by Yasmin | 18 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories, Volunteering
My involvement with PDWRA started in 2017 as a first-time adopter. We were willing to take on a pair of pugs, who turned out to be the beautiful, 7 ½ year-old litter sisters, Tasmin (Taz) & Millie.
With the name of Tasmin (on the left), I knew she was meant for me!?
Having taken a serious break from my career managing international recruitment programs for a global tech company, it made it possible for me to devote the time needed for our new additions, and due to this, along with the following volunteering developments, I never returned to my career!
The following year, I was approached by the trustees and asked if I would join the core team as a Voluntary Area Coordinator (VAC) for the busiest, South region. It was full-on, learning on the go, in practical, policy and process terms, as well as accelerating my understanding about this most special breed. Before I knew it, I had matched and rehomed 50 gorgeous pugs and another volunteer, Natalie, was brought onboard to help me.
I oversaw every step of the often emotional and difficult journey for those handing over their pugs, managing the enthusiastic waiting list of adopters until pugs were successfully matched to them, also providing advice and support to foster carers across the 10 counties particularly over pug health and welfare matters. Also, organising volunteer transport generally at short-notice, I soon became an expert at using the AA route planner and the very important motorway service station locations, one of which we collected our precious girls from!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before I discovered a sinister lump developing on Taz which was discovered to be an aggressive Mast Cell Tumour. She went through surgeries and chemo as she deserved to live longer than that terrible disease had originally planned for her. It was a demanding time while still looking after the South region’s rehoming, nursing Taz and making many vital decisions for her though with the confidence of her specialists at Fitzpatrick Referrals Oncology, where I felt we were living for a while due to the frequent appointments & emergency trips in between. We couldn’t praise or thank them enough for all their expertise and personal support throughout it.
We decided to adopt another beautiful soul, Dottie, so that Millie would have a familiar companion, and sister, in the future, as she’d always known that.
Sadly, we lost Taz 6 months later, after she’d been with us for just under 2 years. At this difficult time I had to take a break from the ‘on-call’ role of a VAC, though it remained joyful and satisfying to see how the pugs I had placed, got on in their forever homes through our internal Facebook group for PDWRA adopters and fosterers, with parents I had known as names on an application form!
We were asked to foster short-term on a few urgent occasions, for bonded-pairs as there are generally fewer homes able to accommodate two, also Millie doesn’t generally welcome new pugs to our home! However, we overcame that, and ‘failed’ as fosterers twice, by adopting 2 pairs of boys, Percy and Benny in 2020 (above) then Bob and Frank (below) 2 years later, after we sadly lost Percy to lymphoma.
They were only supposed to be with us as an emergency for a few nights but before we knew it they were so settled and we couldn’t bear for them to go through another move.
During these years we’ve experienced dentals for all, numerous eye-ulcers, 2 types of cancer, seizures, a heart-murmur, arthritis, pug myelopathy and a little biter who looks like butter-wouldn’t-melt, and is 95% transformed!!
Whether adoptees or foster pugs, they were all overweight when they arrived, 2 of the boys were obese, so weight-loss management became a familiar experience too. We learn so much from what this exceptional breed throws at us!
After the break as a VAC, I was asked if I’d consider returning to help a few others with PDWRA’s Social Media, most importantly Facebook which I’ve managed it since, mostly on my own, for 4 years. It’s a 7 day/week commitment, gathering and producing content relating to the charity’s work and achievements, as well as covering only a sample of the many heart-warming pug rescue and adoption stories that our followers and supporters enjoy to hear about, so much.
Our following has increased considerably, from 23,000 to 36,000 and queries and comments from the public need to be responded to whenever they arise, so it’s been really useful having gained the knowledge I have from my roles in the charity.
Managing the Website publishing side too, alongside Facebook, I’m able to draw on our invaluable technical expert Steve, whenever needed, and also work closely with PDWRA’s digital marketing agency’s owner, Robin, a pug owner and supporter, who volunteers the agency’s services to produce our bi-monthly newsletters.
I was also invited to serve as a Trustee (2021 – 2022), on top of these daily operational roles, though I had to step back after a year to re-balance my volunteering workload against my home-life especially due to our expanded and ageing grumble.
