LUCKY LITTER
Carers rear orphan dogs
IT was touch and go whether these adorable six salukicross pups would live or die.
Their pregnant and emaciated mum was dumped at a Norfolk vet’s surgery in the middle of labour. She was too weak to give birth naturally and didn’t survive an emergency caesarean.
The fate of the newborn salukis, also known as Persian greyhounds, was in the balance until the staff at the Dogs Trust’s specialist puppy centre in Basildon, Essex, stepped in.
The litter was split in two because each pup needed to be bottle- fed every two hours during their first two weeks.
Six carers shared the responsibility around the clock and even took them home so they received all the care they needed.
At three weeks their feeds were reduced to every four hours as they started to be weaned on to solid food. Now, after two months, the puppies – named OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 16 years of experience and is a freelance working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ PetplanUK. Bolt, Gypsy, Strike, Teyha, Flash and Suzuki – are fit and eager to be with new owners for Christmas. Charlotte Childs, one of the pups’ carers, said: “It’s hard not to get attached to this adorable bunch. Seeing them off to new homes may be bitter sweet but we’re over the moon they’ve found such lovely families.” Lisa Cooper, the charity’s rehoming centre manager, said: “As Dogs Trust’s famous slogan ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ approaches its 40th anniversary next year, it remains as relevant as ever. Every year we find ourselves carin caring for unwanted puppies during the fes festive period. “We’d enco encourage anyone thinking of getting a d dog at any time of year to do their research re and ensure they are prepared to care for a dog for its lifetime.” lifetim The c charity cares for about 15,000 dogs each year through its 2 20 rehoming centres th throughout the UK. If you are interested in adopting a canine companion visit www. d dogstrust.org.uk/ ou our-centres. ONE of my house rabbits always eats the food immediately while the other grazes slowly. How can I make sure they get an equal share?