Together for Animals Autumn newsletter

Update
Autumn 2022
‘Royal’ litter of kittens rescued
Also inside this issue:
• Neglected ‘badger baiting’ dog rescued
• Tilila gets a second chance
• Baby Bentley is all grown up
• Pause for Pets this autumn

Baby Bentley is all grown up
Neglected ‘badger baiting’ dog
rescued
Having come into Together for Animals member World Horse Welfare’s care as a foal, Bentley was
rehomed as a yearling and has blossomed with rehomer Jane. Handsome seven-year-old gelding Becks –
known by his rehomer as Bentley – is thriving with Jane, who rehomed him when he was just a year old.
Jane has done a fabulous job of building a bond with Bentley and continuing his education, including
getting him backed to ride once he was old enough.
Bentley came into World Horse Welfare’s care in November 2015 as a six-month-old foal together with his
mum and several other horses, after their owner was struggling to care for them. Bentley’s sunny disposition
soon became apparent, as did the fact that he was a very intelligent youngster who was keen to learn.
By the time he was ready to rehome, it was clear that Bentley was growing rapidly and would probably mature
as quite a big horse. Since he had the potential to become a ridden horse in the future, Bentley was looking
for an experienced rehomer who could make sure he got regular handling as a youngster before bringing him
into work when he was old enough.
Jane rehomed Bentley in 2016 and he’s thrived in her care,
blossoming into a stunning young horse. She backed him to ride
once he was mature enough and the pair have had lots of fun since
then. Once he was more established under saddle, Bentley learned
to jump, and they now enjoy hacking for miles and jumping logs in
the woods.
Jane says: “We moved house last year and have wonderful hacking
in our new area, so we’ve had a great time exploring. It’s been so
rewarding rehoming a youngster, seeing Bentley learn about the
world and getting to watch him develop into the fabulous horse he
is today. He was 14.2hh when I got him and is now 16.1hh, so he’s
grown up a lot in all ways! We’re hoping to start going for lessons
again soon, with the aim of doing some cross country which I think
Bentley will love. I feel really lucky to have been able to rehome him
– he’s such a loving character and of course he’s very handsome too!”
Last year Together for Animals member World Horse Welfare
rehomed 378 horses. Thank you for supporting their work - and
the vital efforts of all our member charities.
A young dog abandoned with
some of the most shocking
injuries our member Blue Cross’
vets have ever seen is now safe
and loved.
Poor Albert was found all alone
in a field by a kind couple
who took him to Blue Cross’
rehoming centre in Kimpton,
Hertfordshire.
The terrier had suffered
horrendous facial wounds,
with numerous cuts and an
enormous, deep cut on his chin.
He would have been in huge
amounts of pain.
“Sadly, we do see some very sad
cases of mistreatment,” says
Kirsten, Rehoming Supervisor
at the Hertfordshire centre. “But
Albert’s injuries were severe, and
the team were all really shocked
that someone had allowed him
to get into that state.
“We’re here to help pets find
new homes when their owners
can no longer care for them, so
there’s no need to leave a dog all
alone, especially when they’re in
a lot of pain.”
Albert, thought to be aged
one, had suffered puncture
wounds to most of his face. Cuts
covered the inside of his lips and
shoulders, his face was swollen,
and he couldn’t open his right
eye. When vets first tried to
examine him, he recoiled in pain.
Everything pointed towards him
being used for the illegal and
cruel practice of badger baiting.
After getting him initial
emergency first aid, Albert was
transferred to the Victoria animal
hospital in central London for
further treatment, where he
remained for a month.
Amanda, London Welfare
Officer, explains: “From the day
he arrived, Albert wagged his
tail at everyone despite being
in huge amounts of pain, which
just shows what a trooper he is.”
“Due to the location of his wound
and the potential for infection,
Albert had to be treated in
isolation for his own protection.
He underwent daily flushes
to clean the wound, as well as
multiple procedures to remove
the dying skin, stretch the
healthy skin, and stitch up small
areas at a time.”
It took three weeks and eight
procedures to get Albert’s
body to a state where it could
eventually heal itself.
Amazed by Albert’s resolve,
Veterinary Surgeon Johannah
took him into foster care and
soon realised just how neglected
the little terrier had been.
Johannah says: “The first day
[in foster care] he was terrified. I
don’t think he’d been in a house
before. I put him on the sofa, and
he just sat there for two hours in
a little shut down ball.”
Slowly, and thanks to Johannah’s
patience, kindness and love,
Albert emerged from his shell.
Unable to part with the sweet
boy, he is now a permanent
member of her family. “Now
he’s perfect,” she adds. “He’s all
healed up and doing very well.”
Thanks to your support animals
like Albert can receive the
lifesaving care and veterinary
treatment they urgently need.

