Mayhew Magazine Spring 2015

The Mayhew Spring 2015

H e lpi ng an i mals an d th e i r car e rs s i nce 1886

Issue 41

Help us grow our Community Vet Clinic Health & obesity issues The Mayhew Animal Home

The Mayhew’s work with the homeless

Mill Lane Veterinary Surgery Advanced medical care for your pets

Proud to support The Mayhew Animal Home Joshua Rusnak BVSc CertSAS MRCVS 68-70 Mill Lane, London NW6 1NJ www.mill-lane-vet.com

020 7794 1777 2

The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Welcome

to the Spring 2015 issue of The Mayhew! Thank you for all your support over the last few months and we hope you enjoy reading all the latest news and updates from The Home. From everyone here, we wish you a happy and prosperous Spring.

Contents Our achievements in 2014 4 News update 5 Help us grow our Vet Clinic 8 Our volunteers 10 Amazing Grace 12

Our mission:

Helping animals in need gain a better quality of life by delivering a broad range of communitybased animal care, education and welfare projects.

Find me a home 14 Dog adoption month 16 Ask the expert 18 And they lived happily ever after... 20 The Mayhew’s work with the homeless 22 Your letters: Adopted & loved 24 Training programmes at The Mayhew 26 Events round-up 27 World Spay Day Back cover

TO MAKE A DONATION OR TO GET IN TOUCH Write to: The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, NW10 6BJ

Photographs: Yvonne White, Bonnie Baker, Graham Hilling, Olivia Hemingway Please pass on to a friend and recycle after reading.

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

Registered charity no. 1077588 Registered in England and Wales Company limited by guarantee no. 3837732 VAT registration number: 820 4030 87

www.themayhew.org

Telephone: 020 8206 5870 Email: support@mayhewanimalhome.org Visit: www.themayhew.org Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @themayhew

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Our Achievements in 2014 2014 was an incredibly busy year at The Mayhew and we couldn’t do it without your support. Here are some facts and figures about what you helped us to achieve last year‌

We found loving homes for 484 cats

We helped 113 dogs find new forever 1925 homes animals were vaccinated in our clinic

We neutered 2371 animals

1393

We reunited 64 lost dogs with their owners

animals were We responded microchipped to 501 animal

welfare cases

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

News update Our youngest fundraiser Edmund Mitchell, one of The Mayhew’s youngest fundraisers ever, decided he didn’t want presents for his eighth birthday last year, and instead asked his friends to donate money to The Mayhew!

“I already have lots of stuff so I didn’t need any more presents. I’d rather help the pets at The Mayhew as I love animals.

I’m going to do it again next year,” the inspiring 8-year-old told us.

The Mayhew’s Melissa Freeburn, who accepted the donation from Edmund, added: “He’s one of our youngest fundraisers and it’s great he wants to do it again next year. We were delighted to show him round and encourage his interest in The Mayhew animals.”

His mum, author Isabel Wolff, added an extra £25 to the money Edmund raised, taking the total to a very generous £150.

www.themayhew.org

One long-stay cat got a very special Christmas present!

Unwanted and abandoned by her owner, Binki came to The Mayhew in May last year as a very timid and scared cat. While she was with us she spent time in a foster home where she blossomed into a sweet, confident cat who loved nothing more than being cuddled and fussed over. She couldn’t wait to find her forever home where she would get lots of attention all day long. We are happy to announce that Binki found her new forever home in December, after being with The Mayhew for many months, and finally got to go to her new home just before Christmas.

That’s the best Christmas present we could want for this special little cat!

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News update Colorado shines in November

Justin Hawkins raises money for The Mayhew A big thank you to Justin Hawkins, frontman of The Darkness, who recently auctioned some of his show-stopping stage clothes on eBay to raise money for The Mayhew.

Justin, known for his flamboyant outfits and catsuits, said: “I still love these outfits, but I’m not going to wear them again because my house is full of them.”

Amongst the clothes was a pair of custom-crafted red snakeskin effect flares and a black and white stage suit from the band’s live gigs during 2005/6.

Justin explained why bidders might be interested: “Your chance to look like a rock star at the next The Darkness gig.

Also ideal for job interviews. If you want to upstage the bride, wear it to a wedding... Just wear it!”

A whopping 50% of the proceeds were donated to The Mayhew. Thanks Justin!

