About animals winter 2014

Animals About

Winter 2014

magazine ÂŁ1.50

NEW LIFE

Treasured moments Plus: Confessions of a Chicken Addict - chickens as pets, Saying Goodbye – trying to make it easier - Charity begins at Christmas - helping animal charities, Festive Feasting - vegetarian Christmas recipes

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Editor’s Letter & Contents

Editor’s Letter & Contents

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Welcome to the Autumn/Winter edition of About Animals.

We hope you all enjoy reading these articles in this latest issue and would like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy and prosperous New Year.

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Confessions of a Chicken Addict The author of Chickens at Pets, Andrew Hinkinson, recalls getting his first rescued factory hen in this extract from his book.

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Charity News Read what’s happening within the world of animal charities.

Loving homes for animals used in experiments; Joanna Lumley introduced the Dr Hadwen Trust’s mascot on a mission; Ferne Animal Sanctuary; Megan finally gets her Happy Ever After; 90 years of caring for the nation’s unwanted pets

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Update Grandad loses out to Mister Whiskas and Fido; Keep your paws off my partner!

10 Saying Goodbye

When we get old we die and the same happens to animals, although it’s never easy saying goodbye to a well-loved pet who has become part of the family.

14 Animal Adoption

It’s that time of year again when we all have the quandary of what to buy friends and family for Christmas.

Why not give the high street a miss and think about Animal Adoption.

It’s a great way of giving support to many animals and at the same time makes an ideal gift for any animal lover.

16 Festive Feasting

Ditch the turkey then Christmas dinner can be as varied as your imagination.

Some vegetarian alternatives for your to try, courtesy of the Vegetarian Society. www.vegsoc.org 18 Meow

Cats have a way of walking into our lives and making themselves right at home. No cat lover can imagine life without a feline presence. Some beautiful photographs with quotes to treasure.

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12 Charity begins at Christmas One way of helping charities and supporting animals in need, is to buy your Christmas cards, calendars and gifts on-line. There are a wide variety of gifts available from many animal charities. We look at a selection to give you some ideas.

6 Published by: Amra Media Solutions The Old Lavender Mill, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5ES Tel.

01296 632700

Email: info@amramedia.co.uk Website: www.aboutanimalsmagazine.com Designed by: Tom Evans Design

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Although every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information and the advertisements contained within the magazine, the publishers cannot accept any liability. About Animals would be pleased to receive your articles and photographs for possible publication. Although all reasonable care will be taken the magazine can assume no responsibility and contributors are advised to retain a copy.

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Confessions of a Chicken Addict

Confessions of a Chicken Addict

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The author of Chickens As Pets, Andrew Hinkinson, recalls getting his first rescued factory hens in this extract from his book.

collected my first-ever hens from the British Hen Welfare Trust, one of a number of charities working with farmers to promote free-range living for healthy hens and campaigning for better welfare. These hens, four in total, arrived with very few feathers.

It was a cold day in February and I was immediately concerned they’d catch a chill, but the nice people from the BHWT told me the birds would quickly adapt. And they did.

I’d been doing my research on chickens for over a year before finally getting some. I felt it was important to learn as much as I could to ensure I didn’t make any terrible mistakes that would affect the birds’ welfare.

I lost count of the number of poultry magazines and books I bought or borrowed. I was surprised by how many of them were aimed at farmers and big commercial concerns. There was absolutely no material specifically and exclusively geared towards people who, yes, wanted to keep hens for their eggs but also intended to treat

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About animals

them as family pets and definitely not as livestock. I found advice and information in one book could be completely contradicted in another, which was very confusing to say the least.

I didn’t know it back then, but the egg that eventually became Chickens As Pets was starting to develop. It would be several years before it hatched.

Ex-battery, ex-caged

In the UK, we used to commonly refer to these ex-caged ladies as battery hens. Thankfully, in January 2012, battery cages were banned across the EU. They’ve been largely replaced with so-called enriched cages that, while only a little bit bigger, do have slightly more space for the hens to indulge more of their natural inclinations to scratch around and exercise. They’re not ideal, though.

Free-ranging in the open air is the ideal. Although these enriched cages are better, they are nowhere near being described as great by anyone

outside the industry who advocates the best in animal welfare. The hens that come out of these cages are just as pale and terrified of the outside world as the pre-2012 battery hens were and are often patchy in their feathering as well.

Notice how I said the battery cages have been largely replaced but not completely replaced. In the UK, farmers have complied with the EU directive, but not all farmers across the EU have and some have been aided and abetted by governments turning a blind eye to the directive being flouted. British farmers are to be commended for the work they have done, which has come at a price to their commercial operations.

They also deserve praise for working with the rehoming charities, which build positive rather than critical relationships with the industry.

A lot of food products imported into the EU, from South America or the US for example, contain egg material from battery hens. The battery system has not gone away. In the US, there has been nowhere near as much progress as in the EU. In 2008, California passed Proposition 2 into law. This set a standard for space relative to free movement and wingspan, rather than cage size. It can’t be said to have fully addressed the welfare issues with caged hens, at best only reducing the suffering they experience to some small degree.

