by Yasmin | 13 Apr, 2024 | Blog, Pug Health, Rescue Stories
Clemmie’s Story by Helen PDWRA Vet Advisor.
Last October, six-year-old Clemmie found herself under the care of PDWRA and was placed in foster care with the intent of adoption. Upon her arrival, it became evident that Clemmie’s ears were in a dire state, causing her significant discomfort. She incessantly scratched at them, and her hearing was compromised due to the severity of the irritation.
Despite attempts by specialists to address Clemmie’s ear issues without resorting to surgery, her condition continued to worsen. Eventually, the only viable option was a specialised procedure known as a Total Ear Canal Ablation (TECA), which involves the complete removal of the ear canal. This operation is both challenging and intricate.
Clemmie underwent emergency surgery after it was discovered that she had an abscess in her middle ear during a CT scan. The procedure, which also included a TECA operation on her other ear, lasted four hours, The surgery alone cost over £2,500, excluding the expense of the CT scan.
Thanks to the financial support provided by PDWRA, Clemmie was able to receive the necessary treatments to prevent the infection from spreading to her brain, which would have ultimately resulted in her having to be put to sleep.
Fortunately, Clemmie is now on the path to recovery, and her owners are very grateful for the invaluable support from the PDWRA.
Without ongoing donations from our supporters, Clemmie might not have been able to receive this vital treatment. Now in recovery, Clemmie’s owners are deeply thankful for the PDWRA’s support.
If you would like to donate towards our substantial vet costs that ensure pugs like Clemmie get the treatment they need, when they need it, please go to this webpage:
Donating to Pug Dog Welfare | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
For other interesting articles about pug health, please go to:
Pug Health & Wellbeing | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 12 Apr, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories, Volunteering
Maureen Lee is one of our long-serving Voluntary Area Coordinators (VACs), for the South-West of England where she lives. She was also one of the original founders of the Wales and West Pug Rescue. This is Maureen’s life’s story with Pugs!
“It all started as a child. Pugs have always been in the family, where my late Uncle bred pugs and bulldogs and was well-known for it, as well as in the Show world in the 1950’s.
But the family’s history goes way back to my late Grandfather who was a veterinary practitioner before the days even of the formation of Royal college of veterinary surgeons! Sadly, I never knew him but he left us all with various inherited animal interests in life!
I owned my first pug some 56 years ago! Lucy, was born on Easter Sunday 1968, known as ‘Demelza’s Easter Nimbell’, pictured here. She was actually sired by Nimrod, the first pug to ever win the Toy Group at Crufts (1967)!
I have been lucky to be able to breed a bit, ten generations over the years. I’ve shown them with good success, and I am also a Championship show judge for the pug breed.
I have shown and achieved a 1st prize at Crufts plus several other placings with various pugs over the years. Also, a friend of mine has achieved the title of International Champion with one of mine’s litter sister! We used a Champion Sire from Norway.
Back in 1987, a small group of us got together to form the Wales & West of England Pug Dog Club. In 1988 we also formed our rescue group of which I served for 30yrs.
By 2018 sadly our volunteers were ageing, and we were also very short of numbers. It ended up with just me and one other really elderly lady trying to run the whole of Wales with a relative doing a lot of driving for us. It wasn’t sustainable.
We weren’t a registered charity, so we couldn’t inherit large donations so I got in touch with the PDWRA and suggested that we merged. We transferred all our funds over, though we weren’t rich and I was the only one then that stayed on to join PDWRA.
I live with my (five) pugs, three fawn pugs of my own breeding, I also have a black pug that I rescued, about ten years ago now. She came through Wales and the West while I was part of that, and is 13 years-old now. Ruby, another rescue arrived six years ago. Unfortunately, I lost one about six weeks ago. She was 12. They’re all getting to an age now.
Heidi, is my long-term PDWRA foster who I’ve just celebrated 1 year with. She is 14 years-old now and was deaf and blind and unfortunately quite neglected when she came into my care. Plus, I have one Pekinese. I’ve always had that sort of number at home.
