IF anyone knows about the effect the economic situation is having on our animal population, it's Gyll Mauchline.

Through Three Counties Dog Rescue, she has been looking after unwanted dogs, come recession or economic boom, for 30 years.

And the current financial climate is giving her cause for concern.

"I wake up in the middle of the night or I can't get to sleep," she said. "We've got the dogs here and they're our responsibility. They get the best veterinary treatment. It is a constant nightmare trying to get the money coming in."

Three Counties Dog Rescue was founded in 1971 by Gyll and her friend Sheila Kew.

It originally operated in Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, but it moved to south Lincolnshire 20 years ago, and now covers Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as parts of Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Running a charity is always a struggle but for Gyll, the recession is making things much more challenging.

The number of animals coming to her organisation has nearly tripled over the last two years, and many of them need her help for reasons connected to economics. Gyll has encountered owners who are being evicted, or those who cannot afford to treat the dog's ailments or medical conditions.

And although hers is a dog rescue charity, Gyll and her band of volunteers have had to start accepting cats, especially litters of kittens, because other centres do not have room for them.

Three Counties has taken in at least 50 kittens this year, and Gyll and her helpers believe this may be because owners realise they can't afford to feed all those hungry little mouths.

Pet owners don't get their animal neutered because they believe they will be able to sell any offspring, but don't take into account how much it will cost to care for them before they're ready to be re-homed.

"People will just sell them anywhere but obviously when you've got litters of puppies and litters of kittens it's quite hard as they get older because you've got to start feeding them. Kittens eat as much as an adult cat," Gyll said.

This is particularly galling for Gyll as there are charities, such as the RSPCA and the PDSA, which may be able to help owners with things like neutering, so all these extra litters place an unnecessary burden on already over-stretched resources.

At the same time, as more animals are coming in, fewer are going out as people are reluctant to take on an extra mouth to feed when money is tight.



With more animals to take care of, funding for Three Counties becomes even more vital. But all its income comes from donations, and people are starting to tighten their belts.

"We're still getting donations but obviously people will think twice," Gyll said. "We have not so many people doing standing orders for us.

"The money is a constant worry. We do everything on a shoestring. Every penny that we get goes back into the dog rescue. There's not one of our helpers, even those involved in transport, that asks for money for fuel or anything."

Although Gyll would love all of her dogs, and now her cats, to leave the kennels for a happy,

loving home, not even the recession will see her allowing them to go to the wrong home just so they are off her hands.

Would-be owners are carefully screened, a home check is conducted and dogs go to their new homes for a trial period before ownership is made permanent.

And as much as she would love more people to come forward as potential owners, Gyll also wants people to be sure they can afford all the costs involved, including yearly vaccination boosters, before they start the process.

Gyll said: "Think long and hard and also think about getting a rescue dog rather than going to a breeder, because that's encouraging them to breed when there's already too many dogs."

If you would like more information about Three Counties Dog Rescue, call Gyll on 01778 440318 or 07708 589792.


Worming and flea prevention
Worming should be done between three to six months on dogs and cats. Worming tablets start at £2.50 per tablet, but the overall cost depends on the pet's weight.

Flea drops should be given between every month and every two months. Again, they vary in cost, but as a guide start at around £16 for three cat doses and £20 to £30 per pack of three for a dog.

Byre Veterinary Surgery, in Papyrus Road, Werrington, can be contacted on 01733 325007.


Healthcare of your pets is an essential expense
AS the bills stack up, it can be easy to ignore that letter from the vet reminding you that your pet is due for his or her booster. But although money is tight, keeping on top of the preventative care of your pet is still important.

The basic preventative healthcare measures owners of dogs and cats need to take are vaccinations, worming and flea treatments.

Holly Lloyd, head nurse at Byre Veterinary Surgery in Papyrus Road, Werrington, Peterborough said: "That's just the healthcare that is expected of you as a dog or cat owner. You never know when an animal is going to get poorly, but if you're doing the basics you're doing the best for your animal long-term."

Away from the preventative side, the good news is that most veterinary surgeries have offers and free nurse clinics you can make use of – so if it's a bit of advice you need, it may be free. At Byre, nurse clinics can advise on things such as weight, give dental checks and give flea, nutrient and worming advice. You may also be able to access geriatric clinics for your older pets.

However, no matter how well you take care of your pet, from time to time they will inevitably get ill. And to help deal with the costs, most vets now

recommend that you take out pet insurance. Holly advises pet owners to check the small print on any policy, and particularly to check that the policy will cover the ailment for the animal's life.

But, small print checked, Holly believes that insurance is a good way to take the stress out of pet ownership.

She said: "Even if people think they're on a budget and it might be a waste of money, for a little bit of money each month, they would be able to afford that treatment and just pay the excess. You just never know when something's going to happen and you've got that security."

The trick to being a pet owner in the recession is to do your research and know what you're letting yourself in for – and that's where Holly and her colleagues come in.

"Veterinary nurses are there to help so if people are looking to get a dog or cat, you can make an appointment to speak to a nurse and get some advice," she said.

"Ultimately it's not going to be something that's overly cheap but if you vaccinate them and get them insured, you know that's what you're going to have to pay.

"If you research that and know you can afford it, you know nothing else is going to be thrown at you."


Vaccination lapses can put your pets at risk
Young animals will have a primary course of two injections, and will need a booster every year. The cost of these vaccinations will vary between veterinary practices. At Byre

Veterinary Surgery, in Papyrus Road, Werrington, Peterborough, it will cost about £40 for a dog's yearly injections and from £35 for a cat's.

If your reminder letter comes in a month when money is short, it can be tempting not to get your animal done, and assume that they will still be immune from previous vaccinations.

But the immunity to disease may fade, leaving dogs at risk of diseases such as canine parvovirus, which caused major epidemics in the 1970s, and leptospirosis, which can be contracted from the urine of rats and/or other dogs.

Cats can be left at risk from cat 'flu and infectious enteritis.

It is also a bit of a false economy to miss a year.

"If you lapse on vaccinations, the next year you would need another course again," head nurse Holly Lloyd said.

The added bonus of taking your dog or cat in for vaccinations is that the vet will give them a health check while they are there.

"Not only are you getting a vaccination but if your pet has got anything brewing, it gets picked up before they get ill," Holly said. "It's preventative healthcare."