Mara's Musings

There is a really informative piece on the DDA and how it impacts on ALL dog owners on the Freshfields Animal Rescue Site.

To read please click here

This woman's heart breaking story is just one of the many reasons to avoid buying puppies from disreputable sources.  To read about the sad life of Maggie May and her owner click here.

 You could be supporting a puppy mill.






Credit: Pets Adviser

http://www.songfordogs.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/songfordeathrowdogs

Lennox - another victim of the DDA

Following recent events in Belfast, I am turning this blog over almost exclusively to raising awareness of the travesty that is the Breed Specific dangerous dogs act in the UK.  I will post more about Lennox to update those of you who are not familiar with the case but for now I want to share this statement from Victoria Stilwell, the dog behaviour expert, who was heavily involved in trying to save Lennox.  It is important that this information gets out there.

The original statement can be read here.

"To all Lennox supporters and those against BSL. Please read this from my colleague Jim Crosby and share with as many people as you can. This is vitally important. When I was brought onto the case a year ago I received a copy of the BCC's 'expert's' report. This report was only supposed to be an evaluation of Lennox's measurements to determine whether Lennox was of pitbull type (which is laughable in itself.) The last paragraph of the report states that even though this expert knows that he has only been brought in to measure Lennox he still offers his opinion of Lennox's behavior, which he questions. That's it - one paragraph. I also have the behavioral evaluation reports from both David Ryan and Sarah Fisher - pages and pages of detailed, intelligent, unbiased and thorough investigations of Lennox's behavior. Yet the BCC stand by their 'expert' and so did the courts, discrediting the evidence of two qualified behavioral experts. Is that justice? Is that fair?

It is also public knowledge now, even though I have said nothing on this matter, but because it is already out there I will have to answer your questions truthfully, yes, the BCC's 'expert' did try to sue me for speaking out against him and questioning his credentials, and yes he did expect money from me to settle the dispute. He was not successful because all I did was speak the truth. But these are the kind of people that the family,myself and all those who have supported Lennox, have been up against. I will finish by saying that I do not approve of threats and intimidation being done to anyone on either side and would appeal to those who conduct themselves in such a way to stop - you are not helping matters. But also be aware that those of us who have supported Lennox and the family themselves have also received threats, some from the very people that BCC employ.

So onto Jim's report - this is a window into how it should be done:"
http://canineaggression.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/lennox-gloves-come-off.html

Thank you Dad for all the times you were there for me - the time you sat up all night blowing on my scalded foot so I could get to sleep when I was four, for helping me when I cut the skin of a huge blister and spent hours in agony until you stepped in, climbing up on the adventure playground to get me down when I got scared, for fixing plugs, buying stereos and putting up with my music and for understanding when I knocked 10 bales of hay out of the boy who called you an "AyTai Surrender Monkey".  Thank you for all the times I resented (and downright hated you!) for being an "unreasonable parent"  - insisting on bed times, curfews, groundings etc, and for instilling in me a sense of right and wrong.

And thank you for putting the food in my belly and clothes on my back.

Thank you for being a Dad as well as a father, and simply being there, the rock on which we all depended, and for loving me unconditionally.

Any man can be a father - but you are a real Dad.

I love you.

Just want to encourage people to check and follow this blog, NeverSeconds, - one primary school student's attempt to raise money for the Mary's Meals charity led to her being banned from photographing her school dinners by her local council.  They have now said she can continue her good work. 

Hopefully they will also sort out their pretty yukky looking school dinners!

Good luck Martha!

• Many of my sentences start with "Back in the day..", or "These days...."  - this is usually in response to younger people saying something about how ridiculous something now is, eg, the amount of health and safety, or moaning about being bored, having lots of housework to do etc.

• I can't stand other peoples kids!  - actually I think they are lovely as long as I can't hear them or they in any way impinge on my own equilibrium.  Having gone from being able to zone out 3 kids whilst I studied for nursing finals, the mere whimper from a child is now enough to send me into spasms. That said I do love listening to them play outside, love their little cute ways and feel weepy when they do sweet things like sing in choirs but don't tell anyone.

• I blame everything on "my age" - from aches and pains, to forgetting something, to bad periods, feeling hot or being grumpy.  It's all down to "Me age".

• Conversations with similarly aged friends always include an account of our latest ailment or a moan about something that seems to be prevalent "these days".  Usually followed by blissful reminiscing about the 1970s.

• I get excited about the possibility of buying a shed.

• I still think that 1976 was "the best summer ever".

• I bitch much more. My "live and let live" attitude has developed into a "live my way or die".  Other drivers, inconsiderate neighbours, loud music, or a constantly barking dog will all send me into a paroxysm of wrath. 

• Although happy to continue my usual activities eg, camping in a muddy field for 10 days at Glastonbury Festival there is usually a point where I say "I'm getting too old for this sh*t".  Usually when I am stuck up to my knees in mud at 3am on the way to the toilet.

• I sigh loudly at the sight of some of what passes for fashion "nowadays".  Call me old fashioned (please) but looking like either an American criminal advertising for bum sex/a harlot just isn't that attractive. 

Of course the plus side of getting is older is I don't care what other people think of me, I don't get asked for ID, I never have to worry about getting wrinkles because I already have them, and grey hair?  ffft.  That's what hair dye is for!  Now, where's my slippers...