Photos from Belimanister today, also showing the changes taking place for the betterment of the dogs.
Recently many changes have been implemented in collaboration with the Staff and volunteers at Belimanister
Death row is where no dog should find themselves but, it is what it is and we can only do what we can to make conditions etc better for them whilst we desperately try to find them homes before their time is up.
CONDITIONS NOW THE BEST THEY CAN BE AT THIS TIME
Miroslav Prebeg the wonderful vet at Belimanister has come down hard on shelter workers who previously did not do things to standard, now the kennels are clean , dishes/bowls sterilised until they gleam and filled food and water.
EXTRA STAFF AND PEOPLE TO HELP IN THE SHELTER
Miro has gained permission from the director to hire another technician to ensure there is an extra person on hand to ensure the basics (as mentioned above) are done.
Taking on Community Service Peeps - Miro is contacting Community service offices who will be sending people who have recieved community service orders for silly things such as speeding etc. All will be vetted and ensured are animals lovers but what this means is Melissa and Miro, all the guys at Belimanister will have extra bodies to help with the dogs. We hope also this will lead to these guys maybe volunteering after there community service is up..(fingers crossed) We hope that this will initiate soon but Miro still in talks with the offices.
Melisa Benak attends the shelter 6 days a week 8am -2pm every single week on behalf of AAFA. During the floods last year Melissa was one of the main people overseeing and managing the hundreds of animals that were rescued. We are very lucky to have her applying her caring and managing role within Belimanister on our behalf.
Every day amongst many of her tasks she checks in on every single dog and kennel to make sure all is ok. This includes if a dog looks poorly, off there food she lets Miro know and he comes and checks/treats that dog.
If Kennels are not the best they should be, cleaned, bowls sparkling with fresh water and food for all the dogs in that kennel Melissa gets on the case and Miro then gets the techs to go in and fix to the best standard it can be in Belimanister shelter.
Socialising all of the dogs, working with the nervous ones, extra one to one care for the pups and vulnerable dogs to ensure they all recieve equal attention, care and human contact they need. Working on a rota basis to ensure within a week she has walked and played with every single dog at the shelter. Saturdays is an extra treat for the dogs as the volunteers come and is absolute wonderful chaos as all the dogs gt an extra walk and playtime.
Every day the lovely Melissa comes home and sends us her report and photos etc she has taken that day. If there are any problems that have no been easy to resolve we all along with Miro go into a group conversation and find a way to fix them together.
STOPPING DOGS FROM KILLING EACH OTHER
There are more dogs killed by each other than are actually euthanised at Belimanister. Thankfully because of Miro and the staffs initiatives and AAFA with our Ticket to freedom events we do tend to save the majority whose times are up or shortly will be. Obviously this will continue and is an ongoing thing that we can not allow the momentum to stop or else dogs will die. However in regards to the dogs killing other dogs this is what has been decided and permission gained
AAFA will next week be funding for an extra section in the main outside kennel block to be constructed. This will mean smaller packs of dogs in each section and with Melissa and Miro assessing characters, temprements etc this will reduce the risk of dogs killing others in the shelter. We know thsi will not guarantee all dogs will be safe, but certainly they will be safer as less dogs in each section and with that extra section the guys can plays more similar type dogs in each.
BATTLING THE FORTHCOMING -37 WINDS, RAIN AND SNOW
We have all been in discussions as a collaborative group on how we can litteraly stop the dogs freezing to death in the shelter. This has whats been agreed after meetings and gaining permission from the director.
How do you block in an outside kennels without reducing the sunlight? - Pexiglass.
Yes it is expensive but it is strong, durable and will hold back the deathly cold, because is as clear as glass will also allow the whole kennel block to continue to be bathed in sunlight which will actually heat the kennel block whilst protecting it from the extreme weather conditions that every year before has claimed so many lives :( Effectivly we are going to place a protective bubble around the kennel that will heat and protect. There will be numerous panels, each one cut specifically to size. These then can be removed one by one when spring kicks in or during sunny winter days. Fresh air will easily circulate and Stale air will leave by way of the roof. As it comes down and the panels will meet it there is space for air flow but without too much freezing air or rain coming in.
Dog houses - Long dog houses will be built with numerous sections to allow all dogs to get snug inside, will be filled with bedding and straw.
Inside heated kennels - The pups and vulnerable dogs will be moved inside and the healthy adult dogs moved outside
Garage conversion - There is a large garage at Belimanister that will be converted and windows put in etc for the problematic dogs with dog houses and sections built inside. Currently these dogs are kept in the kennels inside the shelter. This will allow Melissa to work individually with each one resolving the issues each one has.
So much is happening and being put into place, and I am sure you guys will agree this can only be a good thing.
DISLOCATED SHELTER - Work will begin in next 2 weeks createing a sanctuary that can then take on the surplus dogs from Belimanister stopping the shelter going over its quota and so reducing the risk of city hall coming in and telling staff to destroy 10- 20-30 dogs at a time.
