Christmas Day

We didn't have traditional day at home this year.  We decided to go to the beach at Cullercoats and have a picnic instead.  Plus Santa needed to chill after a VERY busy night!

Christmas lunch: Bowl tomato soup and glass champagne

Trying to train the Darcy mutt but I think it's the other way round!

Champers mmmmm

It was a beautiful day

St Mary's Lighthouse

Extract from PDSA home page

New PDSA pet hospital opens its doors

New pet hospital desperately needed as demand soars by one-third in five years.
Thousands of Wearside pets can breathe a sigh of relief today as leading veterinary charity, PDSA, opens the doors of its brand new £1.6 million pet hospital in Sunderland. The state-of-the-art facility, located on Hepworth Road, Sunderland, is being funded by public donations following a massive upsurge in demand for the charity’s services, which are being stretched ‘to the very limit’.
The new facility is officially known as the Sunderland PDSA PetAid hospital, the Reay Hudson Centre; so-called after a major donation to the fundraising appeal from the late Derek Reay Hudson, a benefactor with historical links to the north east.
The opening day is being marked by the appearance of several well-known local figures, among them renowned agony aunt, Denise Robertson and Sunderland goalkeeping legend Jimmy Montgomery.
Denise says: “As a pet owner and animal lover I know just how much love and companionship pets bring into our lives. In return it’s vitally important that we treat them well and protect them from sickness and injury.
“So I’m thrilled to be present at this wonderful new pet hospital on this historic opening day. PDSA does a fantastic job for local pets and their owners, but their task has become even more challenging in recent years. The difficult economic climate means that, through no fault of their own, many more households are now turning to PDSA for help when their beloved pets are sick and injured.
“This new facility means that this vital charity will be here for local pets for many more years to come. Well done PDSA and well done to everyone who has supported them!”
The veterinary team at Sunderland PDSA PetAid hospital sees around 8,000 local pets every year. Since 2006, this has risen by 34%. Treatment provided ranges from consultations and routine procedures to major life-saving operations.
Pet owners who live within the hospital’s catchment area can register with PDSA if they are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. Treatment for sickness or injury is free, though owners are always asked to make a contribution towards the cost of care. ‘Preventive’ treatments, including microchipping, neutering and worming are charged for.
PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Sunderland is Ian McClive. Commenting on the new hospital, he said: “This is a very special day for the local PDSA team and the thousands of pet owners we help every year. We are deeply grateful for everyone who has supported our hospital appeal, including every individual donor, local businesses, charitable trusts and our friends in the media. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
PDSA Director General, Jan McLoughlin, added: “This charity is now ninety three years old and our mission has never been more important.
“Times are hard for many people but they still care deeply for their beloved pets. That’s why it’s so vital that we are here and able to provide a first-class veterinary service in modern, well-equipped surroundings. Our commitment and quality of care has never wavered, but this superb new hospital can only create a more comfortable experience for the pets we treat and the owners we support.”
To support PDSA’s new hospital building programme, visit: www.pdsa.org.uk/build

06/12/2010

Winter Nights

  Here come the dark nights

And try as I might 

Can't summon up the energy for a walk 

Darcy's lying on the couch 

With her dad, grumpy grouch 

And thinking 'if only I could talk'

She'd say "doesn't matter 

We'll spend the winter getting fatter 

And we don't care if you mock"

Pets at Home

Thanks to the generosity of Pets at Home in The Galleries Retail Park Washington we have been able to raise funds for the PDSA to the tune of £140 with some coppers left in the pot to go in with what we raise on our Santa run for The Little Treasures Nursery in Blue House Lane Washington.  Many thanks to everyone who gave and many thanks to Pets at Home for allowing us to use their store.

Creature Comforts Campaign

Animal attraction

The new PDSA Hospital

By Jessica Forster
Published on Mon Nov 01 12:17:51 GMT 2010

TODAY readers are being asked to reach into their pockets – and their hearts – to find any spare cash for our Creature Comforts Campaign.
Animal charity PDSA has responded to record levels of need in Sunderland by building a £1.6million pet hospital in North Hylton Road in Castletown – due to open before Christmas.
Through the Echo, we want to raise £15,000 to cover the building costs of a much-needed waiting room in the hospital, to give pets in need and their owners a helping hand, and free up cash for the project’s running costs.
PDSA head nurse Lindsay Atkinson, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Sunderland Echo and incredibly grateful for their support.
“Pets play such an important part in our lives and, in some cases, are a person’s only companion.
“PDSA is a wonderful charity to work for and one of the most rewarding parts of our jobs here is re-uniting a pet with its owner after treatment.
“It’s a great feeling to know we’ve had a hand in their recovery.
“Knowing that your pet can be cared for even if your circumstances change is a real life-line to many pet owners who, if PDSA wasn’t here, may have no choice but to re-home their beloved companion.”
In 2009 Sunderland’s PDSA veterinary team provided 54,000 free treatments to sick and injured pets, including dental procedures, life-saving surgery and preventive procedures, and they expect an even higher level of demand in 2011.