Tiger and Robert receive the care
they both need
Jacob gets back on the right foot
Together for Animals member
Mayhew recently stepped in to
help a pet owner in need when
Tiger, a West Highland terrier,
had nowhere else to go while
his 72-year-old owner Robert
needed to go into hospital for
vital hip replacement surgery.
Robert was worried as he had no
one to care for his beloved canine
companion, but then he found
Mayhew’s Pet Refuge programme,
through which they provide
temporary care and shelter for the
pets of people facing a crisis.
The team collected Tiger from his
home and settled him down in
one of their cosy kennels. Shortly
afterwards, they were able to
place him with one of their
dedicated foster carers, who
was carefully selected so they
would be able to give Tiger a
loving, temporary home for the
remainder of his three-month stay
at Mayhew.
Knowing that Tiger was receiving
the best possible care meant
Robert was able to undergo his
surgery and take the time to
complete his rehabilitation,
ensuring he was in the best shape
possible. Once Robert was well
enough to look after his beloved
dog, Mayhew’s Animal Welfare
Officers took Tiger home for a
very happy reunion!
This unique Pet Refuge
programme was a lifeline for
Robert, alleviating the burden
of caring for his companion
in a period of crisis. As Robert
explained: “Mayhew were an
absolute godsend in my hour of
need. I would have felt very alone
and even a little scared, without
their support. Tiger has been
with me for over seven years so
knowing he would be safe and
well looked after was one less
thing for me to worry about,
especially at my age.”
Together for Animals supporters
play a special role in helping
animals and the people and
communitities that depend on
them.
Animals contribute so much
to our mental and physical
wellbeing - by working together
we are ensuring that they can
enjoy happier, healthier lives.
Jacob the horse means the world to his owner, Mahotometsa. Jacob pulls a cart so that Mahotometsa
can sell coal and firewood during South Africa’s winter months, and collect scrap plastic and metal
for recycling in the summer. Jacob’s hard work helps Mahotometsa support four generations of
his family.
While harnessing Jacob one morning, Mahotometsa realised that his animal was limping and struggling
to put any weight on his right front hoof. The once strong, energetic stallion was listless, refusing to
walk, and his appetite was poor. Seriously concerned for Jacob’s wellbeing, Mahotometsa arranged
transportation for Jacob to travel the 15 miles to seek urgent treatment from the vets at our member
SPANA’s centre in Randvaal, south of Johannesburg.
Jacob showed clear signs of discomfort as he was gently led into the treatment area, but he patiently
waited while the vets examined the affected hoof. The vets discovered that he had a large, infected
puncture wound in the hoof. Further inspection revealed the cause of his injury – Jacob had, at some
point, stepped on a nail that had become stuck in his hoof.
The expert vets immediately set to work to remove the nail. They first soaked Jacob’s hoof to reduce
inflammation, carefully removed the nail and then used a poultice (a medicated material applied to the
body and kept in place with a dressing) to draw out the infection. They then gently trimmed Jacob’s
hoof and sole, before fitting a special bar shoe and medical boot to help keep the area clean during the
healing process.
The vets had Jacob return to the clinic for further check-ups while he recovered and were pleased with
how well he had responded to treatment.
The relieved owner expressed his gratitude to the SPANA vet team. He said: “The moment I saw Jacob
limping, I knew he had a problem. It was scary to see how badly Jacob was injured. I couldn’t believe how
big the hole was when the nail was taken out. The vets did wonders with Jacob. Without them, I would
have had to kiss my horse goodbye.”
Thanks to your regular support, our members are able to help animals like Jacob, providing vital
treatment that is alleviating pain and preventing suffering. Thank you.