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Little Colorado arrived at The Mayhew last year after his mum was brought in as part of our Trap, Neuter, Release project for feral cats. She gave birth to Colorado and his siblings that night but when the kittens started to fade and two unfortunately died, we decided to keep Colorado in our care to give him a better chance at life. As if that wasn’t enough of a dramatic start in life, he then won a place in the VN Times 2015 calendar competition and stars as November!

Shortly afterwards Colorado was rehomed and is now living very happily with his new family. Look how much he’s grown!

Paws ‘n’ Claws annual bike run Motorcyclists from the Ace Café in London did their annual Paws ‘n’ Claws bike run to The Mayhew on 21st December. They brought bags full of treats, food and toys for the cats and dogs in residence, which was much appreciated by the animals still waiting to find their new homes over the festive period. A massive thank you to all the bikers who made the special trip from Stonebridge to The Home on that chilly December day!

www.themayhew.org

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We’ve run out of space!

Help us expand our Clinic facilities so we can care for more animals and offer more training places!

THE MAYHEW ANIMAL HOME

VET CLINIC EXPANSION Since the Mayhew Community Veterinary number of cases we can deal with; Clinic opened its doors at the end of 2006, • Expand our Community Animal Care we have helped thousands of animals programmes including our Trap, Neuter, Release and Pick ‘n’ Snip with preventative health care, as well as projects and help more owners care providing comprehensive veterinary for their pets at home provision for those passing through our • Respond to the demand for low-cost rescue and rehoming services. neutering • More space for low-cost clinics for We are now bursting at the vaccinations, microchipping etc. seams and need more space.

Can you help us achieve this? • Stress-free separate areas for dogs and We are planning to extend our Vet Clinic cats to ensure their well-being is not compromised facilities onsite this year and need to raise some funds to do it! Our target is to • More training places on offer for nurses, student vets and overseas vets raise £500,000 which covers the building works and equipping of the new clinic looking to improve their skills for the areas, which will enable us to have: good of animal welfare.

• 2 operating theatres, one to be a teaching theatre; We are thrilled to have raised £227,251.00 • A vet consultation room – space to so far but we hope you will help us raise check over the hundreds of animals the rest. We will keep you updated with passing through our doors and assess our progress throughout the year as we their needs; are all excited about it here!

• More pre- and post-operative space for Thank you! dogs and cats so we can increase the 8

The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

How we’ve grown over the last 8 years: • We’ve neutered 15,194 animals • And vaccinated 9,985!

• The vet team has grown from 2 vets and 3 nurses to 4 vets and 8 nurses.

Above: Milly with Senior Vet Nurse Mel

Above: Preparing to anaesthetise

Above: Careful monitoring

To help us raise funds: Return the enclosed donation form Call 020 8206 5870 Donate via our website www.themayhew.org/clinic-expansion

www.themayhew.org

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Our volunteers The Mayhew has more than 300 volunteers who work tirelessly to keep The Home running smoothly.

Here are our Volunteer Award winners from 2014 – thank you for all your hard work!

Michael Cinigilio – Kennels It’s very rewarding to see the dogs go to their new homes and it’s great when an adopter brings their dog back to The Mayhew for a visit and you can see the difference a stable home makes.

Deb O’Connor – General all-rounder It’s great working with like-minded people and my highlight is getting to spend time with the cats (especially watching the timid ones flourish).

Joan Dixon – Reception My time working at The Home gives me great satisfaction but also a feeling of sadness at the plight of all the animals outside of our reach.

Flick Thorley - TheraPaws I feel proud representing The Mayhew and enjoy spreading dog love wherever we go with TheraPaws.

Lorea Hoye – Marcomms The Mayhew’s initiatives are ground breaking and I love that they are nonjudgmental in reaching out to all aspects of the community.

Kevin & Irene Barrett – Foster Carers We have the rewarding opportunity to get to know lots of amazing dogs through fostering, all of which have ended up with great homes and happy lives.

Maria Bergendahl – Cattery The best thing about volunteering is Anya Hastwell – Events being able to make a difference to the I really wanted to channel my enthusiasm cats while they’re waiting for their for animal welfare into helping The forever homes.

Mayhew and being an Events Volunteer fits perfectly around my work.

Parvin Faridian – Home Visitor My passions are cats and animal charities Laressa Kelly – Outstanding Contribution and I love doing home visits.

