The Pound....

We work with all the pounds on the island, and going to any of them is a reality check of how big a problem is on this island. I used to get upset when I went, but now I feel dis heartened, and angry. Over the years the problem has not got better, and in fact it seems to get worse. I am angry at the sheer numbers of dogs that are dumped by arsehole owners, angry at the government for not doing more to steralise, and disheartened that we cannot do more to help.

The pounds in themselves are not that bad, and the volunteers and dog catchers do as much as they can with limited resources and funds. It annoys me when people slag off the pounds, and critacise them for having to destroy dogs, I wonder what do they propose instead. Over 10,000 dogs went into our main pound last year, with figures like this a no kill policy just isn't realistic.

When you wander around the pound it is heartbreaking, you have hundreds of eyes following you, pleading with you to help. People often ask me "how do you choose?" well for me its a feeling, and I always set out stating I would help the ones no one else would. I am well known now for taking the old, blind, deaf, overgrown, big, ugly dogs, but I have proved time and time again these deserve a chance too.

Every cage and corral has a huge number of dogs, many are fighting with each other, and others fighting to stay alive. You see the ones that have been handed in, beautifully clipped by their owners now knowing what the hell is going on. I will never understand how anyone can walk into a pound and simply hand their dog over, what do they actually think is going to happen.

Every single dog that walks through the doors potentially can be destroyed at any given time, some survive longer, others vanish as quick as they come in. I no longer see the point in getting upset, tears dont help these dogs, getting them out is what matters. In three years we have saved just short of 300 poundies, although that figure is great, it is still not enough.