Parvovirus & Millies help

It's been over 6 months since the last Parvo outbreak at the shelter. This has been as a result of Millies fund allowing us to vaccinate every dog entering the shelter with the Parvac short term protection vaccination. In total between May and June we lost a total of 9 dogs and pups leaving staff devastated. It also meant the suspension of our volunteer program, one of the few programs that eases the workload instead of increasing it, so it's with great relief that I look forward to starting our volunteers again in late February.

In 2012/3 the expense of this protective vaccination will be built into the cost of accommodating all dogs at the shelter but I'd just like to thank all of the donors to Millie's Fund for their generosity and wanted to let them know that the benefits are ongoing.

Amazing Dog Stories

You can now read all about Millie in a new book released by publisher Viking Australia. The book is called "Amazing Dog Stories" and is a compilation of rescue tales compiled by PetRescue who assisted us with our campaign to help Millie.

This beautiful collection of over 100 original stories of canine survival, loyalty and unconditional love will make a fantastic gift for your dog-loving friends or maybe just for you. These are all touching true accounts of dogs who have overcome troubled backgrounds to bring joy, companionship and adventure to the lives of their new families.

Merry Christmas - from Millie

To my dear friends and sponsors

I thought it was about time I sent you a message to let you know how I'm getting on.

I moved into my forever home in May of this year and I LOVE it.  I have a huge yard to wander around in while my mum and dad are at work.  At weekends and after work they take me on walks around our farm which I really enjoy.  Mum and dad try to get my harness out quietly, but I always hear them and get really excited and bounce around as I love my walks.  At the end of my walks I always pass by a dam or a water hole so I have quick swim to cool off.  I love to swim and its also a great way to cool off after a nice long walk around the farm.

Around my farm I have chooks, kangaroos and rabbits and also that pesky RSPCA cat "George".  He arrived at home only 2 days after I did.  He's ok and I actually like him alot more than what I let on. I just wish he wouldn't talk so much - he walks around the yard "meowing" all the time when I'm trying to sleep.  When mum and dad aren't watching, I like to chase him around a bit - but don't tell them!  Isn't that what brothers and sisters are supposed to do though?

My eyes are going well. I have one more visit back to SASH to see Dr Billson in January.  He is going to check my eyes again just to make sure that everything is going well, but mum and dad don't seem worried.  I am still having twice daily eye drops which I am SO over.  Hopefully after my next visit to SASH, Dr Billson will tell me I don't need them any more. Mum and dad say that there is nothing wrong with my nose though - I can always smell when food is about.  

I have been a really good girl this year, and even sat still while mum made me have this ridiculous photo with reindeer ears on.  I think I look silly but mum says that you would probably like to see it anyway. 

A big slobbery lick to all my new friends and supporters.  I hope you all have a happy, safe and healthy Christmas and New Year.  Keep your fingers crossed for me that there is a big christmas bone under the tree with my name on it soon. 

I will update you again after I come back from seeing Dr Billson, although I'm sure I'll be fine.

Merry Christmas

Love

Millie, George, Anna and David

 

 

 

Millie's update from Anna

Hi Phil

Just wanted to share with you what I found on Saturday.  Our friend has taken up digging recently and found a cool spot to sit in her newly excavated hole!! I must say she looks rather pleased with herself too - I swear she is smiling!  She smiled very broadly the weekend before when she went swimming in the dam too - it was so lovely to see.

Millie and her supporters have helped Frankie & Foxy

Millies fund has paid for the treatment of 2 Jack Russell types crosses over the last 2 months who were affected by Parvo Virus. Both have made full recoveries and are in new homes. Unfortunately I don't have pics of either of them to show but they are both just gorgeous.

Marley and her new family

UPDATE 26/9
Marley and her babies have now gone safely into an RSPCA carers home.

Marley is a 12 month old cross Staffordshire Bull Terrier who came to the shelter heavily pregnant. She has a microchip but her owners seem to have abandoned her.

Yesterday she gave birth to a litter of 10 puppies of which 9 survived.  The shelter is looking for a suitable carer to look after Marley and her bubs untill they are old enough to placed into homes.
Marley has a sweet nature, is a great natural mother and she is happy to have her babies handled. Being so young she actually seems relieved when we go into her run, taking the opportunity to eat and drink or go to the toilet. She seems to know we are there to help her.

Armidale Indpendent - newspaper article 13 July

New life for Millie

A few months back we featured a beautiful Labrador called Millie who was in need of an eye operation to remove cataracts. The RSPCA Armidale, along with the New England Regional Animal Shelter, got behind Millie’s cause and, along with the generosity of the Armidale community, raised the $5000 for Millie’s operation in record time.
We are pleased to inform you that Millie has had a successful operation, regaining some of her sight and has also found a loving new home with Anna Gayner of Armidale.
“I saw the email come around from Phil Evans at the Animal Shelter about the fundraising for Millie and I had seen her on the animal shelter website earlier and was going to contact him about adopting her regardless of her sight issue.
“My husband and I made a donation and had followed her progress very closely.
“I met her a couple of months back when we did a photo with some of the other financial donors to the Help Millie See appeal and just fell in love with her,” said Anna.
Millie is currently in excellent health and these generous donations have given her the best outcome that surgery could provide.
“She is very happy, and very comfortable.
“We live on 100 acres and she has a huge yard to get around in and she is just so very happy and is the most beautiful dog. We feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to be her new lifelong family.
“She has been very patient with us while we have been learning to put her eye drops in. She will just sit there and take it most of the time and she is just amazing. Her quality of life is without a doubt so much better since the operation,” said Anna.
The Armidale RSPCA and the New England Regional Animal Shelter Donations would like to thanks the Armidale community for their generosity. Donations to help other dogs and cats can still be accepted at the New England Regional Companion Animal Shelter located at the Armidale Airport or sent to RSPCA Armidale, PO Box 497, Armidale, NSW 2350.