what have I done!? lol
Friday 20th August...
The police are responding to a call from my elderly neighbour, Mr Danks, who has phoned Dorset Police from a caravan park somewhere in Dorset, to tell them he's concerned about his dog and that hasn't eaten for a few days....
they found Mr Danks front door unlocked and the back door wide open and one hungry Rottweiller... they fed him... and were sat in their car waiting for the RSPCA
I had a chat with them and went back indoors.... while chatting to Les I wondered if they had found his caged bird and knew the pond was full of koi carp.... so I popped back outside and spoke to the WPC .... she had found the bird at the bottom of the 160ft garden ... its cage placed inside an old aviary....
I've been told its a parakeet.... its tail feathers are all broken from constantly dragging them on the cage... I think he could do with a bigger cage... but anyway I digress...
The WPC is concerned that the dog has been sick .... and this is where I messed up BIG time.... I suggested that they leave the house keys with me and I'd pop in and feed the dog again... as he probably bolted his food through hunger ... she agreed and thanked me taking down my details... well its not like I'd be stuck caring for the animals, the RSPCA were on their way.... right?
Had to go and get fish food as I could find none in the house or sheds... bought biscuit to put with the few cans of meat that were there for the dog.... gave the parakeet some water....
Saturday 20th August:
*looking after Storm, feeding fish.... keeping an eye on the Parakeet
Sunday 21st August:
*Still looking after animals... on Friday the Police said "perhaps you could look after them for a couple days and hopefully Mr Danks will come home and take over....!"
Monday 22nd August:
*Phone police to ask if they have managed to contact Mr Danks and had any idea when he'd be home... they knew nothing as it was being dealt with by Dorset Police... they would phone them and ring me back...
*As it was my 40th birthday I popped out for lunch and a spot of shopping with family and returned to see a missed call...
*I phoned the police again to see if they had any news... Mr Danks was in Yeovil District Hospital... the Caravan park owner had contacted the police on Saturday as he was concerned about the state of Mr Danks health... This was on Saturday! ... The nurses were going to ask him if he had family that could take over the care of the animals....
*police rang back... or did I call them... oh I cant remember... but there were no relatives that they could contact... well actually thats a lie... there are a ton of relatives... however they only turn up to fleece the old boy of money...police officer then says.. "so can you look after them for a couple days as Mr Danks is going to be sent home then... ?"
now this statement concerned me... Mr Danks in my humble opinion was in no fit state to return home let alone care for a Rottweiler...
So I said NO!
the police officer said ... "not a problem..." he would contact Social Services as they had a duty to care for the dog....
So I waited for another call...
7pm the emergency duty team rang and had a long chat... they took lots of details agreed that Mr Danks needed to be assessed and should receive assistance to live at home... phew! someones listening... at last... however they cant do anything for the dog till tomorrow.... someone will ring me in the morning... but if they haven't rung by 11am im to ring the number she was about to give me....
Tuesday 23rd August:
*Still looking after the pets, and I potter about waiting for the phone call.... 11am comes and goes.... so I ring the number given.... *sigh!
*I get through to a receptionist who sounds about 12 and is as about as useful as a chocolate teapot... she cant find the number that I need to ring... hang on a minute... "excuse me but did you say a number that I have to ring?" oh yes! she says and goes quiet... she then takes my number so that she can ring me back with the number....
*Nasha from Somerset Direct rings back with a national number for the Cinnamon Trust... she cant find the local branch number but I should ring them and they give me a number for the local branch... :(
*I ring Cinnamon Trust and talk to Abby.... she takes details ... again.... and passes me to Bob.... (which of course must be said in a Blackadder fashion! lol) ... Bob says how can I help you..... I regale the whole story .... AGAIN! he enquired if the RSPCA had been contacted and I told him they didn't consider the dog abandoned... he laughed and commented at how useless they are... then told me that although Mr Danks qualified for assistance they were not willing to temporarily home a Rottweiler of dubious temperament with one of their volunteers...
I needed to phone the Duty Social Worker at Yeovil District Hospital and if they tried to fob me off I had to quote the "national assistance act" at them... they had a duty of care to Mr Danks animals and should pay for him to be temporarily kenneled...
*cup of strong coffee
*track down a phone number for the Hospital
*phone hospital.... they give me a direct dial number for Social services... if I end up back with the 12 year old I will not be amused....
*phoned direct dial number.... speak to someone who knows nothing about anything.... she puts me on hold..... comes back to inform me that someone in the hospital is dealing with it and they'll phone me back... everything goes quiet... whereupon I enquire if she'd like my phone number... she says ... uhhh... yes please... AARRGGHHHH!
*Social worker person phones me back... its now 1:30 pm.... she knows nothing... didn't know about the caravan park.... didn't know where Mr Danks lived.... didn't know about the bird or the fish.... didn't know what kinda dog it was... So from the top I retell the story .... again!
She would ask Mr Danks what he would like to happen to the dog and start phoning around to get him temporarily kenneled....
HOOORRRAAAYYYY!
*phone call at 5pm.... I'm excited... I answer it... and she says... "ohh I've been ringing around all afternoon... lol.... unfortunately I haven't been able to find anywhere that will temporarily kennel him... and although Mr Danks has asked that he be re-homed we don't want to take his dog away from him till he's better....."
"can you look after the pets for another night?"
how can I say no.... what are these incompetents trying to do to me...
Wednesday 24th August:
So here I am ... waiting for another phone call....
Storm is sat in his garden howling and barking.... and I am bewildered at how difficult it is for a bunch of people from police to social services that have all these powers at their finger tips to not be able to get this situation rectified...
He just wants to be cuddled, taught to walk on a lead, someone who's not going to feed him biscuits and cakes and fried food.... someone that isn't going to hit him with his walking stick.... he's a beautiful dog... and if it wasn't for Les I know damn well he would be up in my house with me by now....
so frustrated...
Wish me luck... I'll give her till lunch time... then I shall be phoning her again...
xx
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