Pets in Italy

DINO UPDATE

I have just come back from a week in the UK to see my Mum. During that time Francis from Calabria contacted me to say they have removed Dino from the canile as he was so distressed there. This is what she writes:

"To cut a long story short, Dino was doing badly at the pound. His bloated stomach went down, but he had developed a bad skin problem and we just could not leave him in there. After a lot of asking around - begging - we found somebody who let us tie him to a tree 'in campagna' near their hunting dogs (who are all kept in cages, a different story). This spot is near the village, so we decided it was better than the pound - oh how relative it all is down here. So we took poor Dino out of the pound. We bought him a nice new collar and we have been feeding him loads and taking him for long walks twice a day. Even though he is tied up for most of the day, he has been enjoying our visits immensely. In the five days that he has been out of the pound, he has picked up the 'come' command, and 'sit', and learnt how to walk on a leash and ride in the car! He truly is a great dog.

The canile vet lied to us about having given him shots - he hadn't. They told us all the dogs are microchipped and vaccinated when they go in, but this is not true (no doubt that's what they report and then collect the money from the government.) It is such a racket and meanwhile, the dogs are festering and suffering.

The canile vet dismissed Dino's skin problem as nothing serious, but we wanted a second opinion. So, this afternoon, we took Dino to a female vet who met through a friend, for a check-up and to ask her some questions about his skin and his general health. She took one look at him and said that because of his weight loss and skin problems, as well as swollen lymph nodes, she suspected leishmaniosis. She tested him for it there and then, and I am absolutely heart-broken to report that he tested positive for leishmaniosis. It's rampant down here, but I was hoping and praying he wouldn't have it. She said the stress of the canile probably brought out his symptoms, and he more than likely contracted it some months ago, probably before we even found him."

Francis has written to me again saying she and her husband are only there for around another six weeks and have decided to do as much as they can for Dino while they can, but that they may have to make the heart rending decision to have him put to sleep rather than suffer once they have gone. They are also trying to find out how serious the leishmaniosis is and if it is treatable long term. They are also looking into raising money to pay for him to go to UK or USA.

IS THERE REALLY NO-ONE WHO CAN HELP?

Dino is Still Waiting - Come On Ex-Pats, Please Help!

You may remember I recently posted about Dino, a stray found by some kind ex-pats in Calabria, but then sadly seized and taken to the dog pound?

I have just had an email from Francis, who was looking after Dino. Here is what she says:"He has now been in the canile for four weeks and I am exasperated with the lack of a response down here in Calabria. I have trawled the internet looking for Brits/Americans living down here, and although I have had some nice emails, I have found nobody to take him. I have asked around endlessly and there is absolutely no local interest. My husband and I have visited him at the canile several times and he is not doing well. They pack them in, 4 or 5 to a cage, and he is very thin and has a piece bitten off the top of his ear. He is clearly getting bullied and not getting much of the rations. When we go, the guys let us take him out of the cage for a cuddle and to feed him and he almost heaves from eating too fast. Yesterday, when they brought him out, he did not eat the food we gave him. One of the guys said he had eaten already, but when I cuddled him, I noticed his stomach was swollen and hard which was worrying."

Surely there must be SOMEONE in Calabria who can help this poor soul? Please contact Francis: FiCole@aol.com

Here are two YouTube videos of him, the first one before he was taken to the canile.

And this is when thewy went to visit him at the pound. They were made to wear plastic bags on their feet.

Urgent Home Needed for Wonderful Blind Setter

This heartbreaking story was sent to me from Aurora in Milan, the lady who organised the relocation from Avellino and our adoption of gorgeous Setter Gassi, almost exactly a year ago.

Luis is a seven year old English setter who is blind. He was in an appalling situation in a kennels in a province of Rome. Attacked by other dogs and in a life-threatening situation, he was placed with the puppies who wouldn't be so aggressive but they still nipped him, jumped on him and the usual puppy behaviour, confusing the poor soul who had no idea what was coming at him or from where.

The volunteers there were desperate, especially one lady who said the dog started jumping up to put his paws on her chest when she approached, but she could only stay for a few minutes and then he just kept jumping up into thin air looking for her.

