I was visiting Hungary this winter and found to my
great surprise a Hungarian/British lady running an animal sanctuary near
Gyor, on the edge of a forest called Szolohegy. As a former vet nurse, I
was intrigued.
One day I had found a little stray dog running
nervously around the baroque city of Gyur. I was trying to take it back
to my hotel room, but was told at the reception desk that there was a
lady who would not only take the little dog into her sanctuary but also
find a new home for it. So I rang the number given to me, and that’s
where my story begins.
A charming English voice told me that I could take the
little dog to the sanctuary but, if not, she would come and collect it
from my hotel. By this time I was so intrigued to see where this place
was that I took a taxi to Szolohegy - being only eight miles from Gyor -
with my little friend, who seemed totally undisturbed by the ride, and
was happy to curl up in my lap. After twenty minutes we arrived on a
bumpy road to the sanctuary, which is on the edge of this lovely forest.
Mrs Rhodes, the owner of the Puss in Boots Animal Trust & Sanctuary,
opened the gate, with five happy jumping dogs around her. I noticed
immediately how affectionate and well-fed the animals were. Mrs Rhodes
attended first to our little stray friend and, as it was a small dog,
she put it into her dog nursery, which was an enclosure with about six
small dogs running about with plenty of space and several straw-filled
huts to go into. My little friend was vaccinated and examined by Mrs
Rhodes, and was given a worming pill. She said she would prefer to
isolate the newcomer for six to seven days, just to be sure it was not
carrying any illness, while the vaccine took effect, but she had not yet
had enough money to build proper quarantine kennels.
Mrs. Rhodes had hoped to start fundraising and to build
a few kennels this coming spring. She then took me around the sanctuary
where 45 dogs are housed in several enclosures with shelters filled with
straw. As we went along, I saw all the dogs running to the gates of the
enclosures and, as Mrs Rhodes put her hand through they all jumped with
joy and licked her hands.
I have rarely seen such happy and loving animals - it
was like a big family! We then went on to the cat sanctuary, which is
built onto her own house. I could hardly believe my eyes when we went
in. A large room with two bunk-beds, cat baskets of all sorts, with
coloured cushions and blankets. What a delightful sight, with about 60
cats looking very well fed and lazy in the mid-day sun. A big chinese
stove with a crackling wood fire, lovely warm blankets, and an English
cat-flap leading onto a sun-lit terrace which extends to a long cat-run.
What heaven! Clean and tidy, with bowls of fresh water and dry food. As
we went in, again I noticed the affection of the cats towards Mrs
Rhodes. Some of them were jumping straight on to her shoulder, and
rubbing on her face, as only cats do. They all have names and she was
telling me about their individual habits. ‘Mushi’ was a great
shoulder-jumper, but ‘Cindy Crawford’ talked - and she really did!
Then we sat down in her busy, messy office, which also
housed a sick cat, separated as she was brought in with a nasty skin
problem, and Mrs Rhodes was worried that the others might catch it. Over
a cup of tea, she was telling me how difficult it is to run a sanctuary
in Hungary, as there was little culture to treat animals as lovingly as
she did, and often she is not appreciated for her work, but even
attacked! She also has great difficulties in finding staff. Carers are
not trained, are often irresponsible, and amount to not much more than
cleaners. Her workload is enormous, she is running her trust and her
sanctuary single-handed, with very little outside help. She is
re-homing, sterilising dogs and cats, treating them for various
illnesses and injuries. She has to take the animals to the vets in Gyur
and even getting food is a constant battle. Having seen all this with my
own eyes, I pledged myself to go back to London and raise whatever help
I can, for her sanctuary.
Well, here is what she needs:
First of all money to build these quarantine kennels for the dogs,
more runs and better winter shelters. She needs a mid-sized van to
carry animals and their food, and the cats need a sick room, and a
quarantine room for five to six cats to be built on to the existing
sanctuary. She needs to raise a minimum of £30,000 to keep the
sanctuary open, as the Hungarian authorities are now asking for a
permit which includes quarantine facilities. Also goods are welcome:
blankets, feeding bowls, baskets, dog and cat flea collars…
- Volunteers are urgently needed in Hungary. Accommodation and basic
food provided. Plus a responsible couple or single person needed to
run the sanctuary during owner’s absences: 3 months minimum.
Accommodation, basic food and wages. Also in London, helping Mrs
Rhodes with fundraising and general office work when she is in London.
You can send English cheques made out to ‘Puss in Boots Animal
Trust’, and all other correspondence, to Mrs E Rhodes, Paskumu 1, Bony-Szolohegy
9073, Hungary or tel: 0036-30-2903535
* I beg all people with a heart for animals - please help this lovely
place to stay open to so many happy animals.
