyond for the greater good of animals in need. There are also no personal boundaries in regards to space or no go animal zones. Nightly the beds, blankets and bowls are hauled into the staff's sleeping quartersPaulina, a domestic who has worked for my parents for over 10 years, is the local cat lady with a resident cat always found curled up on her bed. For years, Victor, Woodrock's driver had a large Boerboel sleep next to his bedside until she died of old age. Tights bonds are formed with the animals and occasionally attachments are so deep that the staff take on specific animals as their own. If my parents go away, there is always someone on call to fill the bedspace that the dogs look forward to snuggling up to. These people are truly special and there is always a smiling face in sight even if that hand is halfway down a dogs throat retrieving something or examining faeces and or vomit for signs of sickness.In regards to the previous post regarding Nicholas and his rats- The staff have had their fair share of having to catch rat escapees within the car- just a small one of their daily tasks!

Woodrock workers are also incredibly patient, as anyone in rescue knows, animals that have not been trained are prone to messing wherever they can. There is always a mop, bucket and reams of newspaper on standby for an accident and it is a common joke that you can't go anywhere barefooted or socked for fear of encountering a cold or even worse warm mass on the floor!!

But it is definitely always worth it so thank you Woodrockers!


Woodrock Dog Rescue
Standard Bank Rivonia
Account number: 425 369 161
Savings account
Branch code: 001255

Viva rodents viva!!

The antics of my father Nicholas Meldau seem to be the common theme of the blog posts for this month – don’t worry mom your turn is most certainly coming!!

Anyway I would like to enlighten you about my father’s absolute love or rather tolerance of the humble “rat”.

Rodents, pets, vermin, spreaders of disease etc… yes these are the usual connotations of rats but not to my father. My parents have the absolute joy of living on a small holding in Hennops as you all know- unfortunately due to the farming surrounds and highly appropriate terrain, it is rat central in regards to pest problems. Woodrock do have resident cats- (which I will tell you all about in another post), but cats can only eat and or kill/mutilate so many rats!!

For this reason, the vermin have an absolute field day at the farm free from their number one nemesis cats but so too from human intervention- the reason- my parents abhorrently hate any kind of unnatural pesticide or poison that would kill an innocent creature so that is not an option!

As many of you animal lovers out there know- there are humane methods to deter and or dispose of rats depending on how large an impact they are having on your property- in this case- they have a huge impact basically vibrating the house’s ceiling panels with their rambunctious running around! Anyway I am waxing lyrical here giving you background- the point of my tale is however how my fabulous father devised a very labour intensive method of moving his rats. The process entails- humane rat traps- tempting rat treats and direct telephonic lines to the farm and kennel handlers.

Much to my mother’s dismay- my father will get a call any time day or night with the code word “RATS” shouted over the phone or sent via texts. Nicholas then projecting every secret agent James Bond agent he has ever watched rushes into his car to go and collect the “rat” in question and deliver it to Hennops River or the Jukskei depending on location. Many a morning, my mother has been ushered into the car at an unholy hour because they have to do a rodent rescue before going into work.

Bizarre but true!
Only animal nuts could understand this kind of devotion, in the interim I hope my boxes in storage at the farm aren’t being snuck into by the pesky fiends!!

Until next time
L

"Don't even think about it..."

Let us never deny the fact that our animals are primal creatures. I have praised their ability to not give a hoot about their bodily functions but is there some substance behind the fact that will intentionally do something in order to get a reaction out of you like a petulant child does to its parent.

Many a time, I have witnessed a dog performing its most embarrassing moments at an extremely ill timed opportunity eg proceeding to hump a stuffed animal and or leg, cushion etc when a snobby relative comes to visit. My personal favorite is the old "drag race" trick.... Allow me to elaborate.

My perfect pooch Lavender loves the feeling of certain materials.
If Stella is wearing a silk top, there is only one place Lavender will insist on sitting. So too does my little doll enjoy walking under the fringe of a very antique piece of furniture (what can I say, she has good taste...) just to get a gentle tickle along her spine. There is no problem with this but her enjoyment of texture extended to her nether regions as well. She is examined monthly and regularly dewormed etc so there is no physical issue, but this usually well behaved lass gets an absolute thrill from dragging her bottom along the most expensive of carpets and particularly if there are people other then myself in her presence! Many a time I have had to give her that subtle "don't you even think about that right now..." Body language in the presence of less animal acclimated individuals.

But I mustn't complain, I would take her with every gross habit she has, god knows she has seen me at my worst, we have an understanding and I don't care what anyone says I am a proud kiss my pooch on her lips kinda gal! You will understand if you have an animal, every there dirty little smell is adorable and plus they are much better than humans!

Until next time
L
X