Lilibet was named both after Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood family nickname, and her greatgrandchild.
Likewise, Lilibet’s kittens were also given suitably regal names: Victoria, George and Edward.
After the kittens reached two weeks old, it was time to start socialising them to make sure they grew up
to be comfortable around people. This is a crucial stage and involves getting the kittens accustomed to
all the familiar sights, sounds and smells of a family home. To help with this, Lilibet and her kittens were
placed with one of Mayhew’s dedicated foster carers, who provided them with a safe and nurturing
home environment where they could take their first steps towards finding their forever homes.
Foster carer Carolyn said: “The key role we played was in socialising the kittens, which means handling
them, playing with them, and getting them used to the sorts of stimuli that you’d typically find in the
domestic environment, like the sound of the hoover, the radio, the hairdryer and so on.”
“We tried to give Lilibet and her kittens as much variety as we could, by giving them different foods to
try, and different toys to play with and games to play, and different places to explore, since they are such
naturally curious creatures.”
Once the kittens were old enough all four cats – Lilibet, George, Edward and Victoria – were all
happily rehomed.
These kittens are just a few of the nearly 10,000 animals our members will help rehome this year.
Thank you for helping care for so many animals in need.
Pause for Pets this autumn
’Royal’ litter of kittens rescued
In February a member of the public discovered a
cat and her litter of three newborn kittens under
tarpaulin which was covering the patio furniture in
their garden. Fortunately, the homeowner called
Together for Animals member Mayhew to help the
young feline family.
Tabby mum, Lilibet, had found a dry and sheltered
place in the garden to give birth, but her kittens were
still in serious danger from the freezing cold and even
if they had survived, without support they would likely
have become feral.
Mayhew’s Animal Welfare Officers were able to collect
Lilibet and her little ones and take them back to the
warmth and safety of their centre in North London.
Lilibet was very friendly – and comfortable around
people – so it was clear that she was likely a domestic
stray, but sadly she didn’t have a microchip, so the
team were unable to trace any previous owners.
The Veterinary team were on hand to check both
Mum and her kittens over straight away, before they
were settled down to snuggle together in a warm,
comfortable cat cabin.
Pause for Pets encourages you to take a moment for yourself and enjoy a mindful activity - whether
that be knitting, crochet, colouring, meditation or enjoying a laughter yoga class - while helping save
the life of an animal need.
As the dark nights return this event will not only raise
urgently needed funds for abandoned, homeless and
sick animals, but we hope the activities will help give
you a boost too!
For a small donation – we kindly suggest £10 – you will
receive a downloadable PDF with the patterns and
files you need to take part in the activities at a time
that suits you and your schedule!
Included in the pack are:
• Knitting pattern - Toy Horse
• Crochet pattern - Black Cat Hat
• Access to a video Laughter Yoga class
• Adult colouring sheets
• Access to a mindful meditation audio recording
From crocheting a black cat hat to add to your
seasonal wardrobe, to laughing to ease stress, we hope
this pack and the activities include something that
everyone will enjoy and benefit from.
Your £10 donation will go to helping provide cats,
dogs, donkeys, and horses with the care they need this
winter, and beyond.
From October 1st visit our website -
www.togetherforanimals.org.uk/pause-for-pets -
to donate and receive your activity pack.
When it came to choosing names the team’s thoughts
jumped straight to honouring the Royal Family, and so

Tilila gets a second chance
From emaciated foal to healthy
young pony
Together for Animals member SPANA first learned about
Tilila from a kind supporter who noticed the injured donkey
wandering around alone in Forêt de David (David Forest),
Morocco. Their vet team immediately drove to the site and
found the nine-year-old donkey limping slowly on deformed
hind feet, desperately picking at bits of dried plants and grass
in the blazing heat.
While examining the donkey, the team discovered that not
only was Tilila severely malnourished and lame, she was also
pregnant. The vets provided her with food and water before
carefully leading her into the back of a horsebox to bring her to
the SPANA Casablanca centre for expert treatment.
As soon as she arrived at the centre, the team acted fast to save
the mother and her unborn foal. The expert vets first trimmed
her painfully overgrown and unbalanced hooves, which had
been further exacerbated by the extra weight of pregnancy.
Tilila then received some remedial farriery and physiotherapy
to correct her limbs. The team monitored Tilila’s recovery at the
stables and made sure she was putting on weight every day at
a safe pace. Within a few days, Tilila was already in a more alert,
healthier state.
While recovering at the centre, Tilila gave birth to a healthy foal
named Sabria, meaning ‘patient’. The adorable foal spends her
days exploring the stables and playing in the Casablanca centre’s
spacious garden area. The pair will continue to be well looked
after until Tilila is healthy enough to be rehomed with her foal.
Our members work across the UK and in some of the world’s
poorest countries, providing food, care and shelter to animals
in desperate need. Your continued support can help them
reach even more animals, and provide them with a better,
healthier future. Thank you.
Hercules came into the care
of our member World Horse
Welfare in July 2019 at just three
months old, together with his
mother. He arrived at their Hall
Farm Rescue and Rehoming
Centre in Norfolk in a terrible
state – emaciated, with a high
worm burden and suspected
impaction colic.
Norfolk Trading Standards
prosecuted Hercules’ owner, who
pleaded guilty when the case
came to court in May 2021.
The owner was sentenced to ten
weeks in prison suspended for
one year, banned from keeping
horses for twenty years and
ordered to pay £5,000 costs and
a £145 victim surcharge.
A Deprivation Order was made
against Hercules, who was then
signed over to World Horse
Welfare by Norfolk Trading
Standards.
Despite the awful condition he
arrived in, the team were able to
nurse Hercules back to health
and he thrived in their expert
hands. By the age of two, his
rehabilitation was complete and
he was rehomed as a healthy,
confident youngster.
After having had such a terrible
start in life, Hercules has
blossomed into a happy little
soul who gets on well with
his companions and loves to
investigate new things. He is
busy growing, exploring the
Thank you!
world in his new home, and
developing into quite a little
character.
Your donations help rescue
and rehome animals like
these. During these difficult
times your support is vital.
Thank you.
The amazing students at Oundle School and Maltmans Green
School have raised funds for us with various challenges during the
2021/22 academic year. Thank you to all those that took part and
learnt about animals in need at the same time.
If you know a company that would like to help us raise urgently
needed funds for animals in need please contact Caroline at
caroline@togetherforanimals.org.uk.

