I can’t believe there is only one more day to go. Tomorrow is our last day at TOLFA and it has gone so fast. It’s not that I don’t miss home and my family and animals but because I know I’m not here forever, I can concentrate on what I am doing in the knowledge that everyone is taken care of back at home.

I have got very fond of several of the dogs but I know that they need to be back home and the most positive thing I can do for them is aid that process. Unfortunatley, the next volunteer isn’t coming out till December 10^th so the dogs will inevitably not get the attention they have been gettting form the 3 of us but I hope that my stressy slow-healers especially, are now in a better place emotionally than they were and their healing will continue, and of course there’s Wendy there till March!

One very positive thing is that Serena, a previous volunteer, is coming back for 5 months next year and she is keen to learn Reiki healing and more about essential oils so Rachel is going ot put her in touch with me. Once she has grasped the basics, she will be able to work with the dogs that are struggling with kennel life, using different forms of healing, as well as giving them attention and from the responses I’ve seen in the short time I’ve been here, I know this will really help to speed up the recovery time of many dogs and I’m really excitied about that prospect!

Sadly, we lost a puppy this evening. Two had come in a few days before we arrived at TOLFA and while one was able to go home very quickly, the other had a congenital heart defect. He was on Frusemide to reduce the fluid that builds up around the heart and lungs but it was a case of giving him a happy, good quality life and then putting him to sleep when that was no longer possible. Rachel and Wendy took him home a few days ago and Anju kept an eye on him while we were at work. He has had such a great time, playing with the children, sleeping in the sun and snuggling up in the evenings but his breathing seems to get worse at night when he is lying down because the fluid builds up while he isn’t moving around. After a very restless night, Rachel took the decision to give him one last day in the sunshine and put him to sleep this evening before he started to get uncomfortable. He had some time with us all, just doing normal things and then was allowed to slip away peacefully. It is sad, but, although I know I keep saying it, he is one of the lucky ones. He had a short and happy life, a peaceful death and he was known to us; not just another anonymous little puppy who died on the street.

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