I feel honoured to be able to support the fantastic work The Mayhew does in the Azmina & Pauline Gulamhusein – community and I recommend it to Fundraiser Achiever of the Year anybody looking to give a gorgeous You can read more about their amazing animal in need a second chance. work at The Mayhew on page 12.

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Above: Deb O’Connor

Above: Lorea Hoye

Above: Flick Thorley

Above: Flick’s dogs

Above: Laressa Kelly

Above: Michael Cinigilio

Above: Azmina & Pauline Gulamhusein

Above: Parvin Faridian

Above: Joan Dixon

Above: Anya Hastwell

Above: Maria Bergendahl

Above: Kevin & Irene Barrett

Interested in volunteering? Visit: www.themayhew.org/volunteering

www.themayhew.org

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Amazing Grace Many of you may have heard of Amazing Grace, the white Staffie found on a Brent doorstep in September last year in a shocking condition – she was literally starving to death, blind in one eye and desperately weak.

She arrived emaciated, with protruding ribs and a swollen belly reminiscent of a famine victim. In fact, her stomach was so distended that The Mayhew’s vet team immediately drained off two litres of fluid. It was clear she had been left for a considerable time to soak in her own urine, as her legs were stained and marked and her coat was in a filthy state.

Tests soon revealed that Grace had an intestinal condition called lymphangiectasia, which meant she couldn’t absorb protein and suffered from terrible diarrhoea, despite medication. She was half the weight she should be and also had a grade 4 heart murmur and anaemia.

Caroline Yates, Chief Executive, said: “I have never seen such severe starvation and malnutrition in a dog in the UK before. It’s amazing she has any faith in human beings after what she’s been through.”

The Mayhew is committed to giving every animal a second chance at life and Grace was given round-the-clock care, love and attention.

Despite her suffering, Grace had a very sweet nature and loved nothing more than a cuddle and to play with her toys. She was incredibly brave and strong throughout her ordeal and the many generous gifts and donations we received from Mayhew supporters were greatly appreciated and made a huge difference.

One of our supporters, Azmina, was immediately taken with Grace: “There was something special about her and a love of life shone Left: Grace when she first arrived at The Mayhew

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Above: The mascot and painting that Azmina and Pauline sold on eBay to raise funds

through those soulful deep brown eyes.” To raise money for Grace’s round-the-clock care at The Mayhew, Azmina and her mother Pauline knitted some little dog mascots in sparkly white wool and sold them on eBay for an amazing £82.98.

Realising how much love Grace’s story had inspired, Azmina was determined to help as much as possible. She auctioned a watercolour painting of Grace’s expressive face and beautiful eyes, which was donated to The Mayhew by an artist she knows well. “It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul and the artist intended the painting to be a celebration of Amazing Grace’s joyous spirit and personality,” Azmina explains. There was an extraordinary response and an immediate outpouring of generosity from Mayhew supporters: the painting received 44 bids and raised an outstanding £1,220!

During her time at The Mayhew Grace’s condition deteriorated and her diarrhoea remained chronic, which meant it was almost impossible for her to gain any weight. Her quality of life was seriously impaired and her prognosis looked unlikely to improve and, on the 11th November 2014, Grace’s struggle came to an end. In her final months she was loved, cherished, warm and comfortable and her story has spread across the world, invoking outpourings of love and generosity.

The money raised for Grace will now go on to help other sick and abandoned animals at The Mayhew. As Azmina puts it, “Amazing Grace was a very special dog and leaves behind a legacy of love.”

Grace is now at peace; no more pain, no more sadness, no more suffering. She remains in our hearts forever.

A big thank you to Azmina and Pauline Gulamhusein for their help writing this article, and to all who sent in gifts, donations and support for Grace. Azmina and Pauline were awarded the prestigious ‘Fundraiser Achiever of the Year’ Volunteer Award to recognise their hard work during 2014.

www.themayhew.org

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Find me a home Here are just some of the lovely cats and dogs patiently waiting at The Mayhew for their forever home. Please help us to find their new families.

Please pull out and display on a w pin-board or in a windo where lots of people will see me!

Hopefully, with your help, our forever homes will be found sooner!

Lucky: 4 years old. Gender: Male Breed: Pomeranian Likes: Curling up on someone’s lap Essentials: I can’t live with other dogs

Gordon: 2 years old. Gender: Male Breed: Staffy Likes: Company, playing with my toys and having my back scratched Essentials: I’m hard of hearing but I’m learning hand signals

Gladys: 7 years old. Gender: Female Breed: American Bulldog and English Bulldog crossbreed Likes: Going to the park and cuddles Essentials: I can live with other dogs but no cats please!

