My local animal sanchuary (where i volenteer)

[John Pilling]

If anyone is interested this is where i spend a couple of days a week, walking dogs and doing other bit's and peace's, have a look at the now, updated website.

www.bleakholt.org/index.html

[Vicki]

How sweet is Barney the dog Looks like a great place John, keep up the good work

[Dave]

looks cool john!! ;D

[jo]

oh its a lovely place john

[John Pilling]

It is, but it's the "behind the scene" things that put some people off, i mean cleaning out the dog pens and removing horse poop isn't everyone's cp of tea.

But i do it for 3 main reasons, 1 i needed to get out more a couple of years ago when i was at my lowest (depresion and other stuff) and secondley i enjoy it knowing i'm making a differance, even if it is only mucking out and waling the dogs.

Thirdley, i have always wanted a dog, and can't have 1 (my mum has cats) so i get enjoyment and satisfaction when i know they all go to a really good RSPCA checked home, so they can have a loveley life.

[Dave]

tell me about it john lol, my ex's horse was awfull when it was cleaned out! must confess not my cup of tea either, stick with the idea of a burmese rather than a horse ;D good on ya john, atleast ya doin summit you enjoy! ;D

[John Pilling]

I started because i felt sorry for the poor little homeless animale, but after a few weeks i knew how well the animals were treated,, and wanted to my bit to help.

I do enjoy it though, esspecially if i can make a differance to a small few abused, battered and broken animals (yeah, some of them are in a right state when they come in).

[lozzer]

Good on ya John your makeing a great difference to these poor animals but i seriously doubt i could sweep up horse poop lol.

Mind i would never do anything assosiated with the rspca because of their oppinions on reptiles.
Imo there should be a seperate british rescue centre that strictly only deals with reptiles.
Run by proffesional herpetologists and herpercultureists.

[John Pilling]

I know what you mean about the rspca and the reptile issue, but i'm not in it for the rspca, i'm in it for the animal's.

[Dave]

i love caring for animals although horses arnt my thing any more! ive never thought to take it up pro though unless i opened my own place as id want to deal with things my way

[John Pilling]

Tell me about it, thats why i just volenteer, i believe a g/s or a boxer or a huskie should only have 15 min's walkies, i tend to give the bigger dogs about 30-45 mins each, down to the res and back (about 15 mins 1 way and 20-25 the other way back).

The horses sheep goats and cow's all have their own 10 acre feild plus another 5 acres a farmer lets them use for free, except in lambing season (fair enough, he has to do his lambing somewhere).

[Vicki]

I really admire your work John. Chance (my dog) was from the rspca and my mums dog was from an animal rescue centre. We wouldnt have it any other way. The time and care put into rescuing and caring for these animals is amazing.

I worked in a kennels when i was 15 and believe me it is not the most plesent of jobs. And for you to do it and not get a wage from it is so admirable and must give you such great satisfaction.

Oh and horses are the best animals ever, 100% rewarding just so expensive to keep. I cant wait for the day when I can buy another and start doing all the comps again. I had my own for 3 yrs and that was the best 3yrs of my life ;D

[John Pilling]

Horses are ok, but not my favorate animal (i used to be so scared of them i'd nearley wet myself) but now i can "tollerate" them, and can even ride a bit (i'd be no good in the grand national tho :.

It is hard work, but the rewards are so worth while ;D, esspecialy if you see a dog or cat or other animal thats just literally skin and bone and covered in mange get a new and loving home after a years worth of treatment and love in the sanctuary .

It's just a shame we havn't more volenteers, but it has 24 regular staff and around 30-35 volenteers as well as 100 or so dog walkers coning in every week, and a lady who teaches horse riding comes in twice a week to groom the horses and check the shoe's etc. Theirs even a vet that comes for free just to check on the animals once a week, but any treatment must be paid for, as well as any other call out fee's.

I donate £200 a year to the place, as does a few other of my animal loving friends, but with more people buying animals and not looking after them/dumping them, the cost of running the place is alays going up, even if it is slowley .

All in all tho it's a good place where the animals are really well cared for, to the degree that most of the staff have taken at least 1 pet home with them from there ;D, Me as well.

[jo]

i realy think what you do its great, i realy wanted to do some volantear work when i worked evenings but with no car i couldnt get to my nearst center.
I muck out about 20 stables a day ! i shovel sugar for a living lol and i love it !we also have a kennals at my work the girls work realy hard over thair, its defo a laber of love !
loozer, i admire your passion about every thing ;D

[lozzer]

But i also admire the rspca for rescueing all these poor animals but i just believe that they shouldn't put their foots into anything that they don't know anything about.