Pets in Italy

Good Work at the Canile di Lerchi

A friend recently sent me an email about the work being done by some volunteers at a kennels in Lerchi, a few kilometres north of Città di Castello in Umbria. This is under the auspices of the Comunità Montana and houses about 170 dogs. This puts in perspective the 20 or so at our local canile and makes me realise how lucky the dogs here are in comparison.

As is the situation in many kennels in Italy, volunteers in Lerchi work alongside permanent staff. (In the case of the Casentino Canile, all the staff are volunteers.) Basic funding is from ENPA with ASL looking after the medical care, but this doesn’t allow for the extras - or what dog lovers would consider the essentials – warm bedding, treats, cuddles and attention. Back on Christmas Day 2007, after a fairly depressing morning there, two volunteers Penny Radford and Teana Newman decided that something needed to be done to help the kennels. The washing machine had broken down and as the weather was cold and miserable, the animal’s bedding couldn’t be washed and dried.  The two women managed to raise enough money from their friends and acquaintances to buy a new machine and drier and the whole experience led them to form the Amici del Rifugio di Lerchi per Animali Smarriti ed Abbandonati.

They realised that they had to find a more organised way to raise funds for the kennels. There was an urgent need for a new heating system as well as replacement beds. One of their ideas, begun in May 2008,  was to sell English second hand books. As an avid reader myself, I know how desperate you get for reading material and can fully understand how this idea took off, especially in an area with a large ex-pat population. They called it Books for Dogs and began selling the donated books at Umbertide market.

The Books for Dogs idea has really taken off and has raised over 4600 Euro since it started. They sell books in other languages now, and have expanded from Umbertide market to the Cultural Centre in Pierantonio as well as a local jazz club has given them use of its premises for the winter months and its regular Wednesday morning get togethers.

It just goes to show what can be done, doesn’t it? I’m full of admiration for these ladies and what they have achieved.

If you are interested in finding out more or would like to donate, please contact teanaandrobin@libero.it

Beware What You Spray

I usually spray all the dogs with a well known flea and tick spray every few weeks or so and did so again on Friday. For once I decided to read the instructions and discovered to my astonishment that you need two spays per kilo, a lot more than I had been giving them. I shampooed them outside using the hose to rinse them off and it was very welcome in the current 38 degree (100F) heat I'm sure.

I sprayed Maia and Gassi with no problems and decided to give 35 kilko ZsaZsa a few more that the usual ten or so sprays. Nowhere near the 70 recommended, but about 35 I suppose. All was well, then a  short time later she started attacking her front paw, chewing and licking it. She also threw up in the evening. We had a restless Friday night as she scratched at the door to get out at about 3.30am and then ate a load of grass. She threw up again on Saturday morning and her paw was again getting the chewing treatment. She had licked it almost raw between the toes and so was having trouble walking on it. She was wriggling on the ground on her back too as if she was really itchy. Maia also threw up.

Despite being a lab, ZsaZsa has a delicate stomach, and eating the slightest weird thing can make her sick so I was not too concerned as I was sure it would pass. I thought maybe she had a bite or something on her paw.

Saturday night I was up twice in the night with her. She vomited again and had diarrhoea and didn't eat her breakfast. For foodaholic ZsaZsa this is unheard of. I had become increasinly convinced that it was my spraying her with so much flea stuff that was to blame. I went online and Googled the product and 'allergic reaction' was horrified at some of the comments and experiences people had been through. Some dogs had even died for God's sake, mostly with the spot on treatment. But almost all the symptoms were the same as hers. I raced downstairs took her outside and shampooed her thoroughly. Something else I didn't know was that this spray is systemic - ie absorbed into the dog's body and then excreted through the skin and so I know she would have already got a dose in her body that would take about six weeks to pass out of her system, although I read somewhere else that it stays in the body for ten years. Still, the shampooing would help and it seemed to. I did a spot of hands on healing too, thinking that would do no harm and she stretched out and sighed. Maia lay down next to her and Gassie did the same. Animals sense when you are healing and seem to absorb the vibes from the animal being worked on.

I shampooed her a second time about two hours later and she has improved steadily since then and today, Monday she is her old self again.

Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe it was something she ate. I'm not going to state that it was definitely the spray, as we have used it on her all her life with few problems (although she almost always throws up afterwards) and she is now six. Saying that, I will never ever use it on her again.

