We have a rapidly expanding family. In less than one week we have gone from having just the one dog to having a family of 3 kittens in the house as well as feeding 2 strays ( a mother and her kitten ) that now frequent our barn. It's a good job we love animals

Careful.....when it becomes known you will take in needy animals they will be arriving over the fence by the litter load! There have been animals which have tugged at our heartstrings here, but as newcomers who have no idea if our move out here will be successful yet, we are being brave and looking the other way. There is no way we could take loads of animals back to the UK and I couldn't leave them here.

But I do understand. We will not have cats as it makes me gag when the dogs go looking for cat s*** in the garden, and we don't want to contribute to it. There are enough passing through to keep vermin numbers down. Bella would love a new animal to play with, she is finding Bonnie too staid these days.

Sara

Know what you mean BGBound we started to feeding the village dog Rosa and a little white dog who came every dayily wilst in BG. Next time we came to BG they were at ours within minutes of us arriving. The white dog has an owner but she still kept coming to us along with her pup. We did not see a problem in feed them all. They went back to the owners at night. The next visit to BG the white dog had died but the pup still came to us and began to stay for a few nights at a time. The owner has given up now as the dog is at our all the time, The dog now thinks he belongs to us. This year Rosa the village dog had pups and naturally she brought them to us to feed, unfortunately Dougie entised them inside the gate and now they moved in but we have to get them out before we go home in Dec. The mum Rosa has wondered off now only comes back occasionally so she has left them to us . I have started the process of getting them out of our property and back to their own home, but it is wearing me out - I enticed them outside the gate and shoo them away. I bring the food to their old home. They eat it and then come back here. 29 times I have put them out in one day but they still find a way back in. The villagers now think they are our dogs which is not what we wanted at all. We have wormed and deflead them. I can only continue to put them out and feed them at their old home and hopefully they will saettle there. I do not want to stop feeding them as I am told this is the only way but we cannot continue to feed 5 dogs twice a day now. ::

So my advise to everyone is don't feed the strays near your house. Wsh I never started now.

Fortunately our massive German Shepherd tends to prevent any stray cats or dogs from trying to get into the garden! At least we only have the one extra mouth to feed

I totally agree with your last statement Bernie. It seems harsh but after years of holidays in Greece where I have seen tourists feel sorry for cats and dogs and feed them, then leave them to go home, I leave them all be. Of course if one was in trouble it would be a different matter, but if a dog or cat gets fed good food by well meaning people, whether tourist or resident, of course they are going to keep coming back for more. They are often owned by those who don't care whether they ever see them again or not, there will be plenty of others on the way, so returning them, as you have found out, is very difficult if you have to leave.

On another note, I have seen (again, well meaning) residents give food to street dogs, out of a pocket full of goodies, but feel, as these dogs are not socialised, they could become a nuisance to others by begging for food. They are often nervous and wary of humans anyway, and will be even more so if they are being chased off while asking for titbits from anyone putting a hand in a pocket.

I know people mean well, but I don't feel that feeding any of these animals is fair unless, as BGBound is doing, the intention is to either keep or properly rehome them. They are survivors!

I'll get off my soap box now.

Sara

I can see everyone's point and yes we could have had a lot more if we hadn't controlled it to some degree. Two of the kittens we have by arrangement with a friend in the village. The other one turned up on his own aged about 8 wks and the mother and kitten are permanently outdoors and will hopefully contribute in keeping the vermin down for their daily rations. We have no plans for any more cats but do intend getting some chooks , goats and a donkey next year .