Animal Rescue with Marion Garnett
Dedicated animal expert MARION GARNETT, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair, continues her column
ALL the tiny dog wanted to do when I took her out, was walk on the wall.
As soon as she reached it, up she jumped, trotted happily along the wall until she reached an obstacle then jumped down and up again, at the other side. We were at the Crisis at Christmas Dog Service and she was making the most of her new surroundings.
It also meant she got a better view of the guests and volunteers playing football.
Crisis is a charity which, for seven days and nights over Christmas, looks after those who sleep rough. At the centre I’m volunteering at (there are several centres throughout London), Crisis also looks after the dogs of rough sleepers and that’s how I come to be taking a dog I don’t know for a walk, on the other side of London on Christmas Eve.
Unlike the past few years, when the dogs have been housed in a shed/ shack/stable purpose built for the dogs service, this year, we’re in two smart portable cabins - which, by Boxing Day, had proved to be too small, so now we also have a unique dog shelter extension, attached to the side.
During their stay at Crisis, the dogs’ owners access much-needed services such as medical care and hairdressing while the dogs are cared for by volunteers and are checked over by the Mayhew’s animal welfare team as part of their longstanding work with rough sleepers.
After seven days, if no accommodation has been found, it’s back on the streets for the dogs and their owners. That is where StreetLink is important.
This is a governmentfunded initiative helping people off the streets. If you see a rough sleeper you are worried about, you can phone StreetLink on 0300 500 0914 or contact them via streetlink.org.uk and they will aim to connect that person to local services.
If you would like to volunteer at Crisis (crisis.org. uk), there are different jobs so there could be something to suit you.
I find volunteering a bit like walking on the wall for the tiny dog, it helps you to see things from a different perspective.
Meanwhile, it’s not only dogs and their homeless owners who Mayhew help. Warwick was found as a stray cat, on the streets of London and is currently in Mayhew’s care.
He’s a friendly boy who’s looking for a permanent home. If this could be with you, he’s waiting at Mayhew, Kensal Green or call 020 8962 8000.