And the Dogs Came Too

Ferragosto ( celebrated on the 15 August) gets a pretty bad press from animal lovers in Italy. It’s the time of year when pets tend to get thrown out to fend for themselves rather than put into boarding kennels or catteries. But there is some good news. It’s estimated that about 650,000 animals spent the Ferragosto holidays with their owners, according to AIDAA (Associazione  Italiana per la Difesa di Animali e Ambiente).  The Association analysed data of  “Movimento del turismo delle famiglie con animali” – basically people taking holidays with their pets, and came up with the figures.

They estimate that 450,000 dogs went with their owners to their second homes, 180,000 were enjoying the holidays in a hotel, agriturismo or campsite while 20,000 accompanied their owners in a camper or caravan.

The statistics can be broken down even further telling us exactly who went where. Apparently 70 per cent of dogs enjoyed the mountains, lakes or countryside, 26 percent went to the beach (although a significant number of those were probably confined to theor rooms as most nbeaches don’t allow dogs) while the remaining 4 percent went on their travels with the family in the campervan.

The figures show that the percentage of Italians taking their four legged friend on holiday has risen to 31 percent, a five percent increase on last year. Lorenzo Croce, president of AIDAA says the figures, taken with a corresponding reduction in the number of abandoned dogs so far this year indicates the message is getting through, and that people are taking more responsibility for their pets. He added that if the numbers in September continue to demonstrate the current trend it would be a very positive sign indeed.

All the Fun of the Fair

As part of the Casentino's fundraising efforts, volunteers have an ENPA stand at many of the markets and fairs held in Casentino during this time of year.

We have a list telling us who is to attend which fair and yesterday it was my turn to be one of the helpers at the Stia fair. Stia is in upper Casentino about 20 km from where I live. It's a very pretty, lively town and the canile stand had already had a very busy morning. I went during the lunch hour and so found a parking space in one of the side streets and swiped it quick as I knew it would be impossible to find a spot later in the day.

The main method of fundraising is to play tombola (PESCA) where you pay €2 and pick a ticket then see if the number matches a prize. You can also join ENPA or give a donation.

A lot of people wanted to have a go at PESCA and the prizes weren't bad at all! Several very kind people made donations without playing the game and quite a few stopped to pet and talk to the two dogs from the canile - Natan and Alfio - who were at the fair all day and responded beautifully when being stroked, patted and cuddled by various passers by.

There were about six of us at the stall and after donning our ENPA tabards we quickly took them off again as it was fiercely hot. Fortunately we were next to a stand selling spremuta (fresh orange juice) and so we were kept going with a few glasses of that. The lady had a microphone and was enticing passers by so she also came over a few times to encourage people to come and see us too.

 The day seemed to be a big success in fundraising terms and for every misery guts who walked past without looking or wanting to look, there was one who did and who gave us some money. It's all very much appreciated, so thank you to all who donated.

Gaspare latest

I thought I would let you know how Gaspare is doing as it's been almost a month since we got him.

He is a lovely, lovely dog and has made himself completely at home. A loonie gentle giant with great long legs and a tendency to squeeze himself into very small spaces. This holds true for snuggling between us on the two seater couch, where he folds his body into a ridiculous position and looks about the size of a cat as he rests his head on Alan's lap. But it also holds true for little gaps under fences that we thought were too small for him to get under. (How wrong can you be!) The lure of the woods is too stong for him to resist sometimes, but he comes back within a few minutes and stands and barks at the back gate if we haven't seen him disappear.

He is scared of thunder and gunshots and hides under the bed or behind your legs at both. He loves his sorelline (little sisters) and plays a lot with Maia in particular as she is of a more athletic disposition than ZsaZsa, who prefers a snooze to a work out any time.

He has been to the vet twice so far, first for his blood and urine tests to see if he is still anaemic and has any other symptoms resulting from his horrible life before rescue. Happily the urine test is good but he is still anaemic, although that is improving. Still on tablets though.

His second visit was because his mouth had a large blood blister thing and he seemed quite down. The vet said it looked as though he had been stung. 'Is he interested in insects and little creatures?' he asked me. The words Pope and Catholic sprung to mind as dear Gassi spends the majority of his time outdoors on a never ending quest for the elusive lizards, snails, bees and so on. If it wriggles or moves he wants to catch it. Anyway, a cortisone injection and a drip soon put him right!

