Wow! So many bits to answer – have been confined to kitchen, distracted by spicy objects! Home-made jerk chicken, with accompanying fried plantains and DIY mango/line chutney demanded my attention all p.m.
So glad you understand the lack of “no-death” policies. PDSA seems to be the best, saying they never kill healthy dogs. RSPCA seem to be the worst, regardless of species. We care for two tortoises from a bunch of 500 intercepted by RSPCA in a suitcase at Heathrow. They were going to be killed until some Chelonia carers got to hear about it and split them up among themselves, including us. RSPCA even has a bloody acronym to cover policy – PTSed, Sure you can work it out.
Sunflowers still trying to wake up, I’m afraid. Living in hope. AJN – yours are galloping along. Brilliant! Tilly is a delight to walk although, sadly, Mrs T cannot do it at present. She had to have two emergency, nasty, life-threatening operations just before turn of the year for volvulus/bowel obstruction. Now has two 1ft-long scars in stomach which are taking ages to heal. Moreover, she is a lightweight anyway and the hospital stays with their criminally incompetent ward nursing left her weighing only five and a half stone. We have a friend walking Tilly for us but hope to get out again soon. Can’t walk her myself, mobility issues and strength of dog would have me flat on back (or front) within minutes.
More later… the jerk chicken calls!