Ayios Nikolaos volunteers.

Recently,  a group of military personnel from Ayios Nikolaos base contacted us to say that they were getting together a group of volunteers who had decided to get involved in community project volunteering.  This is their statement:

"Ay Nik volunteers are a group of individuals from JSSU (Cyp) who volunteer in the local community around Ayios Nikolaos.  The purpose of this activity is to make a difference within the local community and also provide individuals with a secondary duty of value".

On Saturday 26th Nov we had a second visit from the volunteers of the OC Force Protection Flt and HSW. They couldn’t have come at a better time as 2 days earlier we had a soak-away drilled measuring 30 metres depth (this is to take the excess rainwater so that we don’t flood) and we were wondering who was going to fill the hole.  We already had the gravel and some large stones but needed hands to fill this deep hole with these materials. So, the four volunteers set to with shovels and wheelbarrows filling the hole.  Three hours into the work, they managed to fill it up to a point where you could just about see the gravel and had to leave and report back to their unit for duty.

The volunteers have stated that they are happy doing any kind of work necessary to help make the shelter a better place for both the animals and the people who care for them.

We have always had great cooperation and assistance from the British soldiers who are known for their generosity both in time and money.  We would like to thank them for their constant support in helping the shelter’s homeless cats and dogs.

The volunteers are from the OC Force Protection Flt, Support Sqn:

• Flt Lt Anthony Xavier
• Stewart Barnes
• LCpl Cook
• Chris Denby – FP Flt

Our Wish for Hobo.

On 6th January 2012 my husband Phil and I found a skinny puppy running up and down a busy road.  He was desperately looking for food and tearing open any bags he found.  We saw him eating a dead animal he had found at the side of the road, so starving was this small boy.
We tried to catch him but he was so terrified of people.
The next day we found he was hiding in a guard building of an old army camp which is not used anymore.  We returned every day, twice a day, to leave food and water by the building, this dog was so frightened we could not get close to him but  we could see that he was only a puppy and also blind in one eye.
 The poor thing was skin and bones and had a few scars on his head and tail.  We put an old blanket in the building and noticed that he had started to sleep on it to keep warm.  The nights in Cyprus are cold and wet in January so we were happy to find that he would sleep on the blanket. Every day we fed him we could get a little closer and sit by him while he ate
After 5 days we had a good result and got so close to him that we managed to take a photo and by the 7th day he let Phil touch him gently on his back.  Progress indeed. 
                                                                   
Good news!  On 18th January we set out early in the morning with a travel box to try to catch the puppy.  He was there as usual waiting for us and as he ate Phil gently reached out and picked him up and placed him quickly into the travel Box.  The puppy did not struggle and was very quiet on the journey to our home.  Because ARGOS sanctuary is full we did not want to burden them with the added responsibility of a traumatized puppy but knew they would support us in the future. He is safe living in our yard and he has a cosy kennel to sleep in.  The strange thing is he would rather sleep in a plastic dog bed in the open than go into the warm and cosy kennel.  So, he has a warm coat to wear and 2 coats during the night.   We have named him Hobo because of his love for sleeping in the open. 
Our very first day with Hobo he let us bath him and although he showed fear he knew that we meant him no harm.  He has been to the vet and had his tick treatment, wormed, nails trimmed and his blind eye looked at.   He has some medication for the eye because the vet said he may have a little sight in it.  The vet told us this sweet boy is only 5 or 6 months old, probably born in the first week in August.  He thinks that Hobo may have been thrown out by the breeder as soon as he was old enough to leave his mother.  This was probably because his eye sight was not perfect for hunting or breeding.
Next week when he goes to have it checked again, Hobo will have his first vaccination. 

