puppies and such
A page for dog lovers and no less. I always meant to have a page like this on my old site, but I never had enough motivation, or passion, to devote just a page to the world of the canine. Just as you will find people obsessed with cats, birds, fish even, of course there are those who were always meant to be dogs' best friends. One of those people I know is Lisa Hodgkin, and the other is me. I am lucky to own two dogs, one which we bought from the RSPCA and the other from a family friend. They are a cross-bred terrier and a Shar Pei, respectively, called Scruffy and Chi-na, male and female, and both are quite gorgeous. Why would you be interested in someone elses' dogs? (I don't know). Here are some photos.
In 1999 I was in some ways lucky, in other ways not so lucky, I suppose, to have been able to do compulsory work experience for a week at NSW's RSPCA which is located in Yagoona, south-west Sydney. I had been there a couple of times before, when I chose Scruffy from rows of puppy hopefuls (I guess you could call them that) for my 11th birthday. The buildings themselves are probably typical of any vetinary sort, a bit too sterile with a smell that you tend to remember after awhile. The compound, where the dogs are kept, is a rather bleak concrete site, with in excess of 20 rows where the dogs are kept. Only about two thirds of these dogs are actually for sale, maybe less, and not many of them have much of a chance of getting bought. This was the saddest thing, and one of the reasons my experience at the RSPCA wasn't really a happy one.
I met many dogs there, some of whom I still remember names and descriptions. The running of the RSPCA itself is quite efficient. In the morning, sick or young dogs are fed, the more active ones are moved into specific dog runs where they exercise among themselves, and the compound area is hosed. There is a worker assigned to every few rows who is in charge of the cleaning, feeding, linen, etc of the dogs in the rows. Meals are carted up from the industrial kitchen (next to the place where dogs are put down) in a wheelbarrow and into a stack of metal bowls which are then given to the dogs in their kennels. A late afternoon hose and checking of bed linen and cleaning of the interior of the kennels follows before the guard dogs are let out to roam up and down the rows.
There are some really beautiful dogs at the RSPCA. Not all of them are mongrels. There is a constant influx of puppies, most of which get sold straightaway, and young dogs, like young rottweilers or mastiffs, are fairly popular. It's the older, less active or cross-bred dogs that are often overlooked. These are the sad faces of the RSPCA. Towards the back of the compound are the rows which house dogs that aren't for sale. I can't be sure, but I believe this to be something akin to death row. These dogs are very sick, or very old, or very aggressive and will be put down at some stage.
It's sad but it happens. I love dogs, I think they are the best animal you could be friends with and well, even if you don't agree with me there I hope you help in the promotion of respect for them and the abomination of cruelty to all animals.
Some more pictures I found on the net...
rachelwings@yahoo.com
These aren't my dogs: they are Shar Pei puppies and extreeeeemely cute ones at that!
This is the sometimes sad, sometimes dopey, sometimes not so *clean* face of my Shar Pei, Chi'na.
My old puppy, with his soulful puppy eyes and cutesy face.
1. Not something you should try at home. 2, 3. Not much of a fan of chihuahuas but they can be very, very cute. 4. A Jack Russell.
rachel*wings