News

Collection at Tesco Formby

Thursday September 9th 2010

Zak came along to help collecting at Tesco in Formby on 9th September and like any small boy wanted to have a go on the Bill and Ben ride!

Southport Amateur Operatic Society

Tuesday September 7th 2010

We were recently visited by members of the Southport Amateur Operatic Society who are supporting our fund raising activities.  Here is a lovely photo of them with one of our dogs Tilly and a copy of the press release.

www.southportoperatic.co.uk

Clairvoyant Evening at Lady Green Garden Centre

Monday September 6th 2010

Calling All Supporters in the Lady Green Area! - show your support by attending our fundraising event.

You are cordially invited to be our Guest at an Evening of Clairvoyance with International Mediums Agnes Davies and John Allan. Agnes and John will give individual readings to members of the audience throughout the evening.

A delicious buffet will be served from 7pm - 8pm and the Evening of Clairvoyance will start at 8pm.

Tickets £15.95 per person are available from Lady Green Garden Centre, or you can book online at http://www.ghostwalks.org/event . For further information please contact Jan Robinson on 07983 160479 or email

Address details: Lady Green Garden Centre, Lady Green Lane, Ince Blundell, L29

Cattery Vacancy - Liverpool Rescue

Friday August 20th 2010

A Vacancy has arisen at the Liverpool Rescue for the right applicant to take on the role of Cattery Care Officer.    Full details are below. This vacancy is also listened on our vacancies page.

Cattery Care Officer - 30 hours weekly - Three, ten hour days plus holiday cover.

Must be flexible.

Full license holder.

Must have an affinity with cats. Should have an understanding of rescue principles. Should have an ability to work under stress. Must have experience working within a team.

Minimum wage.

The post will involve all care duties for cats being cared for by the rescue under the supervision of its cattery manager. The successful applicant will be trained to be able to assist in the admittance and re-homing procedures and the updating of all computer records.

This successful applicant will view this position as more of a vocation than a regular job. The successful applicant must have a passion for cats and all things feline, be eager to learn, must adapt quickly to changing situations and remain calm when under stress. The successful applicant will become part of a dedicated team in a high pressure working environment and it is vital that they have the desire and ability to work as a part of that team, to listen, take instruction, adapt, and think on their feet all the time adhering to the policies and principles of the rescue. Some experience would be preferred.

The application process will involve:

1) An informal interview with the cattery manager.

2) Two voluntary, practical hands on sessions.

3) A formal interview.

Closing date 15/09/2010

Welsh Rescue set to organise Sponsored Dog Walk

Tuesday August 17th 2010

Freshfields Founder (and manger of the Welsh rescue) Lesley Tarleton, along with her dedicated staff in Wales has organised a sponsored dog walk set to take place on Sunday the 19th of September.

Lesely and the team would love it if would join them on a picturesque 5 mile walk around Nebo and Nasareth finishing back at the shelter where refreshments will be served.

Sponsor Forms are available:
From the shelter, via our website, at each of our Charity Shops, Londis garage Clynnog, Pets at Home Bangor, Wynnstay Food Merchant Penygroes & 4 Crosses Veterinary Surgery.

You could help raise much needed funds for the rescue by taking part and getting yourself (and your dog) SPONSORED!

Introducing Roo - a very lucky little lamb!

Friday August 13th 2010

Roo is a Blue Faced Leicester. He was brought to the Liverpool rescue by a supporter who found him laying at the side of a road in Wales, in a very poor condition and unable to stand.

When Roo arrived with us the joints of his legs were badly swollen and very hot.  He was diagnosed as having a severe infection that attacks via the animals umbilical cord and can potentially spread throughout the whole body.  Our vets felt it very unlikely that Roo would survive!

However ... this is Freshfields and we don't give in when it's obvious the animal in question is not yet ready to give up the fight!

Luckily little Roo found himself a very determined foster mum, in the form of Collette, one of our kennels staff.  Collette nursed Roo around the clock, taking him into her home with the rest of the family (see pic of Roo on a blanket with Jack Russel cross Tilly), giving him food, warmth, medicine and love and in a few short weeks he was staggering around on his swollen legs.

Hydrotherapy was recommended and a bath was set up on the farm and filled with water so that Roo could exercise his legs without placing weight on them.  Our vets were still very sceptical and Collette was warned not to get to attached to him as there was still no guarantee he would fully recover.  It was of course too late to say 'Don't get attached' the damage was already done!