Bay: 2 years old. Gender: Female Breed: German Shepherd and Greyhound crossbreed Likes: Snuggling and belly rubs Essentials: My new owners will need to take me to training classes and I’ll need to be the only pet in the home

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Annabella: 2 years old. Gender: Female Likes: To be a loyal friend.

Essentials: I need an adult-only home with a garden and lots of home comforts.

Perry: 4 years old. Gender: Male Likes: Having my fur brushed Essentials: I can’t live with other cats or dogs

Wanda: 5 years old. Gender: Female Likes: Showing my belly while I get cuddles.

Essentials: I startle easily so I’d like a calm home environment.

Harvey & Layton: 7 & 9 years old Gender: Males Likes: A gentle voice and a garden to potter in.

Essentials: We’d suit a quiet adult-only home.

To find out more about these animals and other Mayhew residents please visit:

Help us to rescue the countless cats and dogs who are missing homes: Text RESCUE to 70111 to give 3 a month*

Cats: www.themayhew.org/cats

*This is a subscription service. You will be charged 3, plus one message at your standard network rate in the first month, and 3 a month thereafter with the option to skip donations if you wish. The Mayhew Animal Home will receive 100% of the donation. To unsubscribe, text STOP to 70111 or call 0203 282 7864.

Dogs: www.themayhew.org/dogs Or telephone: 020 8962 8000

www.themayhew.org

£

£

£

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Dog Adoption Month October saw National Dog Adoption Month in the UK and The Mayhew received lots of visitors keen to raise awareness of the many dogs in rescue centres looking for new homes.

Local Brent politician and former undefeated British boxer, Ibrahim Taguri, came out fighting for animal welfare when he visited The Mayhew in North West London. Ibrahim said: “I wish people were more responsible about just dumping their pets. I have read so much about the amazing work The Mayhew does in the local papers and I’m touched to actually witness it.”

Ibrahim met Askey, a 3 year old Chihuahua Terrier cross who was looking for a new home, and they got on like a house on fire. Ibrahim continued, “I’m going to do as much as possible to help these animals who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. I loved my visit to The Mayhew, it’s certainly more humane than the world of politics.”

Lu Corfield, who plays twin sisters Freya and Lois Wilson on BBC1’s Doctors, also visited The Mayhew to highlight the number of rescue dogs who need a new home.

She cuddled a number of four-legged residents including Askey and 17-monthold Siberian Husky Amaruq.

Ms Corfield, the owner of a six-year-old Poodle cross called Norma, said: “There are a frightening amount of dogs needing to 16

The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

be rehomed across the UK and, whilst our rescue centres and shelters are doing a wonderful job, we still need further funding and support. I fell in love with each and every one of the dogs I met; in fact I was very tempted to take them all home! They will make the perfect companion to the right owner; they just need to be given a chance.”

When legendary documentary maker Louis Theroux visited he immediately formed a bond with Grace, the staffie who arrived at The Mayhew after being found on a doorstep starving to death, desperately weak and blind in one eye.

While giving Grace a big cuddle Louis said: “We need places like The Mayhew Animal Home to help thousands of dogs like Grace who desperately need treatment,

Above: Lu Corfield meets Lucky

Above: Joanna Lumley with Penny and Purdy

Above: Louis Theroux met Grace

care and a loving home. So many dogs in the UK are being abused and abandoned which is why we need rescue centres but they are stretched to breaking point.

“That’s why I am delighted to highlight National Adoption Month for dogs who are not quite so lucky at finding a second chance home.” You can read more about Grace on page 12.

a crisp autumnal day in October. Joanna said: “Thousands of dogs in the UK are just thrown away – or lose their homes – when things get tough which is why we need rescue centres but they are stretched to breaking point. National Adoption Month is a reminder to help dogs who are not quite so lucky at finding a second home. As a passionate animal lover I would urge people to consider adopting a rescue dog which is hugely rewarding for all sides.”

Purdey meets Purdy!

Joanna Lumley, who played a spy called Purdey in the 1970’s crimefighting show the New Avengers, rubbed noses with Purdy, a seven year old Dalmatian who found herself at The Mayhew with her sister Penny last year, following the break-up of their owners’ relationship.

