Concreting 2 areas to make such a difference from the smelly, mucky ground at two entrances into pens, washing away dirty water should be more efficient now.
New kennels before winter.... see pictures below
The poor chained dogs individual kennels are in desperate need of replacing, they can't spend another winter with these totally inadequate, leaky, drafty bodge ups! I have taken the first steps by getting 18 concrete bases laid last week (August 2015) in the winter the ground is like a mud bath, these bases will allow the water buckets to sit on a solid base and the kennels to be level and out of the mud, the next task is to replace the kennels. There are 2 good size square shaped kennels that Dennis built with strong wood that has thin metal on the outside making them waterproof and difficult to chew. This material we took out some years ago from the UK. Those 2 kennels are still OK, they just need a little attention now but have lasted years. I have managed to source a carpenter in Halkida to build some kennels the same way for the dogs, I have asked for 10 to be built to start with, we really need around 18, actually on reflection we could do with 22 as there are 4 pens near the chained dogs with inadequate kennels too, the cost is 85 pounds each which is a good price given the size and the materials. The pictures below show how awful the kennels most of the chained dogs have. A million times worse in the winter. With the ongoing struggle to meet the weekly cost of the food this project is going to be tough to finance, but I am now committed to it, could anyone help towards the cost of these desperately needed kennels? I can't bare thinking of those poor dogs without shade in the summer and not even a dry place to get into in the winter.
The poor chained dogs individual kennels are in desperate need of replacing, they can't spend another winter with these totally inadequate, leaky, drafty bodge ups! I have taken the first steps by getting 18 concrete bases laid last week (August 2015) in the winter the ground is like a mud bath, these bases will allow the water buckets to sit on a solid base and the kennels to be level and out of the mud, the next task is to replace the kennels. There are 2 good size square shaped kennels that Dennis built with strong wood that has thin metal on the outside making them waterproof and difficult to chew. This material we took out some years ago from the UK. Those 2 kennels are still OK, they just need a little attention now but have lasted years. I have managed to source a carpenter in Halkida to build some kennels the same way for the dogs, I have asked for 10 to be built to start with, we really need around 18, actually on reflection we could do with 22 as there are 4 pens near the chained dogs with inadequate kennels too, the cost is 85 pounds each which is a good price given the size and the materials. The pictures below show how awful the kennels most of the chained dogs have. A million times worse in the winter. With the ongoing struggle to meet the weekly cost of the food this project is going to be tough to finance, but I am now committed to it, could anyone help towards the cost of these desperately needed kennels? I can't bare thinking of those poor dogs without shade in the summer and not even a dry place to get into in the winter.
Below are the fabulous new kennels that we have managed to source funds for, a good size they are being handmade in Greece by a man who is clever with wood using Marine ply for strength, white floor paint to reflect the sun and for toughness and metal all around each entrance to protect from teeth and chains. The kennels were delivered whilst I was at the shelter in October 2015 and each chained dog now has one of these kennels in place, coupled with the concrete base we put down for them to stand on it has made such a difference. Compared to the above picture I'm sure you will agree at least the poor dogs can at least get out of the weather..
Visits to the shelter are never a holiday, there is always lots of work to be done to make life better for the dogs. We don't like the way the dogs are kept but with so many and hardly any resources or man power we just try to make things a bit better.
This time Dennis was lucky to have help from the UK for a few days.
Work done on 10 day visit
A cat pen so cats that need to be in can get some fresh air and sunshine in safety.
A gully to take rain water away from an existing pen instead of flooding in and underneath this pen. We improvised with some old roof tiles!
A new roof on an existing pen.
A make shift pen so 2 puppies that were kept in a cage (whilst it was decided were they could be put ) could get out in the fresh air and stretch there legs.
A new pen, the existing make shift pen was just a mud bath.
This work was done with the barest amount of materials and nothing was wasted!
A gully to take rain water away from an existing pen instead of flooding in and underneath this pen. We improvised with some old roof tiles!
A new roof on an existing pen.
A make shift pen so 2 puppies that were kept in a cage (whilst it was decided were they could be put ) could get out in the fresh air and stretch there legs.
A new pen, the existing make shift pen was just a mud bath.
This work was done with the barest amount of materials and nothing was wasted!
old roof tiles made a great gully to take rain water away
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a safe place for cats
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a temporary pen so 2 puppies could get out of a cage
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New concrete
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we built lots of dog houses, as some of the dogs have no shelter from the sun or rain. We made a pen from an existing hole in a wall in desperation when yet another dog needed shelter.
Michele concreting, better than the mud bath it was
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help with mixing concrete in scorching heat
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a concrete floor, a miserable existence but better than mud
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making use of bits and pieces
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We concreted the floors so they could be cleaned more easily, collected and mended broken kennels, fixed new wire.
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Denis worked so hard to build these very much needed houses..
The cats love these little wigwams we made, we brought the material from the UK with us, its waterproof.
The cats love these little wigwams we made, we brought the material from the UK with us, its waterproof.
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We always need funds & volunteers to help us maintain the shelter for the dogs & cats and build more homes for them. Please contact us if you can help.
Lots more to do...
We wish that there were more volunteers to make the dog's life better, they never leave there concrete pens. Beano, the dog in the picture below so enjoyed going for a walk and having a swim in the cool water on such a hot day. It was a real
treat and such a relief for him, it was the first time he had left his concrete pen!
treat and such a relief for him, it was the first time he had left his concrete pen!
Beano enjoying a swim with Michele on a hot day in the cool ocean in Greece.
