WE HAVE 4 PUPPIES!!!!
What a weekend, we spent ages on Saturday, I went to see the vet and asked if it would be dangerous to give the pups a tranquiliser and catch them that way- he said no, it would be ok. So Saturday I put a pill in each dish and sat and watched at a distance and both dogs went into the house and ate- we waited an hour and then went on the puppy hunt- impossible with just me and Jim, so lovely Dani (the vet) and his fiancee the lovely Jenni came to help. Dani managed to grab hold of the bigger puppy (yes he got bitten and pood on) we tried to get the smaller puppy- no chance she hid well. So in the evening we left another pill, poor puppy was howling for her mate- she ate the meat with the pill- but could we get her??? Gave up again.
Sunday: got there early, she was about, but I did not want to chase her again, so just left some food and went back with another volunteer in the evening- all ok.
Monday- Met a volunteer there in the evening- saw puppy at a distance- discovered the shelter had been tipped up- it was the back of an old TV covered in thick plastic and wired to a very heavy pallet- no way could it have blown over or another dog tipped it up. It was obvious it was for a dog, there was bedding and a food dish inside. We straightened it up and pushed it back into the prickly pears (I was cursing whoever tipped it up) we went back to our cars and then a man appeared, he was collecting scrap metal- I bet he was the person who tipped it up.
Tuesday: Went back in afternoon (Monday and Tuesday morning Jim had been with our neighbour who was getting a cataract op) Left the new pill and a half (she was going to go to sleep this time!!) settled down to watch from a distance and a man appeared and started to cut the weeds and grass for a horse! So puppy was scared off. Removed the pill as by then it was not long until the galgos were let off on the field for their exercise. Left a small amount of food, so she would be hungry for today.
Wednesday: Got there for 11.30- thought she would be starving- saw her running through the olive grove. Left the pill in her house (pushed in) and went through the olive grove looking for her, but she had gone along the path and headed into the prickly pears (sure she was laughing at me hunting for her) so I went across the field and sat under an olive tree where I could watch. Then a lady and man arrive with their dog!!! I ran across the field screaming NO NO I was worried the dog would eat the pill and a half! The lady had noticed the puppy 2 days ago so had left food yesterday morning (no wonder she had not eaten my food yesterday!!) she had food and water for her today. I said it was ok, I had left food with a pill in it. I waited and waited- she was sitting way away from the food- so I moved it closer to where she was sitting- HUH! in the end I thought to hell and put it back in the house and me and Jim went to get a drink in town. We got back and I went to check- she was sitting in the sun, I checked the house- food gone!! So we sat and waited in the car for another 45 min. I then sent a message to Jenni and she and Dani came to help us. I had made a mark in the soil where I had last seen her. There she was right in the middle of the prickly pears. Dani dived right in and as a man appeared with his little dog (who had come from our refuge- the dog was a screamer) there was screaming, we thought it was Toby!! It was our puppy, Dani, he had hold of the pup by her back leg!! She was doing her best to bite him- we could not get her into the carrier- she tried to escape- I grabbed her (got a small bite) I gave Dani my coat and we covered her head with it and managed to get her into the carrier!! So now we have 4 puppies in our garage- they are outside in the day, just in there when we are out and at night. The first two- Tintin and Snowy are friendly, the 3rd one, Danny (after the vet) was thinking about being friendly this morning but now Jenny (after the fiancee Jenni) is here he is back hiding with her again.
I am shattered- but we have the puppies safe- they cannot travel to a rescue until they have had their vaccinations, the first two will not be a problem, the other 2 will be a little while until they come close! Danny did venture in the house yesterday afternoon, so little by little we will win them over- with food!
Dani, the vet, had knelt on a prickly pear, he had a knee full of thorns! Such a hero, he did not moan
Pamela