On Monday 23rd January we took Hobo out for his first walk with our 2 dogs.  He was happy to have his harness on and a long leash and happily walked along with us.  Hobo was desperate to join in with the fun but our dogs are still a little jealous of him being around and will not tolerate him.   Hobo likes to ride in the car in the training cage and settles down to snooze during the journey. We’ve started to teach him how to be a puppy, something he has never experienced.
He will chase a ball when it is rolled on the ground, loves to chew doggy chew treats and has a soft toy he likes to play with.  He will come into the house when my dogs are not present but does not like to stay in there for long.  Already he sits to command (for a doggy treat of course) and has met our cats who he ignores completely!  Who can believe in such a short time this young puppy has started to trust so much and is learning new things so fast.

My dearest wish would be to find him a loving home so that people will appreciate him, love him and understand what trauma he has already endured during the first months of his young life.  What do you think? Miracles CAN happen!

Sandy.

Stop press from the sanctuary - Hobo has a home !

Thanks to all Sandy and Phil's hard work and patience Hobo is now a fuller ,happier and less nervous dog. This week he moves to his forever home with Viv and Martin where we are sure  he will continue to to grow in confidence.

Once again the pictures show what a difference a little TLC can make.

Full power ahead!

Some time last year, Mr & Mrs Johnson visited out shelter and adopted German shepherd cross Enzo. Whilst chatting to us about the shelter and its needs Mike offered help from his company Major Marine diesels in the shape of a new generator.

Several visits later, and fully understanding the power needs of the shelter (which was at the time running on a small and well-worn generator). Mike offered to build us a generator that would power the whole of the shelter. In the meantime a small replacement generator from Mike kept the shelter running smoothly.

Early in October Mike, true to his word, drove up pulling the heavy duty generator he had promised us, with all the fittings to go with it. He will also connect the cables to all our buildings to give us power. This generator is silent but powerful enough to light up the entire shelter, run a washing machine and fridge and power all the machinery currently involved in the extensive building work taking place.

A simple thankyou seemed inadequate for such generosity and kindness and Argos founder Stella found herself lost for words, Mikes reply was simple and sincere, "it is enough that i come here and see all this".

They won an Oscar!

Oscar the adorable spaniel cross puppy is lucky to be alive. If it had not been for the keen ears and big heart of 3 friends of Argos this perfect pup would literally have become yesterdays rubbish

Some of the stories that the Argos sanctuary could tell defy belief. We are often left asking ourselves “How?” And “Why?” For Oscar the “dustbin pup” the heart breaking story thankfully has a happy ending. Back in the Spring one of our dearest supporters Aggelos was as he often does feeding some stray cats close to his work place when he heard a weak but distinctive cry. Looking around him he found that the pathetic sound was in fact coming from a communal bin close by. Despite being in his work suit Aggelos delved into the dirty bin to find a carrier bag with something moving inside it. On opening the bag his fears were confirmed for the suffocating bag contained the body of a small puppy close to death. Acting fast he rushed the puppy to his own vet who was luckily close by. The condition of the pup was critical. Starved of air and weak with hunger the vet put the poor animals chances of survival as slim and even if he were to survive, the lack of oxygen could have caused permanent brain damage. The vet put enormous effort into saving the puppy though as Aggelos waited hopefully for good news. Slowly the puppy's weak and wobbly walk improved and tiny Oscar – as Aggelos had named him- began to fight back. With numerous animals of his own already Aggelos could still not turn his back on this poor soul so brought him to Argos on our open day in the hope of finding him a loving home.

This was the day that little Oscars life turned around as newly weds Andreas and Margarita fell for him. As the pictures show Oscar was still a tiny and confused little puppy, terrified of everything around him and clinging to every cuddle offered to him.

Now growing strong and confident Oscar is a far cry from the weak bundle in the bin. Andrea and Margarita have watched him blossom into a handsome and healthy dog that has become part of their family and made everyone involved in this heartwarming story a winner- especially Oscar .

At the Argos open day Oscar was a tiny and frightened little fellow

Just a few weeks later and Oscar is growing in confidence. Looking forward to a bright future, Oscar gets more handsome by the day.