Whether hens have come from battery cages or enriched cages, they are released from service after 12–18 months. When I say ‘released’, I mean

Confessions of a Chicken Addict

most of them are then immediately turned into pet food or processed for the food industry. Only a tiny percentage of them end up with the rescue charities and, from those, find their way into the gardens of loving keepers of pet chickens.

When I collected my ex-battery hens (as they were back then), I thought I’d prepared myself psychologically for the sorry state I would find them in. I was still shocked at what I saw, though, and found it hard to imagine them ever looking any better. They did grow their feathers back, quite quickly in fact, and they put on weight. They learned to enjoy the outdoor life, just as nature intended.

It didn’t take them long, either; after just a few months, you couldn’t tell the difference between one of these factory survivors and a hen of their kind raised as a free-ranger.

Differences upon release

Newly released battery hens have few feathers because they pull them out in boredom and frustration. They sometimes have wounds from pecking each other in the confined spaces they’re forced to stand up in; they are unable to sit down. They may be unable to walk and usually have no knowledge of how to use a nesting box, preferring to just lay their eggs as they walk around when the urge takes them. But everything heals, given time, patience, love and care.

Hens coming out of enriched cages are a little bit better off. They have stronger legs and don’t tend to be as comprehensively featherless as exbattery girls. They are just as scared of the outside world, though, and their combs and wattles (those fleshy bits on top of their heads and under their beaks) are pale and bigger than they will be after a few months of living the good life outdoors.

After the first hens... the addiction begins!

When my exbattery girls lost their ghost-white pallor and started to look healthy, acting in adventurous and cheeky ways while fully engaged with the world around them and obviously very happy, I decided I wanted to expand my flock. I don’t know of any new keeper of pet chickens who doesn’t get that urge within a matter of months, but it has to be tempered with a reasonable sense of how many birds you can support and how much space you have.

My first non-caged/non-battery hens were Marans and Buff Orpingtons.

These and many other breeds are referred to as ‘traditional’ or ‘pure’ but most date back only as far as the nineteenth century. There are a few exceptions, the development of which can be traced much further back in history. The Dorking, for example, was a very large breed that was clucking around the forts and farms of Roman Britain, providing both meat and eggs to centurions, visiting Imperial dignitaries, Celtic tribesmen and Druids alike.

The Marans and Orpingtons settled in well after enduring the necessary, and totally natural, brutality of being shoehorned into the lower ranks of the pecking order for a few days. I marvelled at their different personalities: some of the hens were shy and easily spooked, but others rushed up to demand I pick up them up for a fussing. That was when I discovered something new that has always amazed people when I tell them.

Chickens purr when you stroke them. Yes. They really do. It doesn’t sound like a cat purring but it’s purring all the same: a sort of low-level oscillation that comes from deep inside the chicken’s body. And stroking a chicken on your lap is every bit as relaxing for you as stroking a dog or a cat. I’ve no doubt at all it’s just as good for your blood pressure and mental wellbeing.

Eggs from Heaven

I will never forget the thrill, the morning after getting my first birds, of going down to the coop and opening up the nesting box.

Nothing. Ah. No, wait... I looked again. Being ex-battery hens, the ladies had laid their eggs wherever they’d been stood when the urge to lay came upon them. I found just one egg inside the coop, but not in the nesting box, and another three outside in the run.

This continued for a few weeks until one of them presumably got the idea: “Hmm, actually, laying my egg inside the nesting box would be rather more comfortable than just parking myself on the ground!” After that first, pioneering spirit indulged her idea, the other three cottoned on.

Those first eggs tasted like the best I’d ever eaten, even though those hens were not yet benefiting from the outdoor life and all the bugs, worms and greenery it would offer them.

They were my eggs from my ladies.

After a few weeks I did a comparison between shop- bought eggs from caged hens and eggs laid by my own flock.

The former were horrible: pale and sad looking and completely without flavour. The latter, produced by my girls, were bright in colour; it was like Heaven above had sent them down to my dinner plate.

I would rather not eat eggs at all if I had to choose between that or buying them from a supermarket.

Even the free-range ones from shops don’t taste quite as nice as those laid by your own hens, which are far fresher by virtue of being laid just a few feet away from your back door.

Chickens As Pets by Andrew Hinkinson published by Spellbinding Media Ltd. ISBN 978-1-90 9964-15-0 About animals

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Charity News

Joanna Lumley introduces the Dr Hadwen Trust’s mascot on a mission Joanna Lumley has launched a fundraising and awareness campaign on behalf of the Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT), the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity.

Home Office statistics released in July revealed that, in the UK alone in 2013, over 4 million animals were used for research purposes. Said Ms Lumley, “I was shocked by these statistics, and even more so when I learned that the results gained from the research may have no relevance to human beings.”

Dr Kay Miller explained, “We have adopted ‘Hadwen,’ a toy beagle, as our mascot on a mission.

Hadwen is on a journey around the UK which is being led by our supporters and so far he’s travelled all over the UK, Europe and the USA. Hadwen has his own unique, trademarked dog tag, and is available from the DHT. Said Kay “We now hope that Hadwen’s journey around the UK will continue with the help of those who would like to pass on a gift that has both an ethical and scientific message” Funds raised from every Hadwen sold will help the DHT to fund its medical research programme.

