Yasmin | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association

Volunteer Nicola, Vet Practice Owner.

by Yasmin | 4 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories, Volunteering

Article by Volunteer Nicola, a Veterinary Nurse and Director of Tenderpaws Vets in West Wickham, Kent.

My passion is pugs! I’ve grown up with them and in some way or another have supported Pug Welfare through those years. That leads me to say I have 8 pugs! 3 black, 4 fawn and 1 white called Charlie. Each have special needs and requirements 😂. All have different characters especially Charlie.

The circumstances around Charlie’s surrender were difficult, as he was terrified of men and would start fights with the other dogs in the surrenderers’ home. He’s a wonderful pug though, and I wouldn’t be without him!

I recently took in another troubled dog which wasn’t able to settle in a previous foster placement and showed signs of aggression. Eventually I found him a fantastic home where there were no other dogs and he’s very happy now.

I’ve fostered many pugs for the PDWRA but I’m generally a hopeless fosterer and have kept most of them! Over the years I’ve also helped with transporting pugs and continue to help out with problem solving both at home and at work.

As well as helping out the PDWRA in the practice wherever I can, I also do home checks and make follow-up visits for pugs placed in adoption.

I feel as though I’m privileged to be able to help a charity which gives vital love, care and support to many needy pugs!

Nicola.

If you feel you could foster or volunteer as Nicola describes, please see further details at the following webpages:

Fostering | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Volunteering for PDWRA | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Happy National Black Dog Day!

by Yasmin | 1 Oct, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

It’s the 1st October, National Black Dog Day!

On the same date each year, it’s a day to celebrate black dogs, originally created to raise awareness of how they were often passed over in rescue shelters and to break the historic stigma surrounding their colour.

However, we know black dogs make just as loving and loyal pets as any other colour. Why wouldn’t they? In fact, they’re unique in character and very special. Black pug owners will know that!

Here are a few gorgeous black pugs that have featured in our rescue news and stories:

Here’s a lovely selection of our Facebook followers’ pugs that were shared with us for National Black Pug Day. https://www.facebook.com/PDWRA/

Autumn Hazards!

by Yasmin | 26 Sep, 2023 | Blog, Pug Health

With the weather starting to change and Autumn drawing in, it’s a good idea to remind ourselves of the potential hazards to keep an eye out for, some quite serious, in order to keep our pugs safe.

Not only do piles of leaves hide what’s beneath them, they can develop bacteria and mould. If your dog ingests these it can lead to gastrointestinal upset.
Likewise, mouldy discarded foods can contain lots of different toxins, in particular on dairy products, bread or nuts, which can cause dogs to quickly develop muscle tremors or seizures.
Fermenting fruit, produces a natural alcoholic compound, which is toxic. If your dog eats such fruit, they are likely to suffer from sickness and diarrhoea, and also, may run the risk of having a toxic reaction to the natural alcohol produced by the fruit as part of its fermentation process.
Fruit stones, cherries, damsons, plumbs or similar if chewed produce cyanide, if swallowed whole, can cause choking or obstruction.
Acorns or horsechestnuts (conkers) can lead to sickness and diarrhoea, and if ingested in large quantities are toxic. They are also a choke hazard or can potentially become lodged in the gut causing a blockage, so make sure that your dog doesn’t eat any!
There are hard to identify, dangerous mushrooms, where signs of poisoning vary dramatically from stomach upset or blood in the stools to neurological effects such as hallucinations or fits, kidney or liver failure. The symptoms may present very suddenly or be delayed by days.
Poisoning from spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips or crocus are most likely to occur from being eaten in autumn when they are planted, or when they begin to flower in spring.
Fireworks can contain hazardous chemicals which can be poisonous to your dog. Initially these poisons can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain and/or bloody stools. More severe effects may include seizures and the chemicals may also affect your dog’s breathing, kidneys and liver. Don’t let your dog into your garden unsupervised around Bonfire Night and other seasonal celebrations, without checking first that none have fallen into your garden.
Chocolate sales rise around Halloween, but remember it contains a stimulant called theobromine, poisonous to dogs. The amount of theobromine differs depending on the type of chocolate, dark chocolate having the most in it. Theobromine mainly affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys. Signs can occur from 4 to 24 hours following ingestion where you may see vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle tension, lack of coordination, increased heart rate and possibly seizure.
The worst of all the chemical spills is antifreeze, (ethylene glycol) which can leak from a car’s radiator. Ingestion is very dangerous. It is sweet tasting and very palatable to dogs, though even a relatively small quantity can cause serious kidney damage or be fatal. The first signs of intoxication can be that your dog appears ‘drunk’. If you know your dog has ingested ethylene glycol or you have any concerns, contact your vet without delay. The prognosis is poorer the longer it takes to initiate treatment.

So please be extra vigilant, and if you suspect your dog has been affected in any way. Contact your vet as soon as possible to discuss symptoms.

Enormous Thanks to Lynn Parsons for her fundraising & donations!

by Yasmin | 14 Sep, 2023 | Blog, Volunteering, Fundraising

Meet Lynn, one of our super PDWRA fundraisers.

Lynn lives in the lovely South West of England with her husband Geoff, and their family of five male pugs.

Lynn and Geoff first became fosterers for the PDWRA in early 2019, taking on with welcome arms, two foster pugs with substantial needs who consequently never left!

Last year, they kindly took in another blind foster pug who was also adopted.

Lynn has always had an active voluntary role in her local community. Her repertoire spans from organising the yearly village pantomime, supporting the local cat rescue, and lucky for us; fundraising for the PDWRA.

Throughout the summer weekends, Lynn attends the local rallies with her family, and raises much needed funds for the PDWRA by holding Teddy Tombola’s. She raises hundreds of pounds each time, regularly received by us throughout the summer.

So even before a well deserved break for the autumn, Lynn has organised a fundraising pantomime, producing and directing it, donating nearly £1,200 to PDWRA this time.

Lynn’s grandaughter has learned to use the sewing machine and even makes bow-ties, see pic of pug in one!

We cannot thank Lynn enough for her enthusiasm and dedication to our cause.

Thank You So Much Lynn. You really are a Superstar!

To find out a bit more about why we need to continually fundraise, and how you can help, please go to:
Fundraising & Events 2023 | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

To Donate, please go to:
Donating to Pug Dog Welfare | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Great News – Pogo & Pete in their Forever Home!

by Yasmin | 10 Sep, 2023 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

Following our social media appeal to find a forever home for 1 year old boys Pogo and Pete, a number of interested applicants came forward and very quickly their future Dad was identified, happy to take both of them!

PDWRA’s next task was to transport the boys, who were located in NI, across the Irish Sea to the mainland. Thanks to the generosity of our Volunteers, only 2 Transporters were involved – Karen, who brought them all the way from NI to mid Wales, where volunteer, Claudia took over and transported them to a temporary foster home for a few nights until their Dad returned to England from his summer holiday.

Pogo and Pete are now settling in as enthusiastically as everything they approach (like scaling fences!), and we hope, looking forward to their upcoming training sessions in pug good manners!!