“I share my home with 27 disabled dogs”
Claire-Louise Nixon says she could never turn away an animal that needs her help – and her brood keeps on growing
When ClaireLouise Nixon rescued a sick dog that was about to be euthanised, she had no idea that within 12 years she would be caring for 27 disabled and poorly pooches.
But now, the mum-of-one gets up at 5am every day to feed and exercise them, and change some of their nappies.
Claire, from Milton Keynes, adopted her first sick dog in 2007. She says, “My vet – who knew me well, as we had already had a corgi cross Jack Russell called Cosmos – phoned me to say he’d just seen a puppy who had a hair lip and cleft palate, which prevented him from suckling milk. They asked if I’d consider taking him in – his owners were going to have him put down.
“I couldn’t bear the thought, so I agreed. We had to hand-feed him every few hours, which was exhausting, but it felt good knowing I was saving his life. “We called him Thomas Cook. He settled in straight away and was soon a big part of the family.”
RESCUING
Caring for him ignited a passion in Claire-Louise, who is married to Gary, 51, a trainee policeman. Among the canine friends Claire has rescued are dogs that have been injured on the street, suffered paralysis, endured a harrowing life of abuse, or lost limbs from exploded mines overseas.
She says, “I decided to adopt more dogs that would otherwise be put down, so I started contacting animal charities to find others that needed my help. My local vets would always call me if they were given any strays or pups with disabilities – and I’d never say no. I couldn’t bear the thought of any animal being put down because they weren’t seen as ‘perfect’. Some of the dogs I’ve looked after have had their legs blown off in war zones – and some had even been shot and still had bullets inside them. It’s so sad. But all they need is love, kindness and patience. When they walk into my house, they see other dogs like them, so they don’t feel any different. It gives them a new lease of life.
SUPPORT
“My husband and 22-year-old daughter, Rhia-Louise, are so supportive – but none of us realised just how many dogs we’d end up with.”
Now, with the help of different charities, Claire has helped 120 dogs from across the world, most of whom are rehomed to new families. But Claire can’t resist keeping some of them. She says, “I form bonds with them so easily. And there are some I just can’t bring myself to give away.
“A few of the badly injured dogs rely on me for almost everything – I have to give some of them daily physio. I’m rarely in bed before 12.
“They have free run of the house and sleep wherever they want, which is usually on our beds – it gets a bit cramped! Luckily, I have a lot of help. My neighbours help out with walks, which we do in shifts, as there’s so many of them. The local pet shop donates some food, and a local groomers, Exclusively Paws, offers free treatments.”
RAISING MONEY
Claire also raises funds for her dogs through her organisation, Wheels To Paws UK – which she set up in May 2017.
She says, “Each day, I go through 15kg of dog food, costing £125 a week, alongside a monthly bill of £260 for flea and worm treatment. Vet bills can also be a massive drain on our resources.
“Recently, our collie Rita Ora needed her tail amputated and it cost £800. I’m lucky our local vets, Kennel Gate, offer discounts, but it can still get very expensive and we have to pay out of our savings.
“I’m also raising money for new wheels for each of the three paralysed dogs, alongside dental funds to keep their teeth strong and healthy.”
But Claire says she’ll never turn away a sick animal. She says, “My husband told me that we had enough after the first nine. But I’m still welcoming more into the family – and always will.”
By Kaya Terry
● For more information, visit Facebook.com/Wheels-To-PawsUK-435670850214124
WE HAVE TO WALK THEM IN SHIFTS AS THERE ARE SO MANY