Visit www.drhadwentrust.org for further details.

Loving homes for animals used in experiments Each year over 3,000 dogs and 100 cats are used in laboratory experiments in the UK. Dogs are commonly poisoned in drugs testing and cats may be surgically mutilated in vision research. Sadly, most of them never see the light of day once the experiment is over.

Megan Finally Gets Her HAPPY EVER AFTER! It is with great joy that we can announce that one of South West Equine Protection’s longest residents has finally found her forever home.

Megan and her foal were rescued by SWEP back in 2011. Megan was emaciated and close to death, unable to feed her newborn foal Heston.

They had been abandoned on Bodmin moor and left to starve. Megan was very nervous and untrusting of the sanctuary’s staff for a long time but has slowly learnt to trust again. Megan is now a boisterous pony who loves a good groom and a cuddle. Megan has been difficult to re-home in the past due to her being very fearful of men which they can only assume stems from her treatment and abandonment before SWEP took her in. However, when a supporter visited the charity recently looking to rehome a pony she was instantly drawn to Megan.

Megan and the supporter have become firm friends and Megan will be going to her forever home very soon! Megan’s story really inspires everyone at the charity and proves that there really can be a happy ever after for all the ponies they rescue.

For further information on SWEP visit www.swep.org.uk 6

About animals

The BUAV campaigns peacefully to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals and is currently raising awareness about the tragic loss of life suffered when animals are no longer needed by laboratories.

It is lobbying the Government to mandate the homing of dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, recently attracting support from Midsomer Murders’ John Nettles, Downton Abbey’s Sue Johnston and internationally acclaimed singer Bonnie Tyler.

In addition to political lobbying and raising awareness, the BUAV carries out undercover investigations, scientific research and promotes the use of humane alternatives.

The BUAV is wholly reliant on gifts In Memory, legacies and other donations to continue its lifesaving work. If you would like to make a donation, perhaps in memory of beloved animal companion or other family member, or for more information, please call 0300 003 0577 (local rate) or visit www.buav.org.

pneumonia drug testing

Alzheimer’s mening

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sepsis

brain multiple sclerosis

AIDS

Alzheimer’s cystic eyes leukae drug testing diabet lung disease ma

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cancer lung disease pain

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kidney disease

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pain Parkinson’s diseasemental healt cystic fibr

pain ancerepilepsy pneumoniaasthma

Replacing animals in AID AIDS arthritis heart diseaseresearch mental health medical

With your help, we will advance medical research without using animals. www.drhadwentrust.org

Charity no: 1146896

Registered Charity No. 283483

Caring for Animals 2001

Charity No. 1097762 Please help us to give feral/virus positive cats a long and happy life, as others like them are not so lucky and are destroyed in their thousands.

With more funds and more land we can help more cats 2 Irvine Gardens, South Ockendon Essex RM15 5JP Tel: 01708 854567 www.caring-for-animals.org

Black and white cat called Pepe

Glen - FELV positive

Our vet bills for last year totalled £52,130.95

Tame Jay FIV positive

Feral cat, now tame and living permanently at the shelter.

Ace was abandoned in a factory Peppermint FIV positive.

Peppermint before and after, brought in by Pest Control.

Tame Sandy FIV positive

Cold days, freezing nights.

Hungry, dehydrated and shivering in the cold, Molly was just a puppy when she was found cowering under bushes in a city centre. It was heart-breaking to see the state she was in – half of her coat was missing, and what remained was filthy and matted.

At Wood Green, we’ll be caring for around 650 homeless dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and more this winter. As the temperature plummets we urgently need help to buy more blankets, winter coats and bedding to help keep them all safe and warm.

Please, be a Winter Warmer. Text WARM WINTER2 to 70500 and give £5 to help keep a neglected pet like Molly warm this winter.

I’ll be a Winter Warmer this Christmas. Here is my gift of warmth Bale of hay £7.50

Thermal blanket £12

Winter coat £22

Hay for all our field animals on Christmas day £45

£

Other

Name Address Postcode Please send cheques/postal orders/CAF charity vouchers payable to ‘Wood Green, The Animals Charity’ with this coupon to: Wood Green, The Animals Charity, Freepost PE1366, London Road, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire PE29 2NH. Texts charged at £5 plus your standard network rate. Wood Green will receive 100% of your donation. Wood Green, The Animals Charity is the Registered Trademark of Wood Green Animal Shelters. Registered Charity No. 298348 PRX14AA

Thank you

Charity News

Ferne Animal Sanctuary – founded by The Duchess of Hamilton

The story began in the dark days at the beginning of World War II in 1939.

The Duchess of Hamilton, a great animal lover, realised there would be service personnel departing for duties who would be unable to take their pets with them - and that these pets would have nowhere to go.

Broadcasting to the nation on the BBC’s National Service, the Duchess invited anyone in that situation to bring their pets to her London home. These were then taken to her country Estate at Berwick St John in Dorset, where foster homes were found in the area for the duration of the war.

Inevitably, many service personnel never returned. So the search began to find permanent homes for the pets they had sadly left behind.