‘Dinosaur cat’ on the mend
Animal updates
A cat rescued from the streets with a matted coat that made him
look like a dinosaur is now enjoying a fresh start.
Brian, 14, was found wandering the streets alone with huge, matted
clumps of fur along his back resembling the scales of a stegosaurus.
The ginger tomcat had been straying for at least seven months
before being taken to a vet practice in Oxfordshire which then asked
our member Blue Cross to care for him.
He had to be clipped, groomed, and bathed under anaesthetic and
needed treatment for several other health issues.
Elisha, Animal Welfare Assistant at Burford, says: “Poor Brian was in
such a sorry state when he arrived with us.
“He was severely matted along his spine, dehydrated, and was
covered in fleas and ticks. He also needed extensive dental work and
some teeth removed.
“He takes time to build trust in people since being homeless but he’s
a very sweet-natured boy. He enjoys his food and loves to curl up in a
nice warm spot.”
Brian was also neutered to stop him from straying in the future. Once
he was well enough, he was a wonderful new home where is he now
being showered with the love he deserves.
New owner Gillian says: “Brian is settling in nicely, he is also
very spoilt. He was with us all over the house from day one and
he wanders about, but his favourite place is on the sofa in the
conservatory.”
Animals like Brian couldn’t be helped without your kindess and
support. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your
continued support rescuing and
rehoming animals. Your support
is vital. We wanted to take this
chance to update you about
some of the animals you’ve
helped whose stories we’ve
shared previously...
Florentine and Romona
Remember the family of
pizza kittens from our Spring
newsletter?
The super mums were rescued
together with their seven kittens
and were so close they took
turns feeding them to give the
other a break. After their kittens
were all rehomed, the mums
were rehomed together and are
enjoying their retired life.
“Both girls have settled in
wonderfully and it feels like
we’ve had them for years. They
love their garden and are very
territorial over their space! They
sleep with me most nights and
Ro wakes me with face nudges
and kisses in the morning. Flo has
the run of the home and likes to
slope off for undisturbed naps all
over HER house. She has relaxed
so much since coming here and
they both run up to greet me
when I get home from work like
a pair of puppies! I truly hit the
jackpot with these two lovelies.”
Captain Tom
Do you remember Captain Tom?
He was born to rescued mum
Winona in the summer of 2020.
His rehomer has shared a quick
update about how this lovey boy
is doing:
“He is such a lovely inquisitive
pony and is already getting on
well with my gelding. I’ve seen
them grooming each other and
Tom was lying down when I
arrived at the yard yesterday.”
Karma’s puppies
You will probably remember
Karma and her puppies (see
main picture) from our
Spring update.
We’re delighted that the whole
family are now in loving homes.
Here’s Buddha (now named
Kevin) looking very happy on his

Make your holiday count in 2023
Your 2023 holiday can help make a difference to animals in need. Our corporate partner, Charitable Travel
allows you to make a free donation to Together for Animals at no extra cost to you!
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Charitable Travel, they donate their travel agency commission so you can make a free five percent donation to
Together for Animals.
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As a social enterprise, every penny of profit earned by Charitable Travel, everything they do and everything they
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a donation of £50 for Together for Animals which could help care for an animal while it is found a new loving
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Browse Charitable Travel’s latest offers at: offers.charitable.travel/together-for-animals
You can stay up to date with all our news at:
www.togetherforanimals.org.uk
Charity Number: 1102985