The new Sunderland PetAid hospital cost £1.6million to build and equip and once it is open the facility will cost the charity about £900,000 a year to run, that works out as £75,000 a month.
PDSA receives no Government or National Lottery funding and relies solely on the kindness and generosity of donations.
The Sunderland branch has more than 7,600 pets using the service and has seen a 16 per cent increase in pet patients, more than 1,050 extra animals requiring treatment, since 2006.
Staff at the PDSA expect numbers to increase by another 10 per cent in 2011, with a further 780 pets needing help.
To make your donation to the appeal send cheques or postal orders, made payable to Northeast Press Limited – Sunderland Echo Charity Account, to Creature Comforts Campaign, Sunderland Echo, Pennywell Industrial Estate, Sunderland, SR4 9ER, or drop donations into reception staff at the city centre or Pennywell offices.
Donations can also be made at www.pdsa.org.uk/sunderlandappeal.html

Published in Sunderland Echo 1 November 2010

Decisions Decisions

Hey little Darcy what should we do? 

Go for a walk? well that's up to you

Well little Darcy where shall we go? 

Over the pit field or don't you know. 

Let me make your mind up I have an idea

Lets cuddle up together and just stay here!

Mad Dog?

Round and round see Darcy go

Popping balloons high and low

Getting excited, running around

Now on her bed totally sound

TV is boring

Darcy's lying here snoring

On a long walk she went

And now she's spent

Gonna leave her here till the morning!

Extract from K9 Magazine

Sunderland Puppy Survives Deadly Cliff Plunge

Submitted by Jennifer White on November 25, 2009 – 9:55 am

PDSA vets in Sunderland have helped a puppy to walk again after a 45ft plunge off a cliff. Patterdale Terrier puppy, Darcy Dodds, from Washington, defied death after nose-diving off Whitburn cliffs, leaving her with numerous life-threatening injuries.

Following a dramatic rescue operation, involving the coastguard and the local emergency services, Darcy was treated by the veterinary team at Sunderland PDSA PetAid hospital. Veterinary Surgeon, Chris Brinkley, says: “Darcy had fractured the tibia (shin bone) in her left hind leg and broken all of the bones in her front paws. Her front legs were completely shattered. Not surprisingly, she was in a lot of pain and was extremely lucky to have survived.”

Chris and the team spent hours setting and plastering her broken bones while her back leg was fitted with an external fixator – a metal cage fitted onto the leg – to help repair the broken bones.

The excitable puppy, who was just four-months-old at the time of the accident, had been playing with her owner Pauline Dodds (49) and her grandchildren at the time of the accident.

Pauline says: ”My grandchildren had come with me to take Darcy for her walk and decided to throw a stone for her to chase. Everything happened very quickly. The path was quite close to the cliff, I was distracted by my youngest grandson and suddenly the stone rolled off the edge. Darcy ran after it, slid under the railing and disappeared from view.

“My heart was in my mouth when I realised what had happened. I could hear her yelping in pain at the bottom of the cliff but couldn’t get to her. I tried to stay calm for the kids’ sake but inside I feared the worst.”

Chris continues: “Darcy’s injuries were extremely serious, but she was very lucky to have escaped without internal or head injuries. The surgery went very well, but despite all our efforts we were concerned her back leg might have to be amputated because of the severity of the fracture.”

Such was Darcy’s fighting spirit, she had perked up enough to be allowed home the following day. Pauline was given strict instructions to keep Darcy calm and ensure she got plenty of rest.

Pauline says: “She was off her food for a while so I kept trying to tempt her with little bits and pieces. But even though she couldn’t get around much she never whined or moaned. It took about six weeks for her to get back to her old self, but she’s finally running around like a puppy again.”

Darcy visited Sunderland PDSA PetAid hospital every week following her accident so the veterinary team could assess her progress. Chris concludes: “Darcy finally had the external fixator taken off her back leg this week, more than two months after her accident. She’s made an incredible recovery and amazingly still has all four limbs intact. It really is a miracle she survived. The staff have spent so much time with her these past few months she feels like a member of the family.”

PDSA is currently raising money to build a brand new, state-of-the-art PetAid hospital in Sunderland to cope with the ever-growing number of pets it treats. To find out how you can help PDSA reach its £1.6 million target please call freephone 0800 917 2509 or visit www.pdsa.org.uk/sunderlandappeal.

Back to the PDSA

Aww no!  Just when you thought it was safe to go out.  What happens but I caught two of my nails and had to make an emergency trip to the PDSA.  This was the Felling one that I was first taken to when I had my accident.  Brrrr made me shiver.  Wasn't too bad though.  Just have to take it easy for a bit and let the toes heal

More of the White Stuff

Playing hide and seek in the garden and out on Albany Pit field with my kiddles.

Snow Glorious Snow

Loving the snow.  Sooooo cold but so much fun!