When we check in to the refuge, we get to stay in the quarantine
kennel. It's pretty quiet, away from the other dogs, so it's
easier for us to get over the stress of arriving at the refuge.
It's also possible to isolate dogs in poor health and so to avoid
the spread of communicable diseases. We stay in the quarantine
kennel until the dreaded visit by the veterinarian, who takes care
of vaccinating and tattooing us (what a drag!). The more hairy
among us also get to have a
grooming session
In the quarantine kennel, we are
isolated but we can still take the air in our very own small run,
which is connected to the kennel by a green door. Here it's Belle
showing us around. What is good about being outside is that we can
sniff the good country smells.
Next...
Then we are assigned to the
"real" kennels in the refuge, according to our size, our
sex, and especially our temperament. The volunteers are nice -
they've decorated our pens
with attractive posters. In addition to their decorating talents,
they keep our place spotlessly clean. Every day before the refuge
opens, they pick up our little dumps, clean the kennels with
disinfectant, and go over them with a rubber scraper so that the
floor dries more quickly. It gives us the chance to be hugged and
to play with them. You were wondering perhaps why we aren't in the
photo? Simple: we're all clustered around the feet of the
photographer!
Let's go, everyone outside!
As soon as the volunteers arrive,
they open the doors to the runs and we rush outside. Actually,
since September we have little exercise runs, one per kennel,
where we can go to take
the air. While we inhale the good smells of the surrounding
countryside, the volunteers get busy cleaning. As a rule, all
the dogs sensibly stay in the runs while the big clean-up is on.
The smell of disinfectant isn't very pleasant. Then we come and
go, in and out. Some sleep nonchalantly in the sun. Filou and
Scotty take advantage to rush about like mad, while Starky rolls
on his back like a rhinoceros in the warmth of the sun.
The hugs!
One good thing about photo
sessions is that we can take advantage of them to be "put
at ease" as they say. In other words, we can be stroked, or
even carried - it's great! Here it's Tequila, the great shy
thing, who's now leading a happy life with his new family. His
new master adores him and can't praise him enough.
Later in the afternoon...
Nothing nicer than muzzling a
volunteer who's collecting the bowls to fill them! Apart from
that, you can see that all the kennels are on the garden level,
which gives us a pleasant view outside. As far as the visitors
are concerned, they pass down the central hall of the refuge,
between the two rows of kennels.
An adoption!
During
the afternoon, nice visitors come to see us, stop in front of
our kennels, and sometimes decide to walk one of us. And from
time to time, the lucky one picked out doesn't go back to the
kennel: he penetrates into the holy of holies, the office! In
general, it's a very good sign for the lucky beast, for that's
where they look after the adoption papers. That means he has
every chance of sleeping with a real family the same evening.
What luck!
Yum!
About 17h00, the volunteers start to get busy in the room where
they keep the biscuits. It's an unmistakable sign. Everyone
waits impatiently for the distribution of biscuits mixed with
tinned food. The bowls are very very well filled at the refuge,
and that eliminates any rivalry between us. Sometimes we even
prefer to play rather than eating, like here Sam and Pompon
(both adopted as of March 2003)!
Good night little ones...
After a good meal, the eyelids get heavy
and we start to appreciate our kennels. Here it's Alfred who'll
be nodding off before long. (He was adopted a little while after
this photo was taken.)
... and sweet dreams
Obviously, we all dream
of finding a new family. But the idea of being able to run in
the grass
is also very attractive! And that will no doubt be a reality
shortly.
Here is our future exercise yard! At the extreme right of the
photo is the wall of the refuge. The yard will adjoin this wall,
so that they can simply open a door and we'll find ourselves in
the grass. The yard will extend up to the trees in the
background, which will give us shade during the summer. The
dream....
pens
with attractive posters. In addition to their decorating talents,
they keep our place spotlessly clean. Every day before the refuge
opens, they pick up our little dumps, clean the kennels with
disinfectant, and go over them with a rubber scraper so that the
floor dries more quickly. It gives us the chance to be hugged and
to play with them. You were wondering perhaps why we aren't in the
photo? Simple: we're all clustered around the feet of the
photographer!
take
the air. While we inhale the good smells of the surrounding
countryside, the volunteers get busy cleaning. As a rule, all
the dogs sensibly stay in the runs while the big clean-up is on.
The smell of disinfectant isn't very pleasant. Then we come and
go, in and out. Some sleep nonchalantly in the sun. Filou and
Scotty take advantage to rush about like mad, while Starky rolls
on his back like a rhinoceros in the warmth of the sun. 
During
the afternoon, nice visitors come to see us, stop in front of
our kennels, and sometimes decide to walk one of us. And from
time to time, the lucky one picked out doesn't go back to the
kennel: he penetrates into the holy of holies, the office! In
general, it's a very good sign for the lucky beast, for that's
where they look after the adoption papers. That means he has
every chance of sleeping with a real family the same evening.
What luck!
grass
is also very attractive! And that will no doubt be a reality
shortly.