Some histories...
Daysha We first met daysha, when her owners were finding it difficult to cope with her. Because of the attitude that some people have towards Dobermans, her owner was becoming increasingly nervous when they took her out.
As her owner got more nervous, so did Daysha. This coupled with the fact that she was getting into trouble for things at home just made her even more nervous.
Eventually she started to bark at everyone who came near her, which just made everything worse. Her owners were nervous, Daysha was nervous and people in the local park were nervous.
Her owners decided that they couldn't keep her any more, because of her history, no sanctuaries wanted to take her in so she ended up coming to us.
Over the course of a couple of months, Daysha was socialised and taken out to overcome her fears and anxieties. Once she was a little less nervous we started looking for a home for her.
She has now found a home in a Devon village where she is apparently a regular visitor in the local pub, she is no longer afraid of people and they are not afraid of her.
Bob Despite trying everything that was known to cure a spraying problem, Bob continued to spray in his home. Spraying is usually caused by a cat being anxious in some way, but his owners just couldn't find out where the problem was.
One day, they returned to find that Bob had ruined yet another video player. They were taking him to be destroyed when they changed their mind's and bought him in to us.
We put Bob in our cathouse with the other cats and from the day he arrived, he hasn't sprayed once. He has had a couple of trial homes but each time he comes back for spraying. We really don't know what makes him so insecure away from the cathouse but at least he is happy living there.
Ellie Just like many other problems that we see, Ellie's story is essentially a misunderstanding. Her owners had been told by a behaviorist that she was aggressive because of her habit of barking excitably at everything she saw.
On advice from the behaviorist they did all the wrong things. For four years, they kept her away from others and hardly ever took her out for exercise.
Eventually Ellie was so wound up by her lack of exercise and stimulation that she just continually barked at everything she saw or hard.
She was so wound up that all she would eat was rice pudding. She couldn't keep any weight on and was permanently looking for attention or play.
Since coming to stay with us she has almost stopped barking at most things, she is on a normal diet, which has been reduced because she is no longer thin from nervous energy. She loves to play with people and dogs.
In truth, Ellie is the softest dog you could ever wish to meet. All she wants to do is play, how can anyone misunderstand that?
If you have any questions or comments on any part of our
work, please contact us:
Animals in Mind, 31 Magdalen Way, Worle, North Somerset, BS22 7PG
01934 516714 - email us