My husband, Ian, also volunteers whenever needed, as a regular Transporter at the weekends, so he meets many other wonderful volunteers and adopters across the country. Often I do too when our home near to the infamous M25 is a handover point, so I get to meet a fair number of the newer pugs on their journeys, which I also follow their progress and adventures for our published success stories.
It’s meant long hours, juggling plates and learning never stops, but has been so worthwhile and satisfying, for all the pugs that desperately need us!
This article is dedicated to our beloved Taz & Percy.
Both with us for too short a time, only 2 years, respectively!
For latest vacancy information for specific volunteer roles, please go to:
Vacancies | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
If you would like to volunteer locally to you, please see details of the 3 options; transporting, home-checking or fundraising, and to apply at:
Volunteering for PDWRA | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
If you’re considering fostering, please see more details and apply at:
Fostering | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 15 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories
It’s International Pug Day (Pugtober 15th)! Created to help pugs in need and encourage people to help take them out of shelters and into loving homes.
This is exactly what PDWRA do, throughout the UK. So, on this day of celebrating this wonderful and adorable breed, apart from spoiling them in your usual way, you can help us do what we do, in various ways. Please see the website links, below:
Here’s a lovely selection of our Facebook followers’ pugs that were shared with us for National Pug Day, all gorgeous and gratefully received!
You can see more on our page – https://www.facebook.com/PDWRA/
We rely solely on the help of volunteers and kind donations from people like you. Thank You!
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/fostering-a-pug/
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/volunteering-for-pdwra/
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/donating-to-pug-dog-welfare/
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/friends-of-welfare/
https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/fundraising-events/
#pwdwa #pugcharity #pugwelfare #pugadoption #pug #pugs #pugsofinstagram #internationalpugday
by Yasmin | 13 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Pug Health
By Helen McKee. (MRCVS)
PDWRA Vet Advisor.
I have been asked to write about pet insurance as it can be quite a minefield out there, as with any insurance.
We ask that all people who adopt a PDWRA pug take out insurance on their pug. The reason for this, as no doubt you have picked up from the previous articles, is that pugs are prone to a large number of health conditions, most of which can be very expensive to investigate and treat.
It can cost at least £3,000 for corneal graft surgery, an MRI, or a work up for a metabolic problem, not to mention BOAS surgery, hence the need for insurance.
For example, our daughter noticed that her (white) PDWRA pug had suddenly slowed down having always been fit despite being 10 years of age. Blood tests by local vet revealed some significant abnormalities and we asked that he was immediately referred.
He was seen by the referral practice the next day, and through investigations, including a CT scan and needle guided biopsy, was found to have abdominal tumours that had spread to his lungs (metastases). The total cost of both the primary and referral vet fees was £3,500.
Whilst our daughter is devastated, she was able to find out quickly, (and with little expense as she was covered by Petplan), exactly what was wrong with Prince and whether he could be treated (he had palliative care).
This is the value of good insurance.
And there’s the rub!
What is good insurance? As with any insurance, it’s important to read the small print. I have recently heard of someone being caught out; there was a cap on the amount per condition (£500- useless for a pug) rather than a total that can be claimed annually not based on a condition, which left the person with a very large bill to pay!
The type of insurance that best suits pugs and the conditions they are prone to (that may need ongoing life treatment) is cover for life (rather than 12 month).
Watch out for insurance companies that dictate where a dog is referred (normally cheaper practices that may not be the best option for your pug), one of which is ‘Animal Friends’ insurance, and remember cheaper might not be the best option.
Our previous insurance company of choice was Petplan; they have good lifelong cover with a range per annum (we chose the mid range cover of £7000) with no cap per condition and they pay out promptly. However, recent experience has shown that they are not always the best choice for rescue dogs with a history of medical issues (good for puppies with no previous medical records); they now put blanket exclusions on any condition mentioned.
One adopter mentioned that their adoptive dog had previously been overweight and Petplan excluded all respiratory and cardiovascular conditions! And Petplan can make it really difficult to lift these exclusions; it normally needs your veterinary practice to write to the Underwriters (which takes forever!) who finally make a decision. They don’t automatically lift exclusions; you have to be pro-active and contact them after the length of time they decide the exclusion can be lifted.
As a result we have insured our most recent PDWRA pug with ‘Many Pets’. They have had good write ups recently, and with their top cover of £12,000 per annum, all pre-existing conditions are covered. Their other life cover policies automatically lift any exclusions after 2 years as long the medical records show no veterinary treatment for that condition during that period.
