Carole Stitcher

I'm so sorry Terri, Ailsa was a beautiful girl and her personality always shone through in her pictures. There's nothing any of us can say that can make this easier for you to bear, but I hope that you can get at least some comfort from the fact that we are all thinking of you. Run free, Ailsa.

Run free Holly. To all who knew and loved her, I wish you could have had more time, but the time you did have was very precious to you all.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, there are many "causes" and none of them are furthered by their exponents turning a blind eye to one atrocity and opposing another.

Kathy I do tend to agree with you about a demonstration and wih your reasons for your opinion as I think that any media reporting would be twisted to show animal rights supporters as callous loonies, which would possibly then impact on such as DNB, not something anyone would want to happen. However, I do feel that protests should be made about the fact that people are fund raising for this man. It cannot be right that someone like him receives the support of celebrities when people like your Baz, who has never hurt anyone or anything, does not. At the end of the day, boxing is a brutal sport, a dangerous one, just like motor racing for example. People participate knowing the risks involved, but discount them because of the rewards that can be gained. That is their choice and there are a great many out there in positions similar to Gerald McClellans'. He earnt a great deal of money while he was boxing, which he used partially to fund the activities that we are all condemning him for, had he not done that, perhaps his financial position would be better now. I agree that others are doing the same as him, and they are doing it now, but by condoning McClellans' activities by fund raising for him, or accepting that fund raising is being done for him, is condoning them and what they are doing right now. I read the entire article from 2001 and it is fairly obvious that McClellan has not changed, certainly not up to that point, had he not been physically curtailed due to his injuries 12 years ago, he would probably still be doing it now. I feel that we do have a social responsibility to try to make our feelings known to as wide an audience as possible. We need to show that civilised members of society do not accept that type of behaviour from anyone, no matter how their circumstances may change. Only then will we have any chance, however small, to make a change.

I have just emailed the following to the letters page (of the Guardian, but that's the address given for both the Guardian and the Observer). I did copy and paste the dog fighting bit from the 2001 article and the entire Feb 4th article, but have omitted that here. I very much doubt they will print it and even if they do, I doubt it will do any good, but you never know, hope springs eternal and all that......

Lynn, sorry only just read this. Everything crossed here that its just you being a worrier. Good luck and give the not-so-wee girlie a hug from all of us Edited because I can't operate a keyboard properly

Anything happening, do you need us to help?

I believe Raiye found a dog late last year and seem to recall that the time period for places other than the dog warden/pound is 28 days but if you check with her I'm sure she'll remember.

Martins raging at the moment Tracey, he thinks that some of the husbands should go and collect the poor little mite and 'pay' the t**t. Seriously though, if you can get him, we can hold him, we are contacting a couple of rescues now to see if we can get back up. Have now managed to contact Halfway Home, Val will provide rescue back-up, so if it can be sorted to collect him, he has somewhere to go. Will contact Margaret now to see if she can help with transport.

I'm very sorry, Run Free Skellie for those who knew and loved her

From what I've seen, both of those breeds are prone to deafness, so surely a cross of the two would be even more at risk of that problem? If a breeder is so irresponsible as to consider that cross at all, I would certainly doubt that they would take care to do the checks that minimise the risks.

What would it be?

Sorry to hear this Sandra, I know there are no words that can make it feel any better. Run free Jet for all her family

Run free Max. I'm sure you know how much Tracey and family loved you and wanted the very best for you, no matter what it cost them.

Roger was a dodger wasn't he? was Manuel Spanish? What happened to the rat?

But how much is too much python? Where would I find information about Farty Owls? There's been a WAR?

Did I kill the thread? Too much python? should I be sorry? should I ask more questions? Can boosboss save the day with more aerodynamics?

Nothing to say really, Tracey, that I didn't say yesterday. You know you were right and did the best by Max. What more could he ask for? for you all

Well done Digger (and you, of course). I'm really glad you have something to smile at for once, you must feel great.

But at the end of the day, how is this all going to affect a singing lumberjack? Will he be allright or not?

Might that kind of diet, served in that kind of tableware, combined with a positive outlook cause an exposed person to be a candidate for the ministry of silly walks?

Is that what you get for looking at the bright side of life?

Would it be wise to serve the two together in the Holy Grail?

Would I be right saying that it is Spam?

Good grief, Lynn, that's been a quick year. It seems like only yesterday we were calling Val 'Dark Lady'. Happy Gotcha Day, Larva