These three beautiful cats used to always hide behind a gate and stick their heads out when I arrived. I would see three heads peeking under the gate and when the coast was clear they would come out for the food I put down. Now they are braver and much bigger, they will come out, take a piece of chicken and quickly head back behind the gate to eat it before coming back for more. I usually place the food behind the gate so no dogs can try to eat it.
They always compete to try to get the first piece of chicken and they love to drink the water and chicken broth I often give them. I love these cats, they are shy but friendly and a really nice pack of cats that have found a safe spot to hide away behind this gate.
This next photo isn’t very clear, it’s difficult to take a clear photo at night when the dogs are moving around a lot. There are a number of black and white dogs that I feed now and then. Earlier this year one of the black and white dogs puppies was run over by a car and me and another man buried the puppy in the woodland. This was a really sad day as the puppy was no more than a few months old at that time and must have only just been hit before we arrived. I wish people would take more care driving.
Since then, in the summer another of the white and black dogs gave birth to 4 babies but unfortunately after keeping an eye on them for a few days the babies disappeared, it seems they were either killed or taken by somebody. The mother protected the nest area for a while afterwards but after several days she left the area and went back to the main pack. It must have been devastating for her wandering around wishing her precious babies would be okay, but most likely knowing they wouldn’t return.
I wanted to rescue the puppies but I would have needed to catch the mother too as it would have been difficult for them to survive without her, but the location made this difficult and asking a catcher to use a dart would have meant she couldn’t have fed the babies afterwards incase the tranquilliser affected them. It’s tough to see these small babies and not be able to help them. All I could do was hope that they’d stay hidden or somebody would protect them.
It’s always challenging when you bond with stray animals but can’t always bring them off the streets. Every day out there is dangerous and their chance of a long life is small. Despite the difficulties, the moments of trust and connection shared with these animals are incredibly rewarding. They remind us of the importance of compassion and the impact we can have, no matter how small. Whether through adoption, feeding, or simply providing a safe space, each act of kindness makes a difference in their lives.