I was contacted yesterday by a distressed lady who is very worried about the safety and well being of two collies advertised on the awful preloved site. I would love to help these two dogs but the owner has refused to let them go to rescue despite the fact they are advertised 'free to a good home'. The only way I can help is if we have somewhere local they can go in the first instance while we find them a permanent foster placement. There are ways to get these two dogs out of their awful situation but we need somewhere to put them. So
do we have anyone in Stoke on Trent who would be in a position to take 2 rescued collies for short term foster (a week to 10 days maybe) while we find them somewhere permanent to be fostered. They are mother & son, both in a bit of a state, nervous, entire and unvaccinated. If you can help please contact us via the website http://www.bordercolliesinneed.co.uk/

Meet Sophie, a lovely collie cross girlie who has been with us for a while in foster. She is about 14 months old, we had her from the Pound when her time was up. Sophie was extremely nervous when she first came to us but with a lot of work from her fosterer she has come on lots. Sophie has been living with several dogs of various shapes and sizes without any problem so could go to a multi dog household. Because Sophie tends to prefer a quiet household we would prefer no children under 10 years and ideally a collie savy home.

Just arranged to take delivery of a sweet sounding collie girl, 16 months old and unwanted because she has "issues", some of which if not all are caused by frustration, this poor girl is living a life of a pet when all her instincts are telling her she should be working sheep, bless her. Her dad is a champion welsh working sheepdog, she is living a fairly mundain and sedate life of a pet dog with no opportunity to use her brain. It's no wonder she has "issues"!

She will be going into a lovely foster home where we will assess her and do some work with her before she will be up for adoption. Pictures will be on the website though with updates and infomation for anyone looking to adopt.

Unfortunately today's planned transport to safety for another little farm girl had to be cancelled because the farmer changed his mind at the last minute. We are all gutted! It was especially sad because the dog concerned (we don't even know her name) is the mother of a litter of pups we rescued earlier in the year, two of which have stayed in the fold, Meg who lives with Diane and Paul, Sam and Jake and Bear who is a part of the Penkitty pack. It's always sad when this happens as you know the poor dog is unwanted and most likely being bullied on a daily basis to do something that she isn't very good at (ie working the sheep).
I just hope we get this girl before she is used for yet another litter of pups!

I had a wonderful time in London at the Woman of the Year awards lunch, what an insiration! Over 400 women who have achieved great things, sometimes despite all the odds, it was lovely to be a part of something so magical. I didn't actually win an award although nominated but I have to say that what I do doesn't compare to some of the amazing feats these ladies have worked so hard to achieve.

It was also an excellent networking opportunity and hopefully more people now know what Border Collies In Need is all about.

On a positive note, the lovely Annie has now got a super home to go to, big thanks to Jill. It's a case of one out one in as we are transporting another unwanted ex farm girlie down to Jill on Saturday (thanks to Mandy & Diane) more on her at the weekend.

Most of you will have seen our wonderful website that Helen has put together for us entirely at her own expense. We have already outgrown our start up package and now need to add more pages, banners, and other useful add ons. The cost of this will be between £200 - £300 so we are appealing for sponsorship to fund this. If any kind company or person would be willing to sponsor this or even a part of it we would be extremely grateful.

Anyone who feels there's a need to breed dogs or anyone who just cares about the tragic numbers of dogs that are killed every week in dog pounds might like to watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCivfepDARk

make sure you've got tissues ready, people say it makes them cry, the situation makes me cry!
Come on folks, it's not getting any better. THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!

DON'T BREED AND BUY WHILE DOGS IN RESCUE DIE

Also staying in Ruthin with Jill is Meg, another sweet little girly this time rescued from a cruel owner at a sheep sale in North Wales. Poor Meg was being badly beaten and a kind soul asked if she could buy the dog to save her from further cruelty. Having paid £100 for her the lady didn't know what to do with her so passed her on to another (kind) farmer to see if she would work but Meg is frightened of the sheep so she ended up at Happy Days with Jill.

Understandably, Meg has some trust issue with people and other dogs but these are being worked on at the moment. Meg is approx 2 years old and will be neutered, wormed, flead and vaccinated before she leaves Jill.

Meet Annie, a gorgeous little girl who was rescued from the free ads. Isn't she sweet! Sorry it's such a small picture but hopefully you can see her beautiful spots. Annie is quite thin and a little bewildered at the moment but she is in safe hands and will make a lovely pet and companion. Annie is staying with a friend in Ruthin and may already have a home waiting so well done Annie!

Here are some pictures from Su's head shave yesterday, she raised over £100 in sponsorship for us and we are very proud of her! What a star!!!!

Yesterday we helped get a little Collie girl to safety, she was an unwanted sheepdog who had been advertised free to a good home. Luckily we were able to get hold of her before some unscrupulous dealer or puppy farmer and with the help of a friend give her shelter until she could be moved to her new foster home.
It will be a little while before she can be homed because she is very closed down and unresponsive at the moment so will need time and patience before we get to see her true character coming through. She has gone to stay in Ruthin with a good friend of ours Jill and if anyone can bring her round, Jill can.

I know I've said it before but please if you need to rehome a dog don't advertise him free to a good home, these dogs often fall into the wrong hands. Contact your closest rescue and ask for help, if they can't help ring us and we will do our best to help. If it's not a Collie then we may still be able to pass you onto someone who can help. We lost a male collie last week who had been advertised on freecycle!!! We were just too late and he got picked up by a farmer.