The team at Frost Magazine are deeply impressed with this all encompassing animal sanctuary, which was founded in 1995 to help and campaign for ‘animals in need’ and most importantly, to bring public awareness to the millions of animals suffering every day in the intensive factory farming industry.

 

Hillside have given sanctuary to 1600 horses, ponies and donkeys, 300 Rescued Cows, 600 Sheep and Goats, 200 Pigs and lots of rescued dogs…

 Hillside’s Dog Rescue takes in dogs from all around the UK and always does its best to find loving family homes for them.

Let me tell you about little Henry.

 

 

Henry is a victim of indiscriminate breeding, confused, frightened and blind, he is being helped at Hillside. The ethic of the Sanctuaryis to try to help those dogs most in need and Henry is just one dog with special needs who have come to the sanctuary very recently.

Hillside are always keen to try to find foster homes for ‘special care’ dogs, where the fosterer pays for their everyday keep but Hillside are responsible for their on-going veterinary care – that they so often need, through no fault of their own. This helps the rescuers to place these dogs in a home environment which clearly is much better for them.

Hillside decided to become more involved with dog rescue after working with a Channel 5 undercover investigation into puppy farming in 2009. This prompted them to found Hillside Dog Rescue with the aim of encouraging people to take on a rescued dog rather than give business to the wrong sort of puppy breeder. So, with Christmas on the horizon, and children wanting pets, don’t give more business to the awful puppy farms, but think of one of these little souls who need you, desperately.

In fact, I met someone who was clearly from a puppy farm when we were looking for a Cavachon. The gentleman was so plausible. Could I see the mother? I asked. Of course. Come and meet us. So off we drove to what turned out to be an apartment, with barely any furniture, just his backpack and this tiny almost hairless little puppy, and no mother. Him indoors was with me, and we left, but had I been on my own I would have taken the puppy, just to save it. When we eventually found Polly from a lovely breeder, our vet said we were right to leave the previous puppy, or it just encourages the puppy farms. I still worry about that little dog, though.

With so many animals at the Sanctuary to feed and care for, funding is essential for survival. Hillside are grateful for every donation received, and with Christmas on the horizon, and a lot of giving going on, why not think of making a donation towards the care of these animals, from dogs to chickens, to horses? Every pound helps to make a difference. 

Do go to the website to see how you can help, perhaps with fostering, or just making the animals, of whatever ilk, more comfortable.

Donate £4 and it will pay for a bale of hay.

£10 will feed a rescued dog for a week this Christmas.

£20 will pay for a warm outdoor coat for a rescued dog while being walked and exercised during the winter.

£10 will buy a large bale of straw for bedding of farm animals.

Not a lot in the scheme of things, but every pound makes this sanctuary’s work possible.

Don’t forget little Henry, and the others.

Details:

www.hillside.org.uk