As time went by, more and more homeless animals found their way to the Duchess who was happy to provide for them until they could be rehomed, and that’s how Ferne Animal Sanctuary was born. The work still continues today at its present site at Wambrook, near Chard in Somerset.

The Sanctuary launched their “New Digs for Dogs” £1m project for 2014/15 in March 2014 to build a new enhanced kennel block, improved grooming and veterinary care room, information hub, social unit, offices, reception and purpose built rehoming centre at their site in Somerset.

While £500,000 has been saved over the years towards this, an additional £500,000 needs to be raised to achieve their goal.

Fundraising packs for the appeal, details of how to donate and more information about all their events can be obtained by calling 01460 65214 or by visiting www.ferneanimalsanctuary.org

90 YEARS OF CARING FOR THE NATION’S UNWANTED PETS This month Wood Green, The Animals Charity, turns 90! Not only has the world changed beyond recognition since the charity first opened our doors in 1924, but there have been a myriad of changes at the charity too.

Wood Green was established by Miss Louisa Snow in the aftermath of the First World War, when London was struggling with stray and unwanted animals. Miss Snow and her team took in suffering strays and euthanised them humanely. Ten years later Dr Margaret Young, a local professional and lifelong lover of animals stepped in to help Wood Green both financially and strategically, opening a low cost pet clinic and changing the charity’s mission to that of rehoming pets in need.

Now in the twenty first century, Wood Green has four branches across England, including its large Cambridgeshire headquarters, which houses everything from cats and dogs to degus, alpacas and chickens. In total, it rehomes more than 5,000 pets in need every year.

The charity is hosting an extravagant 1920s-themed gala dinner on November 13th, to celebrate turning 90. Along with a champagne reception and four course meal, it will feature 1920s themed entertainment, as well as appearances from charity notables and our glamorous celebrity host Ali Bastian.

To find out more about Wood Green’s 90th birthday celebrations and how you can help the charity continue its great work for another 90 years and beyond, visit www.woodgreen.org.uk

Update

KEEP YOUR PAWS OFF MY PARTNER!

There’s a new love triangle in town; you, the love of your life and a ball of fur on four legs. Research conducted by Vetsure Pet Insurance has revealed that 75% of pet owners say their pet is equally, if not more, important than other family members!

59% of Brits buy luxury products for their pets at least once a month, compared to 25% who confessed they do not buy gifts for their partners!

More than a quarter of people say that their pet is their best friend and 32% obtained a pet because they felt they were a necessary addition to their family It makes perfect sense really. We’re a nation of pet lovers, and if we care for our beloved animals and show them affection, they’ll be loyal and show it back. But can the same be said for our better halves? Compared to past times, today sees a much less hierarchical distance between parents, partners, kids and their pets. The latter rule the roost nowadays, with 46% of Brits surveyed allowing their pet to sleep anywhere they want in the home. Two in five go as far as allowing their pet to sleep on their bed and, of these, 14% said that this has had a negative impact on their sex life!

GRANDDAD LOSES OUT TO MISTER WHISKERS AND FIDO Britons buy more cards for their pets than for their granddads, and grandmothers are more popular than grandfathers when it comes to buying cards, according to Clintons.

Sales of greetings cards sent to Britain’s pets are outselling cards to granddads by nearly a third, with 32.5% more cards for cats and dogs being sold compared to sales of greetings cards for grandfathers in the last year.

In the hierarchy of the extended family, it seems grandfathers are at the bottom of the ladder. Cards to grandmothers were at the top of the pile, selling almost one and a half times the number of cards for grandfathers.

Inter-pet card sales are also strong. When it comes to the age-old rivalry of cats vs dogs, it seems the loyal dog is the more loving of the two; cards to and from dogs outsold cards to and from cats by 12%. Clintons does not track fish to cat card sales.

To meet this growing demand for cards for pets, Clintons have increased their range of pet Christmas cards to 24 for December, ranging in price from 59p to £2.50.

About animals

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Saying Goodbye

Saying Goodbye

S

o, there you are, you’re going to get old and die and the same can be said about your dog.

As I’ve said before, though, it sure beats the alternative.

While I was writing this book I had to make the horrible decision to have Dave my lovely handsome cat, put to sleep. And I can honesty say it’s the most grown-up decision I’ve ever had to make. I don’t think he got sick and died heroically, in the name of research for the book, but you have to admit, his timing was impeccable. Silly, gorgeous boy.

His kidneys had been on the wane for a few years and I knew, over the last few months, that he was going downhill rapidly. He’d lost a lot of weight, his appetite went on the blink, he drank water as if there was an impending drought only he knew about and his immune system was on overdrive, trying to cope with it all. Eventually, the vet couldn’t feel one kidney at all, while the other was so large, and Dave was so thin even I could find it. And a knobbly thing it was too.

I had two choices – subject my 13-year old boy to major exploratory surgery (probably only to confirm what we already suspected – the Big C) followed by …. What?