They enjoyed a lovely walk in the park on www.themayhew.org

If you are interested in adopting a dog please call 020 8962 8000 or visit www.themayhew.org/dogs

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Ask the expert Overfeeding and/or lack of exercise leads to obesity in our pets, which in turn can lead to severe health problems. The Mayhew’s Chief Vet, Ursula Goetz MRCVS, GPCert (SAS) gives some top tips on how to keep your pet in shape and healthy.

Below left: When Huggy Bear arrived at The Mayhew he weighed in at a massive 12kg.

Below right: Through a carefully controlled diet he is now a much healthier 6.6kg.

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Q. What does obesity cause?

Obesity is a serious condition that can lead to potentially fatal fatty liver disease, diabetes, non-allergenic skin conditions and urinary tract disorders in cats. For dogs it can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, joint problems, exercise intolerance, respiratory distress and diabetes. These problems cause your pet intense discomfort, pain, depression, lethargy and can even lead to death.

Q. What should I feed my pet?

A balanced diet is important to ensure they receive the full range of nutrients.

Most pet foods that are available to buy provide the complete range of nutrients

your pet needs so feeding them additional to healthy ones if you can. food is unnecessary and may even be harmful. Providing clean drinking water Q. What about exercise?

Cats should have plenty of room to run at all times is also essential. around and outside access to a garden is desirable. Make sure you spend time Q. How often should I feed my pet? playing with your cat every day and leave Both dogs and cats should receive two some interesting ‘puzzle’ toys to keep meals every day. However, if you give them busy when you are out. your cat dry food throughout the day as Dogs need lots of daily exercise to keep well, then you should deduct this from them mentally and physically stimulated. the recommended amount of wet food given as cats can be prone to overeating, Long walks and off-lead exercise is essential every day – even if it’s cold and especially when bored. wet outside, your dog still needs exercise.

Just think of the health benefits you’ll be Q. What foods should I avoid?

Cats: Never feed dog food to a cat as they getting at the same time! have different nutritional needs. There is a common misconception that cats need milk but in actual fact it is not tolerated well by many cats and can often cause If you have a question for our team, diarrhoea. please get in touch: Dogs: Beware of certain human foods support@mayhewanimalhome.org which are dangerous to them such as or 020 8206 5870 grapes, raw onions, raisins and chocolate.

For urgent enquiries, please contact your vet.

Q. How can I treat my pet without overfeeding them?

Download a copy of our cat and dog We often use treats as a way of rewarding care leaflets at: our pets during training or for good www.themayhew.org/cat-care behaviour, especially dogs. This can have www.themayhew.org/dog-care a positive effect on behaviour but treats should be given sparingly and try to stick www.themayhew.org

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And they lived happily ever after…

The Mayhew’s Zoe visits Bunny, the gorgeous Jack Russell who recently featured in our Christmas appeal, to find out how she’s getting on in her new home.

As I enter the cosy London home, I am greeted by a very bouncy and excitable Bunny – completely different to the first time I met her. When Bunny arrived at The Mayhew in October she was suffering from a painful skin condition

Above: Bunny when she first arrived at The Mayhew.

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

which caused her fur to fall out on her underside, from her neck right down to her toes. Our vet team quickly treated the condition and she was very soon on the road to recovery. It was only a matter of days after she went up for adoption that she was snapped up by a very special lady.

Sylvia Syms, a veteran actress who starred in Ice Cold in Alex, The Tamarind Seed and The Queen to name just a few, came to The Mayhew after her daughter Beattie spotted Bunny on The Mayhew website. Beattie (Edney, who has followed in her mother’s footsteps and starred in the likes of Highlander, In the Name of the Father and will shortly be seen in the new series of Poldark) was immediately struck by how much she looked like Snoopy, their old family Jack Russell.

Sylvia was looking for an intelligent, obedient, slightly older dog and Bunny ticked all the boxes. And even though Bunny will most likely be on some form of medication for her skin condition for

Above: Beattie with Billie and Sylvia with Bunny.

the rest of her life, this didn’t put Sylvia off one bit and she took her home at the end of November.

Now settled in her new home, Bunny (or ‘White Fang’ as Sylvia sometimes calls her, she tells me with a smile) is smart and mischievous, having adopted the role of protector. She loves a cuddle, chasing her ball and meeting other dogs in the park nearby. According to Sylvia, every home should have a dog; she loves the companionship, seeing Bunny’s friendly face at the door when she comes in, and taking her for nice long walks.

