Eleven Days On.....

You'll remember the big male American Bulldog (we still need to give him a name) that arrived not long ago.....

You'll also hopefully remember his first step into the outdoor world with us the very next day.....

Well here he is today, just 11 days later.....

Amazing progress from an amazing boy.

Ignore The Ignorance And Don't Be Breedist.....

It's a busy time for Freya, as she popped down to see the vet at the weekend for medication to clear up a spot of wet eczema. We thought she deserved a little break afterwards, so she's been here on holiday.

Freya has been brilliant, taking everything in her stride, and I think she is enjoying seeing the sunset and the countryside. She has been in kennels a lot longer than she should of been, I guess if she hadn't had the misfortune of being born an American Bulldog she would of been snapped up by now. Truth is that she is a wonderful friendly and playful girl, who despite her obvious mistreatment earlier in life, is so trusting of people.

True testament to what a fantastic breed she belongs too..... So if you can 'ignore the ignorance' and your not 'breedist' and feel you could offer Freya the home to call her own she so much deserves, then get in touch..... foreverfoster@shak.org.uk

Big Guy Braving The Outdoors.....

Whilst this video isn't the most exciting I've posted on here, the big American Bulldog that arrived on Friday as a shivering wreck has certainly won the hearts of a lot of people. I spent a lot of time with him on Friday afternoon, just talking to him and letting him see I wasn't going to hurt him. Saturday morning was the same, and then it was crunch time..... we needed to go out for a walk. Below is a short film of how it went. Incredible to think this was less than 24 hours since I shot the first video.....

I can't help admitting I'm falling in love with this guy, and with the help of my team do all I can to give him a new start. In case you missed it, here is how he was when he arrived.....

Today Of All Days I Miss The Dog In Whose Memory I Created This Charity.....

June the 19th is a date that is of paramount importance to this charity, and without June 19th 2006 there wouldn't be a SHAK as you all know it today. That horrible day was the day that I lost my dog to Lymphoma out of the blue, just an ordinary guy running his own business with 1 pet dog that went everywhere with him. That dog was called Shakur (meaning 'thankful to god') or Shak for short.

I don't want to go through the whole twisted paths that brought me to where we as a charity are today, there isn't the time to go through all the good times and bad times, but I do want to say how proud I am of what has been achieved in the memory of a dog that got me through some tough times, and really was my soul mate.

 When he died, I swore I would never put myself through that ever again. The loss and pain was too much to bare. Today we have around 70 in our care. Yet I have seen and been present for the last breath of so many dogs since that day and I would be lying if I said it got easier..... It doesn't. Everyone we lose hurts even more.

 Today of all days we were asked to help three. Two we saved, one disappeared into the hideous world of not knowing. A change of heart maybe? Or to another vets who are less conscious with the needle? I'll never know. But we saved two (more on one of them later.) I'd like to think Shak would be happy with that return, everyone keeps telling me "you can't save them all." But the day I stop trying to save them all is indeed the day that I myself won't be saved.

 So 9 years on, the charity I founded in memory of my best friend continues to help the dogs that nobody else wants. The video below shows one of the arrivals today. He is exactly the kind of dog I set this charity up for. The ones nobody else wants. The fact he arrived today just proves that deep down I must be trying to do something right. The politics, the media frenzies and the huge ego's connected to rescue mean nothing to me, I'm simply trying to give a little back to creatures that gave so much to me in the shape of one.....

I miss you Shak, you changed my life forever. I hope what I set out to achieve in your memory will continue to help so many more just like you.....

 Stephen Wylie.

Shakur Wylie 07.03.1999-19.06.2006

Rocco's Story.....

I always try to help when I get asked by a vet to take a dog that is in the surgery to be destroyed, and although at the time we didn't have room to take Rocco, we were there as back up for the rescue that did take him.

The video below tells his story, I don't need to waste your time here, but after you have watched, take a minute to think just how could a dog so young be so damaged that he was potentially spared from the vets needle not once, but twice.....

My new pal.....

And on a lead for a walk in the village with Mona and Alison.

Four Very Special Dogs.....

I am very proud what this charity achieves, and even more proud of the complicated souls that we are there for. I shot this video when I got home last night. All four dogs that star in it were destined to be destroyed..... Saved from ending up worthless in a bag in a skip, Star, Heidi, Laser and Bandit, just look at them now..... having fun just like 'normal' dogs..... because at the end of the day that's what they are, they just needed a little bit more.

Seeing them and knowing their histories and stories I cannot express how great it is to see them playing all together like this. The constant appeals on here for funding and support are what make walks like the one last night possible, they are what make the opportunity of life for dogs like these possible. I thank you all on their behalf for the wonderful support you give.....

