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Stray dogs

(80 Posts)
Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 06:43:11

Liz Jones has smuggled five dogs out of Romania to be rehomed in England. Does England need more stray dogs? Would her efforts not have been better directed towards the children in Romanian orphanages?

whenim64 Sun 09-Jun-13 07:20:05

Are these things mutually exclusive, Greatnan? (being rhetorical). I do my bit for children in other countries like many others, but as a dog lover I support what she's done - not often I can say that about Liz Jones.

It's a few less stray dogs in the world and hopefully raises awareness about their plight. These lucky dogs have homes now.

The woman who runs our doggie daycare place locally justifies runnng a business looking after fortunate dogs by raising money for animals in distress, and all her own dogs have been rescued from appalling circumstances. I think humans must help desperate animals across borders where they can, but not instead of children - as well as.

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 07:31:11

In this case, when, yes, Liz Jones appears to have no interest in children whatsoever.
She says there are three million stray dogs in Romania - surely the kindest thing would be to kill them humanely? It is obvious that there are never going to be enough people ready to adopt them.
Apparently, there are thousands of dogs in the UK needing homes - why not concentrate on them instead of adding to their numbers?
I abhor cruelty to any animal, but I would like to see common sense prevail, rather than Liz Jones's emotionalism.

MiceElf Sun 09-Jun-13 07:34:07

Am I being thick? Who is Liz Jones?

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 07:42:36

She is a columnist on The Mail on Sunday. She uses her own family, and her ex-husband, as fodder for her column and boasts continually about how generous she is. She appears to have no loyalty to anyone. Today, she says she rang the Police Helicopter service to demand that they search for her stray cat. She will say anything to get attention, and seems to enjoy offending as many people as possible. She moved to the West Country and wondered why she was very unpopular after she ridiculed the local people. She boasts about her very expensive possessions but says she is desperately short of money.
She has no children but a menagerie of animals.
I read her column because I always find 'naughty' attention-seekers amusing.

MiceElf Sun 09-Jun-13 07:48:02

Ah, not a lady I have encountered. I like my Sundays to be peaceful and I need to keep my BP low, so I think, given what you say, that I shan't seek her out.

Lilygran Sun 09-Jun-13 07:52:28

I think you're right, MiceElf. Happy Sunday!

Aka Sun 09-Jun-13 07:57:53

I think if Liz Jones chooses to do this then good luck to her. It's her choice. If someone find her column amusing then that's their choice to read it too. Its not my cup of tea but then i believe in 'live and let live' as i mentioned on another, very civilised, thread.
Simples!

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 08:01:47

The sun rose this morning. Any comments? grin

Aka Sun 09-Jun-13 08:15:14

Yes, I hope you enjoy your sunny Sunday smile

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 08:17:31

Thank you, I enjoy every day - when you are retired, Sunday is no different, except for The Archers Omnibus.

Aka Sun 09-Jun-13 08:23:15

smile

Bags Sun 09-Jun-13 08:24:12

I hated seeing all the stray dogs and cats in the Thai city I worked in. They were all a bit mangy-looking, and there was the ever-present fear of rabies. I would cull them. There wouldn't have been so many if people sterilised their pets, but they don't. Most probably couldn't afford that.

Interestingly, in the remote northern Thai village I was taken to by a Thai friend (not one of the tourist spots), I didn't see stray dogs. Sometimes I had to look carefully to ascertain whether the small animal I was seeing was a human toddler or a piglet though – all naked and all running about randomly smile

gracesmum Sun 09-Jun-13 13:37:39

Well, what about The Archers then? shock (I know there is a separate thread, but felt moved to speak here!)

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 13:41:10

I suppose the script writers couldn't think of a better way to end the Paul/Lillian thing! Now perhaps it will become a murder hunt!

merlotgran Sun 09-Jun-13 15:35:40

Is there a link to the Liz Jones article, Greatnan? I've had a quick look at MOS but can't find anything about stray dogs.

I gather she's living in the Yorkshire Dales now. Exmoor would be heaving a sigh of relief....if they were bothered.

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 16:26:02

I just looked at Daily Mail and clicked on columnists. Or you can google her name.

merlotgran Sun 09-Jun-13 16:27:21

Found it. Liz Jones

Lucky dogs to have gone to good homes. It's a terribly sad situation and I can understand people who have money to spare doing what they can to prevent animal cruelty and alleviate suffering but in the meantime, I wonder who is caring for Liz Jones' menagerie during her frequent absences? She's on the verge of bankruptcy (so she tells us) so surely cannot afford the financial burden that goes with rescuing animals.

Greatnan Sun 09-Jun-13 16:34:22

She tells lies and forgets that readers remember them! What do you think about her claim to have gone to A & E to have an ear ring removed, or that she demanded that the police helicopter look for her cat? Is she just trying to annoy as many people as possible because that is what her editor wants.
I think it is great idea to adopt a homeless animal - my daughter always gets rescue dogs - it just seems silly not to start with the ones that are already in England! And I do dislike it when people tell me how generous and kind they are - surely that is better left for others to say!

merlotgran Sun 09-Jun-13 16:52:47

she cannot be serious?

And why the four year old photo - pre face lift? We all know she never really lived like that.

Movedalot Sun 09-Jun-13 16:53:53

I do so agree that telling people how generous and kind you are, whether to family, friends or others unknown to you is very unpleasant. It always seems rather needy to me.

petallus Sun 09-Jun-13 16:57:25

Claws out!

NfkDumpling Sun 09-Jun-13 17:50:45

We don't need any foreign rescued dogs around here - we're flooded out with greyhounds!

gracesmum Sun 09-Jun-13 18:06:24

Grace's holiday home (aka kennels, but we don't actually say the word) also has the pound for Northamptonshire and it is heartbreaking to hear the dogs barking whenever I go there. (They are in a separate part, I hasten to add.) The owners get very depressed at the numbers of abandoned dogs - especially staffies and staffie crosses - and the appalling lack of care for so many dogs. It is lovely when you see a dog being rehomed or even reclaimed after it has strayed, but so many owners dump their dogs at the first hint of expense or inconvenience.angry
NFK - flooded out with greyhounds - oh dear.Have you had a stadium close down recently?
Needless to say, Grace would recommend any and all of them as excellent family pets.

granjura Sun 09-Jun-13 18:08:39

If anyone calls emergency services or goes to A&E as she does - they should be charged, and stiff sums too. Only in the UK could stupid people like her get away with this abuse.

As far as the stray dogs from Rumania, Spain or wherever - this is constantly happening in Switzerland too. All the animal refuges are full to the brim- and each dog brought from abroad and re-homed = one local dog staying in the refuge. When you point this out to people, their reply is 'ah yes, but at least Swiss refuges are decent'! Makes my blood boil.

Agreed that caring for animals and children are not one against t'other though.

Totally agree that it would be far better to humanely cull stray animals that are in poor condition and suffering, and spend money on both a neutering programme. Our daughther is involved in such a programme in Tenerife. Mind you, there the worst culprits for abandoning all kind of animals are expats - who take on lots of pets when they get there and then abandon them when they leave (: BTW all our pets are and have been strays, in the UK and Switzerland, abandoned by cowards and b*******s in the worst possible way. Animal cruelty btw is shown to be very closely related to child cruelty.