Being quite a lot older now, I don’t go dashing off all over the country, but I do help where I can with home-checking new applicants and giving general advice. I give lots of advice for people over the phone. I keep in touch with people who have adopted elderly pugs because they get worried when anything goes wrong. I’m always here to give anyone advice on their pugs.
I have also always been involved with fundraising events locally or fostering pugs. Lots of friendships have been made over the years with my involvement with Pug Rescue and I have found it so rewarding.”
To read more about Maureen’s long-term foster pug, Heidi, please see:
Long-term foster, Heidi.
If you would like to volunteer for PDWRA, please see the opportunities to, at:
Volunteering for PDWRA | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
or
Volunteer Vacancies at PDWRA! | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 11 Apr, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories, Volunteering
Fostering for PDWRA isn’t only for the adults!
The younger generation of up and coming fosterers are getting involved too. Here, Ronnie, aged 6, and who’s Mum is a regular fosterer for PDWRA, stood up bravely in front of the crowd to give a talk on fostering for PDWRA to his fellow Beavers for his Animal Care Badge.
He was ably assisted by Reggie, on long term foster with Ronnie and his family, who you can just about see on the right.
Ronnie’s talk was well received by the audience, who lined up afterwards for the opportunity to be introduced to Reggie, where he was stroked and cuddled.
Ronnie not only achieved his badge, but sparked an interest in caring for animals in general from everybody.
The lovely Reggie is on long-term-foster due to mobility problems where he’s going to find it increasingly difficult to walk. In fact he’s just got some assistance in the form of a buggy to help him along when he needs it.
If you would like to foster a pug like Reggie, please see details about fostering here: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/fostering-a-pug/
by Yasmin | 10 Apr, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories
Laura’s Journey with Melvin – 1 year on!
In the world of pet adoption, there are countless stories of love, hope, and companionship.
Laura’s journey with her beloved pug, Melvin, is one such heart-warming tale that embodies the transformative power of adopting a furry friend. In an exclusive interview with Laura, we delved into her experience as a first-time dog owner and how Melvin, whom she adopted from the PDWRA, has become an integral part of her life.
Laura’s desire to adopt a pug had been brewing for over 20 years. However, various circumstances, such as living arrangements and work commitments, prevented her from realizing this dream. It wasn’t until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a friend’s adoption of a PDWRA pug named Ozzie that Laura felt the stars aligning. Inspired by her friend’s experience and encouraged by the newfound flexibility of remote work, Laura embarked on her quest to find her perfect pug companion.
After connecting with the PDWRA and undergoing the adoption process, Laura’s heart melted when she first laid eyes on Melvin during a video call. His adorable face and sweet demeanour captured her heart instantly, confirming that he was the one. With the support of the foster family, Melvin made his journey to Laura’s home, marking the beginning of their special bond.
Like any new pet owner, Laura encountered challenges along the way, especially his willingness to guard the window using the much-loved sound of a pug bark…
Looking back on their time together, Laura highlighted how much Melvin has meant to her. His presence brings her happiness in both good and tough times, providing comfort when she feels lonely and even helping with her mental health.
As Melvin continues to thrive in Laura’s care, their bond grows stronger. Their connection serves as a testament to the transformative power of pet adoption. For Laura, Melvin isn’t just a pet; he’s a cherished companion who has brought immeasurable happiness into her life and offers unconditional love the moment she walks through door, even if she has only popped out to the shop for 5 minutes!
Laura’s story serves as reminder that the journey of pet adoption is a rewarding one filled with endless love and a testament to the extraordinary bond between humans and their furry friends.
See more about their recent celebrations here:
Happy 1st Gotcha Day Laura & Melvin!