Anyway ... Roo has come on in leaps and bounds (well not literally, but he is nearly there)!  We didn't want to share his story widely too soon for fear of jinxing him, but he appears to be doing really well. He has grown an awful lot, the painful swelling in his knees has virtually disappeared and he spends most of his days ambling around the field with his mates Ballerina, Rowland & Larry. Larry is another of this years rescues, a Scottish Black face who was brought all the way from (you guessed it) Scotland because he had a broken foot and was otherwise to be destroyed.  Larry is also doing well, a little too well if the size of his belly is anything to go by!  The two of them are great pals.

As always, Freshfields is very grateful for any donations received for the care of the animals, including our little friends on the farm.

More photo's to follow!

Linacre Cat Neuter Project Update

Monday August 9th 2010

Freshfields Animal Rescue Liverpool has formed a partnership with the Persula Foundation, Jean Sainsbury Trust and the Jean Marchig Trust that will allow for the sterilisation of 400 cats within the 2 wards of Linacre and Derby in Liverpool 20, Sefton for families on low income.

The scheme will work door to door as well as through the effective offices and channels of existing community groups on the ground in Linacre to maximise awareness and take up of the scheme.

The scheme has a start date of 1st Aug 2010, literature and advertising have been prepared and the Community post team will be responsible for delivery door to door throughout the area. Meetings with community groups, community policing teams, social housing organisations and local groups within Liverpool 20, to assist with the promotion of the scheme, are being held throughout July in order to aid the effective channelling of the project throughout those wards.

The charity will use the scheme to produce a detailed statistical assessment of cat health and medical state from within low income households derived from both basic consent/admittance forms and detailed vet exams under sedation. All the surgery will be carried out by Rufford Vet Group in Southport, the charity will aim to submit 8 cats weekly at a reduced surgery price that the practice has agreed in advance.

The charity also wishes to produce a follow up 'outcomes assessment' where participating households are contacted within 4 months of surgery to measure why neutering had not previously taken place and the benefits to the household that neutering has brought socially and economically. The charity will produce a statistical assessment from its figures in conjunction with John Moores University. We will be using the data collected to produce a more accurate assessment of cat ownership, veterinary access by owners, breeding and specific welfare issues within Liverpool 20 that can be related to income threshold and which in the future we can build upon as we focus our fieldwork into areas that need us most. We see this scheme as a pilot project which we could replicate in other deprived wards of Liverpool in the future

This is a new project deliberately targeting a specific, concise area where analysis of the charity's records have proven absolute need and will be running alongside an existing project sponsored financially by Cats Protection that has been running for several years across the whole of Merseyside and that allows neutering for all households where breeding is taking place. In 2010 Cats Protection have allowed us a £32,000 budget for this county wide scheme. The Linacre project is being funded to the tune of £12,000. The first three batches of household cats went in to the clinic in the last ten days and there are already over 100 now on the waiting list to participate

Like many independent animal rescue charities, Freshfields does not have the funds to begin, let alone sustain, such vital projects as these. Without the financial support of our sponsors these projects could not happen and our work in the community would be a fraction of what it is today.

Panorama Investigates - Britains Unwanted Pets

Monday August 9th 2010

Has the fashion for aggressive looking 'status' dogs contributed to the numbers of abandoned pets the authorities are now having to deal with? Panoramas Tom Heap has gained access to Battersea Dogs Home, one of the most famous animal rescues in the world, and in this programme he reveals the shocking truth about the numbers of dogs it is having to put to sleep. Many of the unwanted dogs in pounds and rescues are Staffordshire bull terrier types and this programme highlights the extent of the problem.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00tcfmp/Panorama_Britains_Unwanted_Pets/

Successful 2nd Open Day at Horse and Pony Santuary

Thursday August 5th 2010

On Sunday 1st August, we held our second open day at our centre near Caernarfon.

The Open Day weather was brilliant, no rain (first time it stopped for nearly a week!) and the sun even came out later in the afternoon. A huge sigh of relief was given by all involved  who worked hard to get everything organised and running smoothly.   It had been a worry to us all week. The Marquee arrived on the Saturday evening - we had hired one at a reasonable price from the local Scout Group - a big THANKYOU to them.

The dog show was as successful as ever, it was great to see Freshfields dogs participating in the fun classes.

Another big attraction is the Anglesey Dog Training group with their display of heelwork to music . This always goes down well, a crowd always gathers as soon as they start their routines which are very skilful, the dogs are wonderful and are obviously enjoying it as much as their owners.

First picture is Best Puppy in Show - Carly Jones with Gilbert and Judge Kim Lathaen

Second picture is Best Rescue Dog Best Rescue Liz Evans and Harvey

Third is Some of the dogs in the Rescued by Freshfields class

A BIG thank you to all who joined us on the day and of course many thanks to all the staff and volunteers who made it all happen, without their help it would not be possible!