Christmas with wildlife (From Stroud News and Journal)

Christmas with wildlife

While thousands of people across the Five Valleys are tucking into their Christmas dinners it will be business as usual for staff at Teckels Animal Sanctuary in Whitminster.

HAVING re-homed around 400 cats and dogs this year the animal-shelter-cum-boarding-house cannot afford to close for a single day but manager Joan Barrett says she wouldn't have it any other way.

"This isn't a job, it's a vocation and we're married to it," said Joan, who has three other full-time staff helping out including her grown-up daughter, Emma, 29.

"The only way we can really escape is to jump in the van and go out but I love it and wouldn't want to do anything else."

Walking around the grounds, the welcoming and caring atmosphere is there for all to see. All members of staff clearly love the prospect of turning up for work but that's not to say anyone gets an easy ride.

By 10am each day the animals have been fed, exercised and groomed and their runs hosed out thoroughly.

Much of the rest of the day is spent re-feeding, doing checking ups, administering injections and tending to some of the animals' special needs.

This may involve working with animals that have been mistreated, but it also means paying close attention to what are often individual and in some cases eccentric needs.

The Sanctuary will always try to take in strays and will also do its best to re-home pets that people feel they can no longer care for properly.

And although the festive period tends not to be any busier than the rest of the year, 53-year-old Joan admits they take extra care when re-homing animals.

"There are going to be unwanted Christmas presents as people still haven't got it into their heads not to buy anything living for Christmas," she said.

"If it is a family with lots of children and we have the perfect dog for them I say wait as they probably won't have time to deal with a dog fully and puppies need special care.

"Often it is only when children go back to school that they realise what they have taken on."

And while the staff must to wait for their turkey and stuffing on Christmas Day, the animals are given their very own feast.

"We cook up sausages for the dogs and turkey for the cats and they all get a Christmas present," says Joan.

"There are usually around 60 squeaky toys being played with and although the staff all go mad I love hearing them squeaking away."

And Joan acknowledges the value of having such a dedicated team of full-time staff and volunteers around her.

"Without the volunteers we would be in a right state, they are a fantastic group."

***********************

Joan (manager) and Emma Barrett (53 and 29).

Christmas day - the majority of staff will work until lunch time. Majority of work is done first thing, Day starts at 6am. Feed dogs breakfast and let them out of kennels into paddock. 7.30 cats cleaned out. Runs hosed out, clean bedding most days. 9am every dog goes for a walk 36 kennel and boarding dogs Then some hands on work with cats and dogs - some need a little extra TLC. 1.30 lunch time. Back into paddock, remake beds, grooming baths. 3.30 check all animals again. "Our day doesn't finish until at least 5.30" And then further checks at 7pm and 10pm.

"This isn't a job, it's a vocation and we are married to it. "The only way we can really escape is to jump in the van and go out but I love it and wouldn't want to do anything else.

Christmas - "We won't deny a dog a home but we have to be very cautious about where they go. "There are going to be unwanted Christmas presents as people still haven't got it into their heads not to buy anything living for Christmas. "If it is a family with lots of children and we have the perfect dog for them I say wait as they probably won't have time to deal with a dog fully and puppies need special care. "Often it is only when children go back to school that they realise what they have taken on.

Around 10 volunteers help out regularly on different days. "Without the volunteers we would be in a right state, they are a fantastic group.

"At Christmas we cook up sausages for the dogs and the cats have turkey and they all get a Christmas present. "There are usually around 60 squeaky toys be played with. "The staff all go mad but I love hearing them squeaking away.

"We didn't get our Christmas dinner until around eight o'clock last year.

Found home for around 150 dogs and 200 cats in the last 12 months.

The shelter has a non-distract policy. "Lots of pounds have no choice at 7 days, but if I have no dogs in I'll take them and we usually find somewhere for them.

"The staff here are all very helpful and will often take animals home too.

People help out - Whitminster School made Teckels its charity of the year.

Always need more dog fosterers - 70 dog waiting list and about 20 cats waiting to come in.

35 cats - twp-thirds of which waiting to be re-homed.

Hard to part with dogs - kept some of their own, two rescue Jack Russells and three cats.

Emma - Working on Christmas Day "Loads of volunteers turn up and go out for a walk in a big group. We all have a chuckle.

Carole Sims, full time member of staff. "It's the best job I have ever done. "I love animals and we all have a laugh.