Every Wednesday afternoon I stay at the shelter with the dogs. The whole week I am looking forward to this. When I park my motor-bike the big welcome ceremony begins already.

I always wonder how it will be on that day. First I sit on the welcome platform and let the bunch of dogs fall over me.

The big fight for my love has begun. The dogs are licking me, pulling my hair, tugging on my heartstrings, and always the same black one is biting at my shirt – the hole is getting bigger and bigger.
Mai pen rai, I always wear my ‘dog clothes’ as Armani would be completely wasted here.

Within a short time they sit, stand, lay on me. Slowly I know my friends by name. This takes a while, because there are lots of them. Sometimes I stand in front of a dog and ask hin: “How are you? I’ve never seen you before.”

When all this craziness has calmed down, I start looking around for new patients.

Sometimes they are not good looking but when they are improving from week to week, it makes me happy. After a short time I develop a relationship with them and become familiar with their stories. I like to sit with them because they need a lot of love and attention to gain trust in their new situation at the shelter. Sometimes I am not allowed to go into an enclosure because there are health problems that can be transmitted from one dog to another.

I try to have contact with all of the dogs and if I move around there are many dogs following me. I always talk to the dogs to help to get them socialized.

Adoptions are one of the main aims of this wonderful foundation from Karin, Amandine, and the team. We try to get homes for the healthy dogs so there are new places for sick ones which need our help. We could take at least 20 new patients every day, but the place is completely full with around 170 dogs at the moment.

Apart from this time at the shelter I am treating many sick dogs in my area. Often I can help, but also often I need help and I’m grateful that I can count on the help of Care for Dogs. Also, if there are sterilizations to do, that happens with the Foundation’s help.

I could not imagine having a life without helping dogs and cats in need.

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If you like to learn more about Maggi this is her Web-Site: http://www.maggi-cm.ch