Paws for thought at Moate Dog Rescue

The sign on the entrance to the country house wittily says it all about who rules the roost in this particular home: "The dog and its housekeeping staff live here." But this is not your typical dog lover's rural residence. This is Moate Dog Rescue where not just one canine calls it home, but a grand total of 45 at present, and that's apart from the family pets like Freddie, a large cream bull mastiff, who bounds over on arrival belying his size with friendliness and sheer cuteness, and Jacob, the gentle giant of an Irish wolfhound. "We're full at the moment," founder Maria Drinan and partner Gary O'Donnell explain, pointing out that the organisation is dealing with a major rise in call-outs since the dawn of the recession. "If you had 100 acres of land you could fill it with dogs. The calls are constant," Gary states, adding that it is not concentrated on any particular period of the year now either. And, it's the not the old picture of a shelter full of mongrels and cross breeds either being abandoned or left roaming around. Gary points to the best of breeds in the well appointed kennels, from the cute-as-button litter of Siberian husky puppies to giant poodles, from staffs and lurchers alongside the more common breeds like terriers, German Shepherds and smaller dogs. "People are moving into apartments or away from work and they haven't room for dogs," Maria points out. Then there are others who simply cannot afford to feed and care for a large dog with reduced circumstances having lost a job or with less money coming in. "40% of the calls are cruelty or neglect and stray dogs, while 60% of them would be people actually giving the dogs to us," she says, as illustrated by their latest call, a lurcher dog found dumped in Tang who actually had to have a leg amputated as a result of his injuries. "The vet said the dog had either been knocked down or thrown from a car at speed," she adds. All the dogs that come in are looking for a new home, and if they are not re-homed here, the rescue organisation has a link with similar group in England, and within a week they will find a new home over across the water, regardless of their injuries or age. Anyone who comes and wants to take a dog will have to prove they can care for the dog, Maria and Gary are keen to stress, saying they are not going to let one of dogs go unless they are sure it's a right fit for both parties. Usually, they will test them out beforehand to see how they bond with the dog, do a series of home-checks and follow-up sessions afterwards to check the arrangement is working well for dog and owner. A self-confessed animal lover Maria started Moate Dog Rescue, a registered charity, back in October 2009. It has already outgrown one home. Such was the response to its initial beginnings in a more urban setting the pair say they knew that they would have to move to a quieter, rural spot with more space and fields for the dogs. "I used to always bring home animals, injured or strays. I'd bring dead birds expecting them to be fixed," she smiles of the roots of Moate Dog Rescue in her youth. After moving to Athlone she volunteered in a animal shelter for a time before moving to Moate when she met Gary, who works in groundworks and himself a dog lover. Noticing there was no facility apart from the pound, she simply started taking in the abandoned puppies and strays and it simply grew from there. Although it's struggle at times, their vet bill in January was over €1,000 alone, Maria says people have been very good to them doing fundraisers and they hold a dog show every summer. In fact, some local members of the Defence Forces will undertake a 55 mile kayak trip in June in aid of Moate Dog Rescue. They do ask for an adoption fee of €70 for a dog being re-homed for vets fees but that actually doesn't cover the costs. Asked whether they get attached to their many canine residents, Maria replies in the positive, remembering crying her eyes out when one particular dog found a new home. "They really are like people. They all have their own spots, routines and personalities," she says but the cases that can really get to them are the cruelty cases. Just the previous week the couple explain that they came across one of the worst, a Rottweiler dumped near Mount Temple with no hair, holes in his legs and severely underweight. "To smell her you would think she was dead for a week," Gary outlines, saying that the dog only weighed 17kg when it should be 35kg. Unfortunately, having recovered enough to have an operation on her legs, and the promise of a new home in England courtesy of Rotty Welfare, the dog inexplicably didn't wake up from the operation. Another German Shepherd came in that week after the owners didn't realise it would grow larger than a pup. Both agree that re-homing less than perfect or older dogs in Ireland can be a little more difficult. When asked why this is so, Maria says: "They just can't see past the missing limbs. In England they just see the dog and want to care for it". Maria and Gary recall a lot of cases of injured dogs who could not find a home here at all, but within days in England, at no cost to them, had found new owners. They would also love to see legislation to ensure dog owners spay their pets to cut down on the number of stray dogs and unwanted puppies around the country. People can donate by text message to Moate Dog Rescue by texting iDonate Dogs to 5777. It costs €1.50 and the charity will get €1.05. Moate Dog Rescue is also looking for volunteers or dog walkers to get in touch via their Facebook page which already has 3,348 fans. You can also donate via AIB A/C no 30311083 Sort code: 93-22-64. For further information call 086 8356898.