Another pet insurance that has been recommended to me is ‘More Than’ though I have had no personal experience using this company.
In summary:-
- Take out a ‘Life Cover’ policy.
- Use a company that doesn’t have a limit on amount per condition, but has an annual cap.
- Make a considered decision on how much cover you would like per annum (we chose £7,000 per annum; our first pug used the whole premium for 2 years running up to the age of two which Petplan paid without any issues).
- And finally, read the small print!
This article is dedicated to the very special and beautiful boy Prince, 23-3-13 to 29-8-23.
For other pug health information and articles please see:
Pug Health & Wellbeing | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 10 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Volunteering
By Volunteer, Jackie:
I’ve been asked to write something about a day in the life of a foster mum. I don’t have any magic formula for fostering, and don’t deviate from a tried and trusted method, if you can call it that, and which must be well known to all our fosterers out there – routine!
I’m retired and don’t have many family calls on my time, so can arrange the day very much to suit the pugs and myself (which I do).
Each day feels more or less the same as all the other days, perhaps the only difference between myself and many of our fosterers is that I would foster on an industrial scale. That is, if I could get away with it, so my “mentor” keeps a close eye on me!
(It’s quite a sizable grumble here, but always room for one (or two), more). How true I’ve found the 3/3/3 rule is, when introducing a newcomer, you can more or less guarantee it with the routine in place.
That’s 3 days to start to trust you, 3 weeks to relax, 3 months to make themselves fully at home and take over!
Whilst acknowledging that all pugs are different in character, they seem to respond positively to the repetition of the day, same time for meals, walks, treats and naps. This in turn generates order, so a newly introduced foster pug will soon pick up on what is going to happen and when. It not only sooths them, but makes my day more manageable.
The only exception to this is meal times, which as you all know, is of paramount importance to a pug. Although there’s a strict order in which bowls are placed, (and they all have their own designated feeding space), it can look, and often is chaotic!
I’m a big fan of getting the pugs out for a walk, if they’re capable and want to. Some go out in the buggy (twice a day), others for a walk (three times a day), across the many safe open spaces I’m lucky enough to live near. This breaks the day up for them, keeps them healthy, and provides an opportunity to socialise with other dogs.
So many fosters come in with mobility issues, and as a consequence, have endured very restricted lives, so it’s wonderful to see them enjoying unexpected freedom. Even the “wonky” ones get an opportunity to run about, as much as they are able to, with the confidence of walking in the safety of the pack.
So, with pug walks and meals to provide, working in the garden with the pugs around me, and doing a bit of PDWRA business in between, my days drift uneventfully by …..
We wouldn’t describe it quite as modestly as Jackie does. We couldn’t do what we do without such experienced and willing volunteers like her!
If you would like to foster please see more details and apply at:
Fostering | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
by Yasmin | 8 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories
We appealed for a home for Daphne last month. A typical vibrant, fun-loving and playful 5 year-old pug who had originally lived happily with another female pug. She was surrendered to us, now showing the early signs of constrictive pug myelopathy affecting the mobility in her hind legs.
This condition is not unusual in pugs, due to their anatomy and development of their delicate spines.
It wasn’t long before Daphne’s adopter came forward and within weeks was transported to her wonderful new home by her devoted fosterer, where she is settling in so well!
New Mum, Shirley, confirms how happy Daphne is and describes herself as her slave. Daphne is enjoying getting anything she wants including whenever she demands a walk. Though she really enjoys her breakfast she always wants Mummy’s too!
Shirley says “Daphne is so very special. She makes me smile every day. I can’t tell you how much I love her already. My little wobbly girl will be having the high life here!”
Daphne’s characteristic wobbly back legs are even looking a little stronger too from her daily walks.
Adoring Mum, is also somewhat of an artist. She draws dog portraits donating a portion to charity. Here’s her loving portrait of Daphne!
Daphne couldn’t have found a better home. There’s no looking back for this lovely girl!
You can see videos of Daphne enjoying the beach and playing with her toys here: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/could-you-adopt-young-daphne/
To find out more about Daphne’s condition, our veterinary adviser Malcolm McKee has written an excellent article that can be found at: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/spinal-conditions-in-pugs/
If you would like to adopt a pug like Daphne, or any of those we have in our care, please apply at: https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/