Aurora organised his transport to Milan, where he is being looked after by foster carers, but they are in a  flat and it isn't easy having a blind Setter in a flat. Also he is almost totally deaf. This will be 80% rectified by an operation that they are organizing and paying for, but his ears are giving him terrible pain at the moment. He also has low level erlichiosis (as Gassie did)

So Aurora wrote to me. They don't know what to do and poor Luis deserves a good loving home with a family that will love him. She says he is quite self sufficient once he knows his way around, but needs a garden and his own space. He is gentle, loving and has won everyone's hearts.

Please can anyone help him?

Email me or aurora.romeo76@gmail.com

Kaden - a Dog Adoption Story

It is always wonderful to hear pet adoption stories, so many thanks today to guest blogger Patrizia a British ex-pat who lives near Como. This is Patrizia's adoption story...

When our beloved Greyhounds died, two within the year, I said "No more dogs." It was too much heartbreak. However, I am a glutton for punishment and couldn’t stop myself looking at the websites for dogs in trouble!

My search eventually led me to our local ( one hour away) canile. Off we went just to offer our services to walk some dogs. As soon as I got there I realised I had to do more than that. I was ready to open my doors again to another abandoned dog.

I spoke to a member of staff at the canile and was told there was a little dog who had been in the canile for three years (also aged three). He had arrived wild and terrified, however the staff had managed to get so far with him and he was now more sociable and affectionate. However he could not be picked up and was terrified at the sight of a collar and leash. His name was Kaden.

Kaden had been adopted once but had run away, luckily he was caught and put back in the same canile.  I decided to try and help. I armed myself with a box of luscious treats and sat in his cage with him four times a week for three hours each time. Initially he was very suspicious of me and shot inside. However the lure of sausage was too great!!!!!  Within two visits he had learned to "sit" before his treat was given and I realised I had a very intelligent little dog on my hands!

However when he saw the dreaded leash off he went, crawling belly on the floor style (you know the one)! I decided I had to do something positive.  I made a soft ribbon collar and stitched velcro on to fasten it. I have to admit I cornered him and put it on. He didn’t seem to even notice. I left it on him (velcro in case it caught in anything, it would release).

After a couple more visits and allowing himself to be picked up, I decided as he was trusting me more I would try the next step. I bought a small collar and managed to get it on (taking it off every time I left). I continued to leave his ribbon collar on. 

The next step was the leash.  I attached it and left it dangling, allowing him to go inside if he was unsure, I continued to give him treats ( which I had used all through the other steps). Eventually I could hold the leash and we would stand together just watching the other dogs through the wire of his cage. Also walking (in a very small space) round his cage.  I tried to take him into the main kennel area but with all the other dogs coming for a look it was to distracting. I knew I had to get him outside the gates into the field. I felt unsure with just the collar and leash so decided to try a harness. After a bit of wriggling (Kaden, not me) we got it on. I carried him outside the gates on his "maiden voyage".  After a bit of stop, go, etc. we managed a kind of walk.

It had taken three weeks but I thought now was the time to take him home. The canile staff were delighted (he had become a bit of a favourite I think). I had an escort of three lovely ladies to the car, and a near-to-tears farewell.

Kaden is home now, after one week he is settling down, loves his walks three times a day, along the road and up the mountain. He has his little worried moments but not often. I won't let him out without his leash at the moment, but I think very soon I will be able to trust him enough to do so. He is a wonderful little dog, all it took was patience and to earn his trust.

If anyone has a little time on their hands, try going to the local canile and help a dog like Kaden to trust the leash. So many dogs can’t be re-homed here in Italy because they are not leash trained. There are some lovely dogs hidden away from sight because they cant go for walks.

I would like to mention the staff and volunteers at the Canile municipale in Erba. They are wonderful and do as much as they can with genuine affection to help the dogs in their care. They do not have enough time to spend however with individual dogs. So if you can help, please do. 

Deer - Parts One and Two

Well, it's coming up to a year now since we adopted Gassie, the mad English Setter, from the Internet and he is still as adorably bonkers as ever. Last night he hauled himself up and over the wire fence, ran into the wheat field leading to the woods and then raced back to the gate a short while later, extremely pleased with himself as he had a whole deer leg in his mouth. (This had clearly died some time ago, I hasten to add, as he is not a killer!)

This was deer part two. He had brought another leg home the day before and gamboled around the garden hurling it high into the air and then pouncing on it like a cat while the other two watched at a respectful and drooling distance.

I am hoping he doesn't keep bringing us more of the poor thing piece by piece until we have the complete animal. I don't do deer jigsaws.

Good old Gassie!