He has learned to sit now (in response to English) and sits up very straight like a soldier, although the effect is slightly spoiled by his front legs sliding forward on the floor. He knows his name most of the time, but once in the woods when the scents are too interesting, he forgets. I will have to watch this once the hunting season starts.

He now weighs 23.3  kilos, which is improving. I would like to see him put on more as he still looks on the scrawny side to me. He was 19 kilos when Daria and Ale got him to foster in Milan, a weight that doesn't bear thinking about. Even worse is that that weight of 19 kilos was after a few weeks in the rescue centre. God knows what he had gone through before that. This probably explains his hoovering of food. He sits while I put the bowl down and the - whoosh - it's all gone. He is so active that he works it all off again though. No chance of his ever being overweight!

He is with me in the office as I write this, crashed out on a chair. Dreaming. Nice dreams I hope.

Shy Dogs at the Kennels

I did another stint at the local kennels in Casentino this morning. On Sundays you go a bit later from 10 to 12, a half hour later start than Saturdays. I'm feeling a bit less of a 'new girl' now and learning what to do. We work as a team of four, drawn from the pool of about 25 volunteers.

Good news when I arrived, one of the dogs - Wanda - has been adopted. I thought something had happened to her when I saw her kennel empty, but no - a happy ending! Surprising time of year too.

Anyway the routine is like this: first we let the female dogs out for their run in the woods and while they are racing about we clean the kennels out, put the bowls of food in each kennel and hose down inside and out.  One of the females Beverley is desperately timid and has never been known to have her tail anywhere except between her legs. She can't run with the others but has to be put in a harness and taken for a calming walk around the fenced woods surrounding the kennel buildings. Once the volunteers have cleaned and done the food, they play with the first lot of dogs , talk to them and brush them. Like last time, I got Beverley and we went for a walk together while I chatted away to her quietly in English. Domenico is hopeful she will eventually be rehabilitated enough to find a new home. I hope so.

The females go back in after about 45 minutes and it's the boys turn! The same routine, but there are two shy boys - Bebo and Argo- who both have to go on harnesses. We let all the boys out and off they went in a glorious cacophany while we tried to put the harnesses and lead on the two timid hounds. Bebo was Ok but Argo took some time as he is he desperately scared - more of men that women it seems. I finally managed to get his harness on and then took him for another gentle walk round the woods. The woods are on quite a slope so although the dogs manage easily it's  bit more difficult for people, still we managed, Argo and I. Once again I was left wondering what had happened to this poor soul for him to be petrified of everything. He is a lovely looking dog and it seems such a shame he will probably not be rehomed for ages.

My next duty is on the 'banchetto' (stall) at Stia market the day after Ferragosto so that will be a new experience!

Let's Hear it for the Cats!

Well, take it from me my cats have balls! And considering they have all been neutered that is saying something.

As you know we have now got a new internet rescue English Setter called Gassi. He is a lovable loon but does insist on chasing the cats and as we know, nothing makes a hunting dog crazier than prey moving fast in the opposite direction.

Enter Misha, the semi feral cat that we have adopted. That's her in the photo with her sister and kittens. A quick sum up of her history - she is about three years old. Two years ago, after she had been coming into our garden, very shyly, for a few months, I found her sitting in the middle of the road having just been hit by a car. The car didn't stop of course. I did, bundled her up in the back and kept talking to her to hold on while I dashed to the vet. He was closed, I went to another vet, that was closed too so I hightailed it back to the original vet who I had called on my mobile in the interim.  Priding myself (oh vanity!) on my way with animals and my close up and personal knowledge of this little white and injured creature in particular, I reached into the car to take her while the vet held the catcage. All hell broke loose! She bit and scratched me on both arms and hands, but I kept hold and we got her in the box. She needed surgery to repair a hole in her cheek and a badly cut tongue. I too needed medical help, two visits to the hospital and I now only have limited use of my left hand. Anyway, Misha is still with us and she has developed a pretty good relationship with the original dogs, chasing them on occasion.

And now we have Gassi. He has chased her repeatedly, but she keeps coming back. Last night she decided she was coming into the house and to hell with him. So in she came as he lay astonished and watched as she had her food on the table, washed herself and then jumped to her usual place on top of a wooden box on the dressing table. This morning he tried to chase her again but she just stood her ground, knowing I would intervene. She was scared, her fur was on end and her tail looked like a little brush, but she didn't move.

Good for you little cat, I say! We can all learn a lesson from you.