Lilly's Story.....

It is very much Lurcher season again, and out of all the Lurchers we've received this girl's story has to be one of the saddest. Collected by John from our Out of Hours team, Lilly was found by the side of a very busy stretch of the A1 late at night. At first we thought she must of been hit by a vehicle as she was clearly in pain and sore to the touch. Her older wounds suggested that she may of been an ex working dog, and after being checked by a vet it dawned on me that she may of even been thrown from a moving vehicle.....

 I guess we'll never know, but one thing we have learnt is that she is a wonderful girl, who has very quickly won a lot of hearts and made a lot of friends.....

 Lilly's Story.....

Then on top of this video that was shot yesterday, Moby visited with Foster Mum Sheena this morning and 4 became 5.....

Change Lives (And Ben) Update.....

The response to the Change Lives £5,000 appeal has been nothing short of astonishing! Thank you all for getting behind us and it!

 The on line total currently stands at £1,549 but we also have received donations via cheque and cash of £735 meaning that the grand total so far is a whopping....£2,284 this is such an amazing figure when you consider we only launched the appeal on 9th of December.

 You'll remember the little dog on the video last week, destined to be destroyed..... Well here's an update on his story and also showing the benefits of your support.....

Thanks again for all your support in this campaign, and please remember that you, your friends and your family can continue to donate and push us closer to that magical £5,000 figure at the link below:

http://www.everyclick.com/shakchangelives

Who Your Money Will Help.....

It really has been a fantastic start to the Change Lives £5,000 Challenge, with £660 raised in the first 24 hours of the campaign! Obviously we still have a long way to go, but just to show you where the money will go and the kind of dogs that so desperately need your help, here's a short video.....

Please keep helping us..... Donate here.....http://www.everyclick.com/shakchangelives

Kye's Story.....

As promised from the little teaser a couple of weeks ago, here's Kye's Story.....

I guess if anything this video really does show the work we do from start to finish, and also what can be achieved.

Kai'sTrip To The Seaside.....

A short and light hearted film of Kai's trip to the seaside. Although it doesn't show the seriousness of some of the other films I've made, its just as important as it shows the social life our dogs have away from kennels.....

Our Beautiful Girl Mia.....

I've had a lot of people both congratulate us and say how upset they were when they saw Mia arrive on Thursday. People are very interested in seeing how she is doing, well here is part 2 of her story.....

And for those who missed her arrival, here is part 1.....

Another Two Arrive.....

Kash and Mia arrive, as Spencer, Amber, Kes and Trigger go south.

Part 2 Of Zach's Story.....

Zach has made tremendous progress over the 6 days he had been here when this video was made yesterday. He is so intelligent, and making new friends.....

Three Lurchers.....

As Zach headed north, three of our boys made the reverse journey. Ryder, Huey and Jack made the long journey south to find their forever homes, and within 48 hours they'd done us proud. Ryder is already in his new home, Huey has several people wanting him, and Jack has secured a space at a great Lurcher rescue.....

A Big Day As A Big Dog Arrives.....

Here is Zach's story.....

Hannah Arrives.....

A video showing the state of one of our latest arrivals, Hannah, on the day she arrived......

Lionheart Radio Interview 07.04.2011

For anyone who wants to know what SHAK is all about, or who missed this yesterday, heres my interview on Lionheart Radio. Thanks to John at Blyth Wildlife Rescue for doing the video.

SHAK On The BBC

True Spirit.....

"I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with Spirit after he arrived at SHAK, and he certainly lived up to his name.

Spirit was on the list to be destroyed in a pound before arriving here. He was very thin, wobbly on his hind legs, and kept one foot off the ground at every opportunity. Vets diagnosed his condition as chronic hip dysplasia, and plans were made to provide him with a hip replacement. It was after this initial vets visit, Spirit came home with me, he pretty much stayed there till the day he died.

On Tuesday 27th July 2010, we were hit with terrible news. During an x ray to reveal the extent of his hip problem, the vet discussed the leg that was so poorly was riddled with bone tumours. Worse was to follow, the disease had spread to his lungs. I had to let him go. I have never known a dog walk as deeply into my life in such a short time as Spirit did.

The 9 days we had him were filled with so much happiness. I used to watch him as he slept by the side of my bed, in his dreams he was running fast, I lay watching his legs go through the motions as he slept. I like to think he will be doing plenty of that now. Big fella, we shared so much in such a short time. You arrived with nothing, and left a family who loved you and miss you so much. Run free, true Spirit."

Stephen Wylie.

Song "True Spirit" written and performed by Lisa Clark.