If you would like to consider further, adopting a pug please see these website pages:
Adoption | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
&
So You Want A Pug? | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 8 Apr, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories, Volunteering
Introducing Heidi, one of PDWRA’s long term foster dogs and her remarkable journey. Thanks to the efforts of the PDWRA and the devoted volunteer Area Coordinator (VAC) and fosterer, Maureen, we have the privilege to share our interview with Maureen, offering a glimpse into Heidi’s inspiring story.
“PDWRA was Heidi’s last chance! A year ago, then 13 years old, we received an urgent call to pick Heidi up. It was around the time we were still being cautious in the aftermath of COVID and Heidi’s history, as told to us, was a little patchy, that her owner had been taken into hospital care. However, when we met Heidi, we could see that she was in a pretty bad way. Heidi weighed less than four kilos and was just coming up to be 13 years-old. She had a terrible diarrhoea condition, and obviously hadn’t been looked after properly for a long time.
When she was picked up from this house, there was no furniture, there was nothing there. It was just Heidi sat in the bed with nothing, not even a drink. The PDWRA asked the unknown person if Heidi could be taken to the vet straightaway and an appointment was booked. The woman never turned up to the appointment. She was rather mysterious and clearly didn’t want to go to the vets herself. Upon seeing Heidi, our vet confirmed that she had an ongoing upset stomach that had never been treated basically.
Heidi was brought home to my house. Then I was having to make the decision with Helen, one of PDWRA’s vet advisors, whether it was worth keeping her going because of the condition she was in. it. The vets thought they could treat her upset stomach which they thankfully did and within a week she had responded to the treatment they gave her. Her eyes and her ears were an absolute mess also, they appeared as if they’d never been cleaned or anything. And it was soon apparent that she was totally blind and totally deaf.
The next decision was, who was going to take her on? So the PDWRA asked if I would and I said yes. Oh, I couldn’t say no to her at that stage. Fortunately Heidi was microchipped so we knew exactly when she was born. So at some stage, we assume, she obviously did get looked after.
Anyway, Heidi was now home! She got better and now we communicate to her with little taps on her head to alert her that there’s something around and her sense of smell is terrific! She knows exactly when the food is coming up, and within a very short space of time, she got used to my dogs. Also, I live on the ground floor, in a bungalow so there’s no steps or anything to worry about so she adapted very quickly to where she was, how she got out and how she got back in. Pictures of her when she first came are not nice to show but now, she’s looking pretty. And one year later, she’s still here.
Heidi’s 14 now. She’s amazing. She could have costed PDWRA a fortune but they put the main things right straight away. And since then as there’s nothing that can be done for her sight or hearing, I basically just keep her clean and tidy and use the lubrication drops for her eyes, which I buy online myself. I have to clean them almost every day because she gets a lot of deposits coming out of her eyes, but they are quite clear now. There’s no scarring or anything, just black. Keeping her ears clean too, that’s all.
She’s so happy! Oh, and one little cheeky story, is that one of my pugs has got a big octopus toy. Well, Heidi insisted that this octopus was hers and kept stealing it from her. Eventually I thought, I’d see if I can get another one as a duplicate. So now she’s got two of them! See our main picture, they’re hers and nobody else’s! My other pugs respect that and don’t even go near them now.
My 5 pugs plus a Pekinese have a nice enclosed garden, and the older ones in my grumble have got to the stage where they don’t walk any distance. They’ve got access to come in and out when they want, and they follow each other around. The younger ones do go out walking, but the 13-year-olds don’t do that much exercise but they love going out in the car, if anyone’s got to go in the car, they love it!
Heidi has thankfully gone from strength to strength. She is enjoying every moment of her life despite her disabilities and loves all her resident companion Pug friends. She is well now, and such a special pug, it’s her diligence, you know. I think if you can make people aware that, even if it’s only for a short time, it makes them happy, then it’s worth it.”
If you think you could foster pugs in need, like Maureen, please read: Fostering | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
To read Maureen’s fascinating life story with pugs, do read the following article:
Maureen’s Amazing Life-story with Pugs!
