Most rural animals have hard short lives and are regularly replaced in a vicious circle of permanently pregnant bitches with endless supplies of puppies. We often come across people selling their pups but, unwilling to jeopardize the trust that enables us to move freely among the community, we don't report them. Instead, we offer them help with their animals, make suggestions where necessary and continue to try and resolve things amicably - something which is usually but not always successful.
Just as difficult are the litters of orphaned pups. People often bring in pups that have lost their mothers to accidents or illness, leaving us with a problem that is hugely demanding - physically, emotionally and financially. We've fostered 14 pups at once, (exhausting!) and although we've had some wonderful people helping to foster for us in the past it's so traumatic to let them go (despite the fact that we monitor and support them when they are returned to their owners or rehomed) that we're now fostering them all ourselves.