Long, painful and prolonged treatment on a poor creature already severely weakened, with a slim chance it would do any good. Or to put him to sleep, quietly, calmly and in a dignified manner, on his favourite crinkly Waitrose carrier bag (only the best for my boy). The lovely vet, Grace, advised me to take him home, make him comfortable and let him eat whatever the hell he liked for a few weeks. A week later and I knew it was game over for him. I called 10

About animals

and asked if the vet wouldn’t mind coming to us; I didn’t want to stress him out by levering him back into his basket for the one-way trip, and she agreed. Don’t be shy to ask, it’s not expensive, basically the cost of a double appointment – mine was less than £40 extra for a home visit – and vets are generally happy to come to you, for this type of thing.

I worked at home that morning, writing on my laptop with Dave beside me, snoozing on a cushion. Occasionally he’d take a piece of chicken from my hand, but no more than one. You could tell he was feeling nauseous; that salivary lip-licking and swallowing was getting worse.

Then, about an hour before the vet came, he sat up and just looked at me for the longest time. We stared at each other and I thought, ‘Yes, mate, it’s time for you to exit stage left, and I think you just want this to stop now’.

So we did it at home. It was horrible, immensely sad, and lovely in equal measures. He just melted away as the vet nurse and I stroked him, and the vet did her thing.

Then they took him away and he came back, a couple of weeks later, in a pretty box, all cremated and tidy. He’s currently sitting on a shelf, waiting patiently for me to get my fat backside into gear and get a plant in a pot for him to fertilise and for us to remember him by. RIP Dave the Rave, you are ever sorely missed.

I’m not sure why I’m writing this. Why I’m not trying to make you feel better about the inevitable loss of your beloved dog or imparting a morsel of comfort which may, or may not, help you. Probably it’s because I can’t make you feel better and nothing will help. For a while.

Maybe it’s to say that it’s all right to be the grown-up, it

Faith and Sonny Faith was among many ponies marked to be shot in the Bodmin crisis but when they went back the next day they found she had given birth. SWEP were called to take her and her foal in as they were already emaciated and would not survive on the moor. Sonny gave his mum a second chance in life and they are both now happy and well.

Josh and Taz Josh and Taz were abandoned at the side of the road in Somerset. The lady that found them could not take them in permanently so they came to SWEP. No-one else would help these ponies and we have now re-homed them on our pony loan scheme

Specialising in helping and rescuing wild moorland ponies on Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor.

Ponies that are in an emaciated condition, mares having trouble giving birth and injured ponies hit by cars.

All ponies receive veterinary treatment.

Please help Sonny, Faith, Josh and Taz by making a donation and Gift Aid or leaving SWEP a legacy.

You can ensure their future is in SWEP’s care.

Unit B5, Torland Court, Yelverton Business Park, Crapstone, Devon, PL20 7PE Tel/Fax: 01822 854 823 - Email: contact@swep.org.uk Website: www.swep.org.uk

stinks but, as one friend put it ‘I got divorced, then I lost my dog, who was my best friend. One recovers’. Ever the dry wit. She is right, though.

Whether you are looking for a sign to let you know it’s the right time to let go, or it’s a decision taken from you by the vet who’s telling you it’s the best thing, you will be able to do it, because it’s part of the caring. It’s part of the love.

Pets grieve too

For the next few days I couldn’t bear to be near Nikita, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t want to feel the pain of losing her, too, or if I was too busy looking after Pearl, Dave’s sister. I’ve never thought that Pearl felt anything much other than anxiety, and general sleepiness. For the most part he lived upstairs, she lived downstairs. But she had taken to sleeping right next to Dave those last few days, and now I couldn’t get her off the crunchy carrier bag – not her style at all. I had to throw it away in the end, I couldn’t bear to look at either the bag, or her sad expression.

It’s not only you who feels the loss, you have other pets to comfort, to make feel safe. There was Pearl, pulling fur out of her backside for all she was worth, for weeks. It’s calmed down now; time has soothed us both.

Nikita didn’t appear worried at all. I’ll be a right old mess when she goes.

Extract from Top Dog by Kate Bendix (Short Books)

Charity Begins at Christmas

Charity Begins at Christmas

C

hristmas is the season of good will and a time to give gifts to our loved ones. However, this year let’s not just think about giving to friends and family.

Animal related charities work tirelessly all year round providing help and support to many in need, but we do need to spare a thought at this festive time as to as to how they manage to survive. This year why not add your favourite charity to your list. There are many ways in which you can help; it’s easier than you think. Most of the charities have websites which have a fantastic range of gifts available, suitable for children to pensioners and even for your pets! As well as gifts, why not consider ordering your Christmas cards or next years calendar. Here are some following suggestions.

Dog Aid Society of Scotland is an independent charity based in Edinburgh. Founded in 1956, they re-home dogs and promote responsible dog ownership throughout Scotland.

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If you are stuck for a Christmas gift idea for an animal lover, for only £10 you can give them an annual membership to the Dog Aid Society. Their members are the backbone of the Society ensuring they can assist as many dogs who need their help as they can around Scotland. You can also support Scottish dogs by ordering a pack of their lovely Christmas cards, with various designs including Edinburgh scenes and puppies. Also available are a variety of gifts, calendars dog toys and accessories.

The Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) is a nonanimal medical research charity that funds and promotes the development of techniques and procedures to replace the use of animals in biomedical research and testing. Funded solely by charitable donations, the DHT has awarded grants to over 170 research projects since 1971 in diverse areas of medical research including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, diabetes, kidney, heart and liver disease, to name only a few. The charity offers a great range of quality Christmas cards with some great designs. A selection of logoed items, such as T-shirts, bags and illustrated notecards are available, as well an exclusive DHT ‘doggie’ bag and the beautiful Hadwen mascot!

Apart from cards and calendars there is a vast array of gifts available online from many charities.

Wood Green, The Animals Charity started from humble beginnings in 1924 and has grown to become one of the

leading animal welfare organizations in the UK. They take in animals of all shapes and sizes! As well as cats and dogs, they find loving homes for thousands of chickens, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, goats, sheep, ferrets and more!

100% of all their shop profits go to help the animals in their care. They have a vast amount of gifts available on line. including some great wall-art’s for the animal lovers in your life, and some lovely scented candles with a wide range of different fragrances to choose from. Soft toys, clothing, books and pet accessories are all available as gifts.

Ferne Animal Sanctuary based in Chard, Somerset has been saving the lives of unwanted and abandoned animals for over 70 years, providing care and refuge for both unwanted domestic and farm animals. They rehome cats and dogs within a 30 mile radius, while some horses and ponies are available for permanent homes, and all other animals remain at the Sanctuary for the rest of their lives. Their on-line shop offers a wide range of goodies, including a selection of Alphabet Jigsaws. These quality handmade wooden jigsaws for children are all made from sustainable sources and only use lead free paint. The jigsaws come in a recycled cardboard box with an acetate window. Once opened and played with, there is a drawstring cotton bag to put all the pieces in to keep them safe. A fantastic present and educational as well!

At this time of year many charities have Fetes and Christmas fairs and you can often pick up that unusual gift for a friend or family member, whilst at the same time contributing to raising much needed additional funds.

Sponsorship of kennels and cattery’s are yet another way of giving a gift to an animal lover and at the same helping provide a safe and warm haven to dogs and cats whilst they await their new home.

Although Christmas is a great time to remember to help others, the best giving is regular giving. Setting up a monthly direct debit for just a few pounds a month allows charities to plan their long-term development. Ask yourself, would you really miss a few pounds a month?

Around £10 a month would help animals in dire need which is just equivalent to a couple of glasses of wine in the pub.

Finally, do remember charities when making a will. It’s an excellent way of leaving a donation to a charity you have supported in your lifetime and an easy method of providing long-term support. A legacy, no matter how small can make a huge difference.

Fake It or Save It

A legacy gift to the BUAV could help us end cruelty to over 4 million animals suffering in UK laboratories each year.

Please call our Legacy Officer on 0300 003 0577 (local rate) to discuss how your kind gift can help us on our journey towards ending all animals experiments.

For more information on the BUAV’s work, visit www.buav.org

Adopt an otter this Christmas! from

£3

a month

For further information visit: Dog Aid Society - www.dogaidsociety.com The Dr Hadwen Trust – www.drhadwentrust.org Wood Green, The Animals Sanctuary – www.woodgreen.org.uk Ferne Animal Sanctuary www.ferneanimalsanctuary.org

Adopt an otter as a gift for someone special this Christmas, and receive a cuddly toy, free ticket and a personalised certificate. wwt.org.uk/adoption

An Alternative Christmas Gift

An Alternative Christmas Gift © Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre

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hristmas is nearly upon us once again, and the decision to know what to buy friends and family seems to get harder every year. What do you buy the person who has everything – or what do you buy for something a little different? Giving the money to worthy charitable causes is a great alternative, and at the same time avoids the horror of traipsing through shopping mails during the pre-Christmas rush. If you or the person you are buying for are animal lovers then Animal Adoption is a fantastic way of giving someone a truly memorable gift, and at the same time makes a wonderful contribution to animal welfare, whether it’s for Christmas, a birthday or that special occasion. It really is the gift that keeps on giving. It can be a great alternative for children and adults who for whatever reason are unable to keep a pet at home, and can also build a lifetimes relationship with a charity.

The details of animal adoption vary slightly but the essentials remain the same. The person receives a certificate, picture of their adopted animal and in some cases a cuddly toy, all helping to create that special bond.

Here, we provide a great choice for potential adoptees, take a look and why not make this year a truly giving Christmas. ©

Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre

Monkey World –Ape Rescue Centre in Dorset is set in 65 acres of woodland, offering a safe haven for over 240 primates who have been rescued from all over the world. The sanctuary works in conjunction with foreign governments worldwide to stop the illegal smuggling of apes out of Africa and Asia. At the Centre, refugees of this illegal trade, as well as those that have suffered abuse or neglect, are rehabilitated into natural living groups. If you decide to adopt with Monkey World you can be assured that every penny goes directly to the rescue centre’s beneficiaries. Pictured here is Thelma, a female chimpanzee who was born at Monkey World when her mother, Cherri’s birth control failed. She was born on 25/09/13 along with a twin sister, Louise. Sadly Louise did not survive as she had a hole in her heart. From just £20, just choose your monkey or ape such as Thelma, making a superb present any time of the year. www.monkeyworld.org

At a Glance – Adopt today and get:

Adoption Certificate Photo of your chosen animal Newsletter Opportunity to take part in ‘adoptive parents’ only events 14

About animals

Alan Hewitt

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)

The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a leading UK conservation organisation, saving wetlands for wildlife and people. They work globally to save important wetland habitats and species as well as providing a network of nine UK visitor centres.