Beattie and her German Shepherd cross, Billie (also a former Mayhew resident), are frequent visitors, and Billie and Bunny get on like a house on fire.

They chase each other round in circles quite happily while I drink tea with the two dog-loving actresses.

Both Sylvia and Beattie are strong advocates for The Mayhew. “The work you do is extraordinary,” exclaims Sylvia.

“The love and care you give to animals in www.themayhew.org

need, some of which arrive in a horrible state, is just amazing.”

Beattie especially sings the praises of our foster carers, as her dog Billie was being fostered in a loving home when she adopted her. And most importantly, they both thoroughly support The Mayhew’s neutering initiatives and low-cost vet services to help all animals in need gain a better quality of life.

As I say goodbye Sylvia spots a chance to catch Bunny off-guard and give her the medication she needs for her skin condition. Bunny has become quite cunning at avoiding this daily ritual, apparently. While I am stroking Bunny goodbye, Sylvia quickly pops the pill in her mouth and gently holds it closed encouraging her to swallow it. It seems like success so Sylvia lets go - and out pops the pill from Bunny’s mouth. As they eye each other up, Bunny with a twinkle and Sylvia’s lips turning into a smile, I am sure of one thing: they seem like the perfect match to me.

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The Mayhew’s work with the homeless

The Mayhew was back supporting Crisis at Christmas again last year.

On 29th December our vets, Animal Welfare Officers and volunteers were in Islington at one of the Crisis venues where homeless people can receive temporary shelter over the Christmas period.

We have worked closely with Crisis for over 15 years, offering help and support to homeless people and their dogs during the festive period.

It can be an incredibly difficult time of year for a homeless person, and often their dog is their only friend so we ensure they are not separated from their dog whilst at the Crisis centre. We offer advice and assistance on caring for their dog while they receive help and support from the charity. The Mayhew team were 22

The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

on hand to provide free general vet health checks, administer preventative treatments (flea/worm treatments) and microchips, and offer advice on neutering. We were able to help 3 dogs and 2 cats on the day and we gave out food, collars, tags and dog coats to help keep the animals healthy and warm during the winter time.

We work with a number of other homeless projects throughout the year, where we offer support and advice for all

Above: Mayhew vet Susan doing a health check

Above: One of our visitors resting after a long day.

Above: One of our visitors gets cosy

Above: Dinner time!

dog-owners. We visit each centre 5 times a year, where we also promote our Pet Refuge scheme for anyone who wishes to go into rehab and needs help caring for their dog.

You’ll find The Mayhew at the following projects across London: • The Margins Project • Thames Reach, Graham House • Ace of Clubs • St Mungo’s Broadway Homeless Hostel & Drop in Centre

Above: Another dog receives a health check

www.themayhew.org

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Your letters: adopted & loved We rehomed an amazing 113 dogs and 484 cats last year.

They are busy enjoying life in their forever homes.

Here’s an update from four ex-Mayhew residents…

Lucy Dear Mayhew Animal Home, We thought you would like to hear how Lucy is settling in since we adopted her in November.

After a nervous few days of hiding under the bed when we were about and exploring the flat when we were asleep, Lucy very quickly began to relax, enjoying regular fusses with loud purrs. She has claimed a couple of sleeping places, one being a cushion in the lounge next to the window so she can see out and the other a basket in the spare room, which has become her warm spot for sleeping in.

Lucy has become a big part of our life and we love having her. Watching her become more confident and seeing her personality come through is a real joy, she looks very happy and content. We love our little Lucy very much and are so pleased we are able to give her a new home with lots of love, patience and comfort.

Kind regards, Richard & Anne

Calypso (formerly Blossom) Hi Mayhew team, Calypso is truly amazing! She is the loveliest dog we could imagine. She is calm, gentle and playful and doesn’t bark much (yahooooo!). She is as strong as a bull and could happily pull us all up and down the heath if we didn’t keep her ‘heeling’. She runs as fast as a greyhound but has the stamina of a husky. Her fur is super soft and she sleeps happily all through the night.

Seriously, she is pretty close to perfection. Many thanks for her!

Best, Ashley

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The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Minstrel Dear Mayhew, Minstrel is a huge part of our family. Ever since he came to live with us two years ago he has been massively important and everything I do personally revolves around Minstrel and his life with us. Life would be a whole lot different without him.

