A dog’s best friend

IT COSTS GYLL Mauchline about £600 to rescue and rehouse a dog and she’s rescuing and re-homing more than 150 a year, so it’s costing her £100,000 a year just to keep Three Counties Dog Rescue running. Scary figures and ones that are causing Gyll some sleepless nights. Three Counties was founded in 1972 in Hampshire. Gyll helped original founder Sheila Kew virtually from its inception when she became one of their first foster home providers. Very soon she was helping with the day to day running and when, nearly 20 years ago, her husband was relocated to Lincolnshire she brought the Three Counties with her. It became a registered charity in 1981 and now has up to 40 dogs at a time waiting to be rehomed. So where does Gyll keep all these dogs and how does she manage it? On a ‘wing and a prayer’ are Gyll’s words. She houses her dogs at Dawsmere Kennels in  Bourne. Ian Lavender, the proprietor, runs a boarding kennels but very kindly rents (at a vastly reduced rate) some space to Gyll.  He and kennels manager Christine Bateman and their staff offer her practical and emotional support constantly.                     

Kennels manager Christine Bateman with Jasper, one of the rescue dogs

Gyll Mauchline with Autumn, the greyhound and Pixie, the Jack Russell

 

 evictions and impending babies to the shockingly callous owner going on holiday and not being bothered to arrange for the dog to be looked after. Peak times for Gyll are just before Christmas and the summer holidays. It’s a myth that dogs are abandoned after being given as a gift at Christmas. Some of these people are persuaded by Gyll to make a donation to the charity, most don’t. No dog is ever turned away and Gyll spends much of her time (30,000 miles a year of it) collecting dogs. Three Counties also rescues abandoned dogs and Gyll has many more passed on to her by vets and other people. Every dog that Gyll rescues is checked over by a vet, vaccinated, microchipped and neutered. Burghley Veterinary Centre in Stamford is very supportive of Three Counties and do all work for her at a special rate. Many dogs arrive in a terrible condition, physically and mentally, and need months of veterinary care and gentle handling before they can be successfully rehoused. Gyll hopes to rehome a dog that is in good  condition within a month but I met many that had been there for months and months and still weren’t ready to go – but they would be eventually, with the care and kindness of Gyll and the team at Dawsmere. As well as rescuing dogs Gyll is now taking cats, too. At the moment she has 17 needing a home and she’s getting more every day. This has come about through necessity as there doesn’t seem to be any other organization willing or able to take them on.                                                                                     

Casper, one of the rescue dogs at Three Counties Dog Rescue looking for a new home

Christine prepares food for dogs at the rescue kennels.

The breed of dog that Gyll rescues varies according to fashion. A few years ago it was Afghans, before that it was the Old English Sheepdog (the Dulux dog) and at the moment it is Staffordshire bull terriers and Alsatians. Many of these dogs are pedigrees. Gyll also has a steady stream of greyhounds and lurchers. So what can be done to help Gyll and the Three Counties charity? First of all, adopt one of her dogs. This normally starts with a phone call to Gyll who will then be able to work out your suitability and which dog may suit you. An appointment will be made for you to come and visit the kennels and a home check is always conducted before a dog is re-homed. The basic requirements are well fenced gardens and people who are not going to leave the dog alone for more than six hours at a time. Gyll also insists that the dog lives in the house with you. Once you have chosen a companion you will take it home for a trial period of a few weeks. If this proves successful adoption papers are drawn up and Gyll will ask you for a donation towards the upkeep of Three Counties – this normally amounts to £150 or more.

New owners keep in touch with Gyll, and she with them, to make sure that everyone is happy. Her notice board is full of pictures of happily re-housed dogs. If you don’t want to adopt a dog Gyll is always looking for people who can offer foster homes to help her out on a temporary basis. She has many people who will take a dog for a couple of days or up to a couple of months. They will have to meet the same criteria as an owner but will have the dog on a temporary basis only. Many of the nervous or badly treated dogs go to these people initially. Any fund-raising, however large or small, will be gratefully received and if she can find a company to sponsor her she will be over the moon. So, after spending all her waking hours with dogs, does she have any of her own at home? Of course she does! Four at the moment, greyhounds and lurchers, and all very happy to have been rescued by Gyll.

Gyll can be contacted on 01778 440318 or 07708 589792 or visit www.threecountiesdogrescue.org