Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all our Pet Samaritan friends, supporters, dog walkers and volunteers – we couldn’t do it without you!

Miss Nolene is wrapped up warm  – let’s make our prayer for pets – ‘that animals everywhere are safe and living a natural life this Christmas.’

The ponies don’t like the snow and have extra feed to make up for the icy grass.   All our water pipes are frozen in the ground and we are carrying water to all the animals.    Birds too  need water, don’t forget to put some out for them.   Strays still come in at Christmas and we are in urgent need of dog and cat food.   Thanks to the pet samaritans who bring cans and pouches in –  more please if you can manage it.   Every day we have to fill the feed bowls and we’ve had some very thin dogs in recently.   Thanks also for the carrots, the ponies and goats love them.  [donate]

The winter solstice is past (on 21st December) and the shortest day is behind us.   Soon the days will begin to lengthen and the grass will grow again.  Animals are in tune with this natural cycle, sadly, many humans have forgotten it.

Our prayers too for the poor lady who has been savaged by a dog and who has died as a result of her injuries.    Such a dreadful thing to happen, especially at Christmas.    We pray too for the dog;  we do not know what triggered the attack.   Was he a big dog, living in a small house?

A dog is man’s best friend who has helped us from primitive times, along the road to civilisation.   What a treasure a big, brave dog would be if we were living in wild country.   He is a creature who would have a lot of exercise in his natural state,  he would be inquisitive and interested in his natural surroundings.   He would be a pack animal with protective instincts and a defined role among his fellow dogs.   His surroundings would be grass and trees and moors and there would be natural scents for him to follow.  He’d sleep under the stars and go where he wanted, day or night.   He would be free to play and run and fight and hunt .    It’s what dogs do.

How many of the dogs we keep as pets have this fulfilling life?    People try to humanise dogs for their own purpose – to make them a companion, a substitute for a human friend, a pet to pamper.    But dogs are a different species to us with their own identity and rights, most have the desire to protect us, they all have the potential to attack.   A big dog is capable of doing a lot of damage.   Education is the key to stopping this happening again, with advice on getting the right dog, how to train this animal who communicates in a different way although he’ll understand us a lot better than we understand him.   We need to provide a good environment and lifestyle, understand his needs and how he thinks –  this the way for everyone to stay safe.