All around the world wetlands are being lost or damaged more rapidly than any other ecosystem, threatening many species with extinction.

For example, the Eurasian otter, a charismatic creature which was once abundant in the UK suffered a dramatic decline in the past century, but now with protected status the otter is making a slow come-back in the UK. However, their plight continues as their population is far from fully recovered. By adopting an otter, you will help them improve wetland corridors and build artificial holts where they can breed safely. For as little as £3 a month, or a one-off payment you can play your part and help the recipient of your gift get closer to nature and at the same time support WWT’s important conversation work. www.wwt.org.uk

At a Glance – Adopt today and get:

Adoption Certificate Magazine Fact book Cuddly toy of chosen species Complimentary ticket to a WWT centre

Tiggywinkles

Every year in Britain over five million wild animals and birds are injured as a direct result of their encounters with man’s world, Tiggywinkles is a specialist hospital caring for sick and injured hedgehogs, badgers, wild birds, foxes, even reptiles and amphibians. Their main aim is to return all their recovered patients back to the wild. However, sadly some are left disabled by their injuries and would not be able to cope, such as the hedgehog.

Why not consider supporting Tiggywinkles by adopting one of their long term residents. Prices vary depending on your choice of animal.

A perfect gift which helps support the work of the world’s busiest wildlife hospital, and a great way for a child to make a personal connection with an individual wildlife animal which they can visit too. www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk

At a Glance – Adopt today and get: Photo of your chosen animal Adoption Certificate Detailed History of your chosen animal Factsheet Badge Car Sticker One free entry to Visitor Centre (for every £40 spent)

CATASTROPHES CAT RESCUE Over the years we have helped an increasing number of cats and kittens in distress, by taking them into our care and finding good homes for them. The cats we take in have often been abandoned or badly treated, some are simply strays who have never had the chance of a proper caring home.

Our aim is to help any cat that is in need and we believe that every cat deserves the chance of a good home.

We do not believe in putting animals to sleep unnecessarily and we actively encourage sterilisation as a vital part of pet ownership. Please remember us in your will. Your donation or legacy will help our work for the animals and save lives.

Contact Liz Varney

Catastrophes Cat Rescue

Half Moon Cottage, Bakers Lane, Dallington, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 9JS Tel: 01435 830212 Fax: 01825 768012 Email: lizzie@internationalanimalrescue.org Registered Charity Number: 1017304

www.monkeyworld.org

Wareham, Dorset BH20 6HH T: 01929 462537 E: apes@monkeyworld.org

‘Adopt a Primate’ this Christmas!

With over 250 primates of more than 20 different species, Monkey World is the largest ape and monkey rescue centre in the world!

Help to support this vital rescue and rehabilitation work by ‘Adopting a Primate’ for yourself or as a gift this Christmas!

From just £20, receive a FREE ENTRY PASS to the park for one year, a photo of your chosen primate, certificate, and three editions of the Ape Rescue Chronicle magazine!

Monkey World is open to visitors every day, except Christmas Day!

Call us or visit www.monkeyworld.org to ‘Adopt a Primate’ & browse our Online Gift Shop!

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Festive Feasting

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itch the turkey then Christmas dinner can be as varied as your imagination.

Some vegetarian alternatives for your to try, courtesy of the Vegetarian Society. www.vegsoc.org

Celeriac & Parsnip Rosti with Cumberland Sauce

Serves 4-6 Vegan Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 1 hour 20 minutes 2-3 small butternut squash (each one approximately 650g)

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For the filling: 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed 100g walnuts, roughly chopped 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped 15g raisins 20g dried apricots, roughly chopped 300g tinned Puy lentils, drained and rinsed 100g pine nuts 2 tbsp lemon juice ½ tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp vegan stock powder mixed with 100ml boiling water 1 tsp sage, roughly chopped Salt and pepper, to taste

For the garnish: 1 raw beetroot, peeled and cut into very small cubes (approximately 2mm) 1 tsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped 1 tsp fresh sage, roughly chopped ½ tsp smoked paprika Method 1 Preheat oven to 180C. 2 Individually wrap the butternut squash in foil and bake them in the oven for around 50 minutes (depending on the size) or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool down.

3 While the butternut squash are cooling, start to make the filling. Gently fry the onion in the oil for five minutes, then add all the other ingredients for the filling and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste. Once finished, set aside.

4 Once the squash are cool, cut them in half and scoop out the seeds along with a little of the flesh.

5 Add the filling mixture to the squash and bake for a further 10 minutes.

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About animals

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Serves 6 Vegan

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Preparation time 15 mins Cooking time 30 mins

Medallion ingredients 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 sticks celery, finely chopped 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried thyme 1 ½ tsp turmeric 1 tbsp tamari (Japanese soy sauce) 3 packets smoked tofu (or plain if preferred), drained and mashed 200g cashew nuts, finely ground 2 tbsp water to taste salt and pepper Stuffing ingredients 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped 300g shiitake mushrooms 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp yeast extract dissolved in a little hot water 40g walnuts very finely chopped 2 tbsp fresh wholewheat breadcrumbs to taste freshly ground black pepper

To make the bakes 1 Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2 Grease 12 ramekins.

