Cwmlogin House, Cefneithin,
Llanelli, Carmarthenshire SA14 7HB
Tel: 01269 843084
Email: [email protected]
CAN YOU HELP ME RAISE £12,000 FOR THE DESPERATE DOGS IN IRELAND?
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them – by Walt Disney
I do have the courage to pursue my dream... and this is my dream for the dogs
who will die in Ireland without our help.
I will write this from my heart. For these are my views, my dream and my worries and I realistically know
not everyone will feel the same.
The law changed for the movement of dogs from a rabies free country i.e. Ireland to the UK some years ago
but no one bothered with it. It was an EU Law but no one policed it. Probably hundreds of thousands of
dogs moved back and forth. A huge amount were racing greyhounds - a large Irish industry but other were
dogs from pounds who have been pets, breeding dogs, strays and puppies. Some “dog lovers” decided to
make a fuss which has resulted in the authorities having to do something about this, and thus things are
changing and all unwanted dogs in Southern Ireland are now on a precarious see-saw, where they may live
or die.
Many Tears takes dogs from both Northern and Southern Ireland at our own expense but other rescues are
only able to take dogs which have been inoculated, neutered and delivered to them. This costs the people
who rescue dogs in Ireland a lot of money and I know they struggle - I mean REALLY struggle. Many times
these people go without food, holidays, sleep, friends and some have even lost their jobs to save dogs.
With the added worry of having to find extra money for passports, rabies jabs (that are truly not really
needed) and other veterinary care to enable dogs to go the UK or other countries where there are good
homes waiting, many Irish rescuers cannot see a way forward. These rescuers have had to pay some
transporters €100 plus per cage to transport dogs to UK rescues or any other country. They do not have
their own vans equipped to do this, or funds to buy vans. They are as I said struggling.
I know how to really help, and this is my dream for the Irish dogs…
Many Tears has a big, properly fitted, efficient van we use for long haul runs.
My dream is to get a van for Ireland to be used by any Irish rescue needing it
to transport dogs either around Ireland or to a rescue in the UK or any other
country. It could save the Irish rescuers money (which could be used for
rabies vaccines and passports) as they would not have to pay transporters to
take the dogs. It could also be used to take pups or dogs to people willing to
foster for the 3 weeks or more to get the passport needed and to move dogs
around and to get them all to safety.
I have talked to so many Irish rescuers and all would love this to happen and
can see many lives could be saved if it did. The van would be maintained by a
designated person in Ireland. They will keep it in good repair and the cost of
this will be covered by everyone who uses the van to transport dogs, paying
a fraction of what it currently costs, to use it. The money saved could be
used for passports and saving at least some of the doomed dogs. We could
offer hope and help to so many.
I am in awe of ALL who rescue the Irish dogs. The task is huge and so sad and
must often feel hopeless, even without this hanging over their heads.
Because of this law literally thousands of dogs will die and not just adult
dogs but pups too, as thousands of unwanted pups are born in Ireland each
year and although everyone who works to save the dogs tries to get people
to spay and neuter this cannot be forced.
Puppies now cannot be moved on until they are 15-16 weeks old because they now need passports and
fosterers cannot keep whole litters of pups for 10 weeks. Puppies need to be parted from the litter well
before then, socialised and be in a home. Many pups will be put to sleep; they will die before they had a
chance to really live.
Puppies (and adult dogs) will stare lovingly into the person’s eyes who find themselves in the terrible
position of having to end their lives because there is nowhere for them to go. I know people who have lived
through this, I know people who died because of this. Bill’s (my husband) best friend committed suicide
after no longer being able to live with doing this and I need to offer hope, a way for this to work for those
so needing a way forward. The pups can only be helped by either long term fosterers or a holding facility.
However, a facility like that would cost thousands, so my dream has to be a lesser one.
For me the sadness of all of this is overwhelming and eating my heart and soul. I am trying not to dwell on
it and to be positive. If everyone who supports helping Irish dogs or who has adopted an Irish dog would be
prepared to make a donation to this special cause - this would help enormously. I do believe this plan could
really work. If we can raise £12,000 we could provide a van which will enable the Irish rescuers to save
more lives.
Running Many Tears is an uphill struggle, money is always tight and we are always asking for money and
help with all our projects but this is truly an area of great need and not for the benefit of Many Tears. Many
Tears takes in dogs from pounds across the whole of the UK so people saying we are leaving UK dogs to die
whist picking up Irish ones is just not true. Whilst we cannot take all the bull breeds, if we have space, we
never turn down dogs that don’t bite or fight no matter what their age, condition, breed etc and the same
applies to Ireland or any other country we take dogs from. We also take dogs from other European
countries where the suffering is immense. However, the plight of dogs in Ireland is overwhelming and so
we try and spread ourselves and help all the dogs we can no matter where they come from.
So here goes….. I want to raise £12,000 to buy a van to minimise the cost of transporting dogs from
Ireland and this could literally save thousands of lives. I am not unrealistic nor have my head in the
clouds but my target is to do this within 8 weeks as costs are rising at the end of February.
HOW TO HELP
1. Go to this page on our website http://www.manytearsrescue.org/donate.php and make a donation.
Click the Donate icon on this page and write For the Irish Van where it says "enter description" .
2. Make a donation by cheque made payable Many Tears Animal Rescue, Cwmlogin House, Cefneithin,
Llanelli, Carmarthenshire SA14 7HB, please write on the back of the cheque For the Irish Van.
3. If you have a contact with van dealerships ask if they would consider donating a
van or giving a substantial discount to Many Tears. It’s a long wheelbase high
top van, preferably a sprinter. We realise fitting the van out could cost an
approximately £5,000-£6,000.
4. Post this everywhere on Facebook, websites, papers, TV, radio and anywhere I have not mentioned. Just
maybe Irish celebrities would see it and help. Who knows who may want to help with the dream?
We will set up a page on our website to show how much we raise. If we don’t raise the amount needed to
purchase the van we will give the money raised to the Irish Rescuers to help them to continue to save dogs
lives.
I am asking for money to support the amazing rescuers in Ireland who do incredible work. We will continue
picking up dogs ourselves at our own cost and we will still support the Irish rescuers with food, beds,
bedding, bowls and any way we can including paying for a few to be pass ported.
Dreams can come true….. can’t they?
Sylvia Vanatta