Animal Rescue with Marion Garnett

Dedicated animal expert Marion Garnett, founder of the Ealing Animal Charities Fair, continues her column

THE freezer’s empty, the fridge is bare. I feel like Old Mother Hubbard. I’d been storing food in the fridge for refreshments for yesterday’s Ealing Animal Charities Fair and now the Fair is over, the food has gone.

Just when some people have a stockpile, I have empty shelves. But it was worth it. The Fair helped a wide range of animals either by raising funds to pay for their care or by raising awareness of their plight. Thank you to those who attended and readers who said hello. It was wonderful to meet you.

But although Covid-19 might be causing some people to stockpile goods, I got an insight at the Fair into some of the concerns the virus may cause those responsible for animal rescue centres.

Concerns such as how will they cope if staff become ill and, is there likely to be a shortage of supplies for the animals. Many of the societies at the Fair are in the process of organising Open Days and are having to cope with the uncertainty of not knowing if the event will go ahead.

I know from my experience of organising the Fair that, often as the event date approaches, a crisis of some sort emerges relating to bad weather or transport problems but this year, it’s a new issue, infection risk. And if these Open Days don’t go ahead, the charities will lose much-needed income.

If you have a pet and are worried about their care during this virus outbreak, the RSPCA has produced advice relating to what to do if you’re ill or have to self-isolate (rspca.org.uk). Animals must, of course, never be abandoned.

It’s difficult to believe that this beautiful Shar-Pei, Tye, was abandoned. He came into the care of Dogs Trust after he was dropped off at the groomers in June 2018 and his owners never returned to collect him. Dogs Trust think that, in the past, he was subjected to punishment-based training which has led him to be quite anxious but, once you get to know him, they say he is a joy.

Tye loves playing with toys and, when people enter his kennel, he always picks one up, with excitement. He knows plenty of tricks. Tye’s new owners must be patient and gentle with his handling and continue his reward-based training. He must be the only pet in an adult-only home. For more details see dogstrust.org.uk or you can meet him at Dogs Trust, Harvil Road, Uxbridge.