3 Heat the oil in frying pan and sauté onion, garlic and celery, until soft.

4 Add basil, thyme, tumeric and tamari and stir well.

5 Place this mixture in a food processor together with the tofu and ground cashew nuts and 2 tbsp water and process until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

6 Season to taste.

7 Divide evenly between the 12 ramekins and press down well.

8 Bake for 15 minutes or until firm to the touch and filling comes away from sides of ramekin easily.

9 Turn out onto 6 individual serving plates.

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Smoked Bean Curd Bakes with Shiitake and Walnut Stuffing

Butternut bells

Makes 12 Can be vegan* Serve individually on a bed of watercress with Cumberland Sauce as a starter, or pile them onto a serving dish to accompany a main course.

Ingredients 2 tbsp fennel seeds 2 tbsp cumin seeds 600g parsnip, grated 400g celeriac grated l tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp onion seeds or mustard seeds 4 tbsp gram flour 2 medium free-range eggs *or 2 tbsp soya flour mixed with 1 tbsp water to taste seasoning 4 tbsp groundnut oil to serve 1-2 bunches watercress

1 Dry fry the fennel and cumin seeds and grind.

2 Mix the parsnip and celeriac with lemon juice, seeds, gram flour, seasoning and egg / *or soya flour paste.

3 Heat oil in non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Divide mixture into 12 portions and pat into rounds. Put a few at a time into the pan and cook, turning once until crisp and golden on both sides. Place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

4 Serve immediately on a bed of watercress with Cumberland Sauce.

Cumberland Sauce Ingredients 1 medium orange 1 medium lemon 4 tbsp good quality redcurrant jelly 4 tbsp vegetarian *or vegan port 1 tsp dried mustard powder 1 tsp powdered ginger Method 1. Thinly pare the rinds from the lemon and orange, removing all the white pith.

Cut into very thin strips about 1 cm in length.

2. Boil the rinds in water for 5 minutes to extract any bitterness and drain.

3. Place the redcurrant jelly and port into a saucepan and melt over a low heat for 5 or 10 minutes. Pass the mixture through a sieve to break down any remaining jelly globules.

4. In a large bowl mix the mustard and ginger with juice of half a lemon until smooth.

5. Add the juice of a whole orange, the port and redcurrant mixture and the orange and lemon peel.

Mix well.

6. Traditionally served cold, but just as nice warm.

Serve with the rosti.

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DO YOU KNOW THAT SENDING GOODS TO AUCTION CAN INCUR SIGNIFICANT CHARGES. EVEN IF YOUR GOODS DON’T SELL OR MEET THE RESERVE YOU WILL OWE THE AUCTION HOUSE MONEY.

Discreet lady antique dealer – available to visit client in own home, fair and honest prices given.

Interested in a wide range of antique, vintage, and 20th century items.

Tel 01296 632706 and speak to Wendy Cummings in the first instance or email chilternvintage@gmail.com

SUBSCRIBE TO ABOUT ANIMALS

The magazine for all animal lovers

and get About Animals magazine delivered to your door: To subscribe, please complete the form below and return with a cheque made payable to Amra Media Solutions for £6.00 (4issues) The Old Lavender Mill, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5ES or telelephone 01296 632700

Name Address Post Code Email

Meow

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MEOW

ats have a way of walking into our lives and making themselves right at home. No cat lover can imagine life without a feline presence – even if it is only as fleeting as the occasional conversation with a neighbourhood stray.

Meow: A book of happiness for cat lovers is a compendium of delightful quotes that capture the essence of this fascination. Some are by famous people, others not; some are philosophical, others light-hearted – but all are memorable.

Here are a few of our favourites.

18

About animals

Meow

MEOW A Book of Happiness for Cat Lovers

By Anouska Jones ÂŁ12.95, Exisle Publishing, www. exislepublishing.co.uk

About animals

19

Every year thousands of people put their faith and trust in Cats Protection when looking for a new addition to the family.

Behind each volunteer and member of staff is a wealth of experience and expertise which means when you adopt one of our cats, you can feel safe in the knowledge that he has been given the best possible care.

When he leaves Cats Protection, your cat will have been treated to a top-to-tail medical.

This means he will have been: • Fully examined by a veterinary surgeon • Vaccinated at least once against flu and enteritis • Treated against fleas, roundworm and tapeworm • Neutered if old enough • Microchipped We also provide four weeks’ free insurance (terms and conditions apply) giving invaluable peace of mind and reassurance as you and your cat embark upon this lifelong friendship.

All he needs now is a loving home to make his dreams come true – over to you!

Find a Cats Protection cat looking for a home in your area.

Simply scan the QR code with your smart-phone to use our new find-a-cat search tool, or get in touch on the details below.

T: 03000 12 12 12 E: helpline@cats.org.uk W: www.cats.org.uk Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)