Sadly in April of this year Minstrel suffered a fracture to his tail (only he will know what caused it) and after spending a week at our local vet, they concluded that the damage to the bone inside Minstrel’s tail was too severe and the decision was made to amputate so he could make a full recovery. It took around 4 months for Minstrel’s fur to fully grow back to normal. Since the incident I’ve realised Minstrel is even more precious and so wonderfully amazing than I thought possible!

Thank you Mayhew.

Ben Graham

Sweetie Dear all at the Mayhew, As you may remember we adopted Sweetie from The Mayhew last year. We are a very happy family together and we wanted to send you a little update on Sweetie’s life with us.

She loves her (several) tennis balls, relaxing on the couch and barking at the fireworks. Every time we take her for a walk she melts everyone’s hearts and she’s a favourite in the neighbourhood already. She is a very good and well behaved dog and we are very lucky to have her.

Franca and Danny

To see more of Sweetie, check out this video of her in her new home: http://bit.ly/1sc3TOn

To share your stories, please get in touch by writing to The Mayhew Animal Home, Trenmar Gardens, Kensal Green, London, NW10 6BJ or email support@mayhewanimalhome.org

www.themayhew.org

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Training programmes at The Mayhew Looking for a career in veterinary medicine or animal care? Then your future could start at The Mayhew’s practical training centre.

Work Based Award in Animal Care

Veterinary Student placements (EMS)

The Mayhew offers a Level 2 Work Based Award in Animal Care in conjunction with the College of Animal Welfare.

The 14-month self-study course is a great basis for a career in animal care in which the student works voluntarily (unpaid) at The Mayhew for three days a week in order to gain practical experience for their qualification.

Find out more: www.themayhew.org/ education/work-based-award

Veterinary students will learn the skills needed to practice vet medicine while at university, but it is on their EMS placements that they are able to practice these clinical skills and gain hands-on experience of animal handling. Students will also develop their understanding of practice economics and management, gain experience of medical and surgical treatments, and learn about the ethical and legal responsibilities of a veterinary surgeon.

Find out more: www.themayhew.org/ education/vet-student-placements

Veterinary Nurse Training The Mayhew is an Approved Training Practice for vet nurses and works with the College of Animal Welfare to offer practical placements. It provides a dynamic training opportunity for student nurses where they are able to learn their profession in a modern, well equipped clinic that provides full service veterinary care for the animals at The Mayhew as well as low cost preventative care services for the local community. Please note that we are currently only able to accept requests for a placement through The College of Animal Welfare.

Find out more: www.themayhew.org/ education/veterinary-nurse-training

Above: Vet nurse Laura with Prince 26

The Mayhew _ Spring 2015

Events round-up tinsel & tails Held just before Christmas, our annual fundraiser raised an absolutely amazing £10,800! Guests were delighted with a sparkling wine reception, a delicious vegetarian buffet dinner and lashings of entertainment. Our celebrity friends Peter Egan, Bill Bailey, Sylvia Syms, Beattie Edney and Helen George (to name a few!) gave special readings and music was provided by the lovely Verity & Violet. Dogs were invited too of course and many rehomed Mayhew residents came along in their finery, greeting all the guests on the red carpet. There was

also a raffle and a luxury auction which raised a phenomenal amount. Thanks to everyone who came along and helped to make it a very special evening.

Christmas fair £6000 The Mayhew opened its doors on the 30th November 2014 for the annual Christmas Fair. The Home was transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland with stalls, a raffle, children’s activities and mulled wine and mince pies for the grown-ups. The day was an outstanding success and raised a whopping £6,000 for our four-legged friends.

Above: Bill Bailey shows his support

Above: Mulled wine and mince pies

Above: Helen George with her husband Oliver

Above: Fairgoers drop presents into one of our resident cat’s Christmas stockings

www.themayhew.org

27

SpayDay

World

TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2015 www.themayhew.org/worldspayday IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

You’ll naturally want to protect her Cats can be spayed from four months.

This protects them from getting pregnant.

Book an appointment today! You may be able to get help with the cost of spaying.

The Mayhew Animal Home is participating in World Spay Day on 24th February 2015. We provide low-cost services so book your appointment now: Call 020 8962 8017 Email vetclinic@mayhewanimalhome.org Visit www.themayhew.org/worldspayday

The Mayhew Animal Home

Photo: iStock.com

Which is why you’ll want to have her spayed.