Oh happy days!

Wow. I am blogging on the go with my newly downloaded blogger app. I feel mighty tech savvy!

It's been a long time since I sat down and wrote in this blog just like I did before. For a long time, this place was a journal where I would scribble my thoughts and views about the running of our shelter. When Dollar passed on, I practically wailed my lungs out online. When our dogs fell ill one by one, I desperately called for the SOS fund for some much needed financial help.

Later on, I decided to make my entries more subject based, like that of a magazine article. Each entry became more focused and controlled. It also became much harder to write. I found myself having to curb my free flowing thoughts and organize them into a sort of structure. It didn't help that I was such a slow worker. Each entry took me hours.

This blog is written proof of my process of growing up. I was 20 when I first started out and a freshfaced university student. Now I'm 24, with one foot in the working world and I'm scrambling for time to do up these entries after a long day at work.

So back we go to the more casual free flowing disorganized chatter of mine. Please bear with me!

The shelter is always a busy place. Even when this blog is quiet as a mouse, there is always something happening on the shelter front.

We held furry day yesterday and there was a hive of activity at the shelter. The dogs started barking at the top of their lungs with unconcealed excitement as soon as I fiddled with the metal lock to the shelter and let myself in early in the morning. The first chorus of barking that erupts each time I step into the shelter always makes my day. Even if work sucks and you have no friends, these dogs will usher you in with a welcome fit for a queen.

Whisper Wanda's name and she rushes towards you, slobbering you with kisses

The weather was hot for a day out, there was no doubt about it. But hot weather certainly beats rainy weather for an event like furry day. I have also come to realise that with the hottest sun often comes the bluest sky. Furry day of May was carried out under such picture perfect conditions.

Gorgeous doesn't begin to describe this

For a few of our dogs, this was their first furry day out with Gentle Paws. For some others scheduled to go on trial homestays in the upcoming week, this was possibly their last.

We found out that Danthe, one of our latest entrants rescued from a construction site, loves to swim. 

What belies this furry face... is a furry soul who loves a good swim

The sight of him rushing into the embrace of the green waters and doggy paddling his way around was a particularly enjoyable one to watch.

As opposed to our other dogs simply out for a dip, Danthe really SWAM

Dorothy, or Dotty as I've taken to calling her, was likewise on her first furry day out. Her rescuer Steph told us that this 9 year old Sharpei was rescued from a fish farm that was closing down. Dotty's skin condition was quite poor and we were told, she was often confined in a small area. 

Hello Dotty, welcome to our world

When I first approached Dotty some two weeks ago, she growled to keep me away. Two weeks on, it seems as if she has settled down quite comfortably. I can now scratch the back of her ears and lean in to kiss her quite easily.

Dorothy and roommate, Deckie

There is also Dokka, who was rescued off the streets as a puppy and who stayed at another boarding house all her life. We facilitated her transfer to our place two months ago, determined to do more to find a home for her. Dokka has bright happy eyes and an infectious zest for life. 

We love her shining eyes and her spotted tongue

We found it quite hard to accept the idea of a healthy well-adjusted dog being confined to the shelter for life. We wanted to give her a fighting chance of a home and a family.

A roll in the grass rates highly in a dog's to-do list on furry day

Something that marred the good cheer of furry day was the passing of one of the tiny fist sized puppies we rescued from an offshore island, together with their mother. When one of our volunteers Justin said that one puppy was no longer moving, I didn't take him seriously. Must be sleeping, I thought flippantly.

But it turned out that Justin's suspicions were spot on. Florence confirmed that the puppy was no longer moving. The puppy was later removed from its mother and Wee sneaked off by himself to bury the poor baby he had been caring for the past one week.

One smaller, one bigger. The smaller baby didn't make it. 

We named the beautiful mother dog Daphne, but we didn't dare name the puppies for fear they wouldn't be with us for long. Looks like our instincts served us well. Meanwhile, we are doing all we can to help the single remaining little one live to see another week.

This is Daphne, our wide eyed beauty, slowly learning to trust the world

On a cheerier note, our adopted dog Daisy came to join us for furry day. As you might know from previous entries, Daisy hasn't been feeling too well lately. We thought that a furry day out and about might be just the cure for her ailments and we extended the invitation to her. 

Daisy has lost sight in one of her eyes but with people who love her,

this dog just keeps on smiling through life

Daisy's folks didn't have a car, so our dear furry day driver Choo made the detour to pick them up. Going the extra distance turned out to be extremely worthwhile. Daisy's tail stood smartly throughout her time at the park as if indicating to us she was enjoying the sun, the sea and the grass.

Her tail kept on wagging

Furry day is tiring because of all the logistics involved. But is also extremely rewarding knowing that this very day makes a difference to our dogs' entire month. And if you think about it, there are only 12 furry days a year. In the grand scheme of things, organising one furry day a month can't be that much trouble.

Ahh. Nothing beats a dip in the clear waters on a sunny day

It's a win win situation. Happy dogs make happy humans at Gentle Paws. And with that, this rather contented human signs off on yet another furry day entry.