Wellswood Walkies

09/04/2025

What fun they are having 🫶

25/03/2025

So terribly sad 😢

67 years ago, Laika was launched into space.

Laika, ′′Little Barker"" but her real name was Kudrjavka, Russian for ′′curly."" She was captured on the street, in Moscow.

Half Husky and half Terrier, she was around 3 years old at the time. She was chosen because she was calm, docile and perfectly adaptable to the Sputnik 2 capsule. Equipped for life support (food and water), the mission didn't involve return. For Laika, it was a death sentence.

The interior of the satellite was lined and the interior space was wide enough to allow Laika to lie or stand. The internal temperature was set to 15. and a refrigeration system had to protect the animal from excessive thermal surges.

On November 3rd at 2 AM, Sputnik 2 was launched into space. Laika probably survived for seven hours.

But some sources claim that agony was much longer: four days.

Alone, in space.

The satellite returned to atmosphere 5 months later, April 14, 1958, after turning 2.570 laps around Earth.

It disintegrated upon return to the atmosphere.

Every year, before Fall, I feel compelled to tell this story and possibly do it with new words. There's a deep guilt that all of us should feel reading what we did to Laika. Human progress has often been achieved at the expense of animals that had nothing to do with our desire for supremacy.

Many people believe this was an acceptable price for our conquests, but it seems obvious, even reading this story, that was really just a trivial form of prevarication.

We had a duty to choose another path.

We still have that duty today.

Sorry humanity has failed you, Laika 💔

22/03/2025

A gentle reminder with Easter approaching… a hutch is never enough 🛑🙏🏻

22/03/2025

21/03/2025

Today is 💛 Did you know if you see a dog wearing yellow, it’s a sign they need space? They may be wearing a yellow collar, harness, lead, vest or bandana. Whether they’re nervous, in training, or recovering from an injury, giving them distance helps keep everyone happy and safe!

21/03/2025

We might be unsure, worry or have been told that comforting our dog when they are anxious or frightened we could reinforce their fear or be rewarding them.

However, imagine if something has scared you, feeling afraid, and your friend just ignored you or told you shouldn’t feel that way, we might find that odd, possibly up end feeling worse, feeling alone, and not trust that friend, maybe reconsider how long you might keep that "friend" around.

For us, when Murphy has been frightened by a noise, he was not interested in anything else, except needing to feel safe, and I offer him the same support and security as I would my human friend or my child.

It’s ok to acknowledge our dog’s emotions, creating a safe space to allow them to process how they’re feeling, offering our support by reassuring them, for them to feel less alone in their fear.

Depending on an individual dog, they may feel comfort from you sitting in the same room, speaking in a calm voice, allowing them to choose what safety they are seeking, sometimes just being present in the moment is all they need.

Our dogs may not always want to be touched, but creating an environment where they feel safe, supported and secure is the most important thing we can offer, so it’s ok to comfort your dog when they feel frightened, just the same as you would want your friend to comfort you.

16/03/2025

❌Why Rabbits Should NOT Be Taken to Care Homes/hospitals etc❌

We’ve recently seen a post from another rescue proudly announcing that they are taking rabbits into care homes for visits. While we understand the desire to share the joy of these animals, we cannot ignore how irresponsible and damaging this is for the rabbits involved.

Let’s be clear—rabbits are not therapy animals. They are prey animals, and being taken into unfamiliar environments, handled by multiple people, and exposed to loud noises and strange smells is incredibly stressful for them.

Here’s why this is a welfare disaster waiting to happen:

🐰 Fear and Stress – Just because a rabbit isn’t struggling doesn’t mean it’s enjoying the experience. Many rabbits "shut down" in fear rather than fight back. This kind of stress can have serious consequences, including fatal gut stasis.

🏡 Rabbits Are Not Transport-Friendly – Unlike dogs, rabbits don’t "enjoy a day out." Being moved around frequently can cause extreme anxiety, leading to long-term health problems.

🖐 Too Much Handling – Rabbits are not cuddly toys to be passed from person to person. Even the most confident rabbit can become overwhelmed, and inappropriate handling (however well-intended) can result in injuries.

🦠 Disease Risk – Care homes are full of potential pathogens that could seriously harm rabbits. On the flip side, rabbits also carry bacteria that could pose a risk to vulnerable residents.

💔 True Welfare vs. Feel-Good Gimmicks – Taking rabbits to care homes might look heartwarming in a Facebook post, but at what cost? If the focus is truly on rabbit welfare, this kind of activity should never be encouraged.

At Estuary Small Animal Rescue, we prioritise the wellbeing of the animals in our care over what looks good for social media. There are plenty of safe and ethical ways to share the joy of rabbits—such as videos, photos, and controlled visits where people come to see the rabbits in a calm, rabbit-friendly environment.

We urge anyone considering this type of activity to stop and think: Is this truly in the best interests of the rabbit, or is it just about making people feel good? Because if it’s the latter, then it absolutely should not be happening.

Rescue means putting the animal first—ALWAYS.

06/03/2025